Browning, Ektelon Division v. Williams

On December 17, 1991, the circuit court granted petitioner Browning Corporation’s (Browning’s) request pursuant to section 2 — 1401 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 110, par. 2 — 1401) to vacate a $3.525 million damage award against it in favor of respondent, Don Williams.

The petition for relief stemmed from a petty collection case. Browning, via its collection agency United Mercantile Agencies (UMA), had sued Williams, one of its sales representatives, in 1986 to collect $8,136.88 for materials that it contended Williams owed to it. Williams answered the complaint,…