Price v. Victory Baptist Church

Defendant, Victory Baptist Church of Sunnyland, an Illinois religious corporation, appeals from a judgment entered upon a jury verdict awarding the plaintiffs, Randall R and Julie C. Price, $287,500 in damages under the Structural Work Act (Act) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 48, par. 60).

On December 6, 1985, defendant was engaged in the alteration of what had been a store building for use as its church. The plaintiff, a member of the congregation, had regularly assisted in the remodeling project in a volunteer capacity and was working at the site. Pastor Buddy Glass, the head of the church and…