Eichengreen v. Rollins, Inc.
Illinois Court of Appeals
757 N.E.2d 952 (2001)
Myron Eichengreen (plaintiff) bought a house with an existing Rollins/Apollo (defendant) security system, later built an addition, and in 1988 signed a new contract with Rollins listing specific enumerated updates to the system - without mentioning the addition. After a 1995 fire broke out in the addition, Eichengreen sued for breach of contract, arguing the parties had actually intended the security system to cover the entire premises, including the addition. The trial court granted Rollins summary judgment, and Eichengreen appealed, seeking to introduce extrinsic evidence of the parties' true intent.
Whether parol evidence regarding the parties' intent will be admitted where the terms of a written contract indicate the contract is a final and complete integration of their agreement.