Federal Signal Corp. v. Thorn Automated Systems, Inc.

PRESIDING JUSTICE McNULTY

delivered the opinion of the court:

Plaintiff, Federal Signal Corporation, alleged that defendant, Thorn Automated Systems, tortiously induced a third party to breach its contract with plaintiff. Plaintiff filed suit five years after the initial breach of contract and obtained service of process on defendant four months later, after completing a deposition of one of defendant’s employees. The trial court dismissed the case with prejudice for failure to obtain service of process diligently.

On April 20, 1990, plaintiff sold its subsidiary, Autocall, Inc., to Wormald…