Gillis v. DeMarkles

On February 19, 1994, the plaintiff, Jane A. Gillis (“Gillis”), visited the defendant Tedeschi Food Shop (“Tedeschi”), located at a strip mall owned by the defendant/third-party plaintiff DeMarkles Realty Trust (“DeMarkles”).1 After leaving Tedeschi, at roughly the point where the sidewalk outside Tedeschi met the parking lot, she allegedly fell as a result of the negligent maintenance of the sidewalk.

In 1997, Gillis filed suit against DeMarkles and Tedeschi, seeking damages resulting from the serious injuries she allegedly sustained from her fall. DeMarkles subsequently filed a third party…