Tyler v. J. C. Penney Co.

Plaintiffs, husband and wife, filed an eight-count complaint on January 21, 1983, seeking damages for injuries allegedly sustained when Erma Tyler slipped and fell outside a J. C. Penney store in the Market Place Shopping Center in Champaign.

Plaintiffs’ complaint named four defendants: J. C. Penney Company, Inc.; the La Salle National Bank as trustee under a certain trust and identified as the legal owner of the premises; the development firm of Landau-Heyman, Inc.; and the “Market Place Shopping Center” (Market Place). Service of summons, however, was only effectuated on the general manager…