FRANK J. VLCEK AND LYDIA VLCEK, PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS,
v.
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, A CORPORATION, DEFENDANT-APPELLEE

7th Cir. | 1970-01-05
No. 17542
421 F.2d 176 United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (1970)

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Holding

The court held that sworn affidavits denying prior statements, even if those statements were admissions, create a genuine issue of material fact sufficient to preclude summary judgment.


Facts & Procedural History

Plaintiffs sued their fire insurance carrier after their home was destroyed. The insurer moved for summary judgment based on plaintiffs' alleged admis…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

The plaintiffs, owners of a home which was destroyed by fire, brought suit against their fire insurance carrier, Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company. The defendant moved for summary judgment on the ground that the plaintiffs had given statements to an insurance adjuster admitting that they had set fire to their house. The summary judgment was granted.

In affidavits filed in opposition to the motion for summary judgment, the plaintiffs deny making the statements attributed to them, and in the alternative, contend that if they did make the statements, they did so under duress. Thus we are presented with the question of whether these later sworn statements are sufficient to create an issue of fact. See Greenebaum Mortgage Company v. Town and Garden Associates, 385 F. 2d 347 (7th Cir. 1967).

The defendant relies on Burnley v. Moore, 41 Ill.App.2d 156, 190 N.E. 2d 141 (1963) and Meirer v. Pocius, 17 Ill.App.2d 332, 150 N.E. 2d 215 (1958). In those cases the court concluded that there was no issue of fact which would block the granting of summary judgment even though an attempt was made to repudiate an earlier statement under oath. In the case at bar, however, there is no indication that the initial statements made by the Vlceks were made under oath. We believe that an issue of fact has been created by the Vlceks’ repudiation of the earlier statements attributed to them.

The judgment of the district court is reversed and the case is remanded for further proceedings.


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