Karpiel v. LASALLE NAT. BANK OF CHICAGO

An action brought under the Scaffolding Act was dismissed under Supreme Court Rule 103(b) 1 because of negligence of the plaintiff in failing to serve summons on the beneficiaries of the defendant trust within a reasonable time.

The appeal raises the narrow issue of whether a trial court exercises lawful discretion in dismissing a suit when attorneys for the plaintiff have been admittedly negligent in failing to serve summons within a few days short of 14 months after the filing of an amended complaint, but with no showing that substantive rights of the defendants have been prejudiced by the…