{ "id": 5573582, "name": "In re TIONA W., a Minor (The People ex rel. Richard A. Devine, State's Attorney of Cook County, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Tiara W. et al., Respondents-Appellees)", "name_abbreviation": "People ex rel. Devine v. Tiara", "decision_date": "2003-06-25", "docket_number": "No. 1\u201402\u20141355", "first_page": "615", "last_page": "621", "citations": [ { "type": "official", "cite": "341 Ill. App. 3d 615" } ], "court": { "name_abbreviation": "Ill. App. Ct.", "id": 8837, "name": "Illinois Appellate Court" }, "jurisdiction": { "id": 29, "name_long": "Illinois", "name": "Ill." }, "cites_to": [ { "cite": "763 N.E.2d 264", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "year": 2001, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "198 Ill. 2d 334", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. 2d", "case_ids": [ 29960 ], "year": 2001, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "345" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-2d/198/0334-01" ] }, { "cite": "597 N.E.2d 215", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "year": 1992, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "232 Ill. App. 3d 1", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. App. 3d", "case_ids": [ 8498238 ], "year": 1992, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "4" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-app-3d/232/0001-01" ] }, { "cite": "542 N.E.2d 6", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "year": 1989, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "185 Ill. App. 3d 686", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. App. 3d", "case_ids": [ 2646497 ], "year": 1989, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "691" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-app-3d/185/0686-01" ] }, { "cite": "188 Ill. App. 3d 1090", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. App. 3d", "case_ids": [ 2692268 ], "year": 1989, "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-app-3d/188/1090-01" ] }, { "cite": "588 N.E.2d 1139", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "year": 1992, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "147 Ill. 2d 57", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. 2d", "case_ids": [ 3277960 ], "year": 1992, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "76" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-2d/147/0057-01" ] }, { "cite": "48 N.E. 208", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.", "year": 1897, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "169 Ill. 264", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill.", "case_ids": [ 3185274 ], "year": 1897, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "265" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill/169/0264-01" ] }, { "cite": "736 N.E.2d 179", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "year": 2000, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "316 Ill. App. 3d 443", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. App. 3d", "case_ids": [ 1096648 ], "year": 2000, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "455" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-app-3d/316/0443-01" ] }, { "cite": "382 N.E.2d 1217", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "year": 1978, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "73 Ill. 2d 113", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. 2d", "case_ids": [ 5440905 ], "year": 1978, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "119" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-2d/73/0113-01" ] }, { "cite": "435 N.E.2d 480", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "weight": 2, "year": 1982, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "91 Ill. 2d 108", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. 2d", "case_ids": [ 3091554 ], "weight": 3, "year": 1982, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "112" }, { "page": "114" }, { "page": "113-14" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-2d/91/0108-01" ] }, { "cite": "470 N.E.2d 290", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "year": 1984, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "103 Ill. 2d 536", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. 2d", "case_ids": [ 3152590 ], "year": 1984, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "539" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-2d/103/0536-01" ] }, { "cite": "677 N.E.2d 920", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "N.E.2d", "year": 1997, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "175 Ill. 2d 471", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. 2d", "case_ids": [ 295791 ], "weight": 2, "year": 1997, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "492" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-2d/175/0471-01" ] } ], "analysis": { "cardinality": 637, "char_count": 13299, "ocr_confidence": 0.761, "pagerank": { "raw": 7.591356421208397e-08, "percentile": 0.4498300866189496 }, "sha256": "23438bad568671a3f88eebc80f944b0e3dd38ad7e0706dfcfe05d6b910815fe3", "simhash": "1:8b8bf26d7b5037f3", "word_count": 2252 }, "last_updated": "2023-07-14T21:38:13.673521+00:00", "provenance": { "date_added": "2019-08-29", "source": "Harvard", "batch": "2018" }, "casebody": { "judges": [], "parties": [ "In re TIONA W., a Minor (The People ex rel. Richard A. Devine, State\u2019s Attorney of Cook County, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Tiara W. et al., Respondents-Appellees)." ], "opinions": [ { "text": "JUSTICE HOFFMAN\ndelivered the opinion of the court:\nThe State brings the instant appeal from a circuit court order dismissing without prejudice its petition for adjudication of wardship of Tiona W, a minor. For the reasons that follow, we dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.\nOn September 25, 2001, the State filed a petition for adjudication of wardship of Tiona W, naming Tiara W. and Nathaniell P. as respondents. In its petition, the State alleged that Tiona W was born on January 22, 2001, with \u201cspecial medical needs\u201d and that her mother, Tiara W, had failed to consistently visit her in the hospital or to complete necessary medical training. The State further alleged that, on or about September 21, 2001, Tiara W. refused to give her consent to hospital personnel for \u201ca necessary medical procedure\u201d for her daughter. The State also asserted that Tiona W\u2019s father, Nathaniell P, was incarcerated. Based upon these facts, the State alleged that Tiona W was both a neglected minor pursuant to sections 2 \u2014 3(l)(a) and (b) of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 (Act) (705 ILCS 405/2\u2014 3(l)(a), (l)(b) (West 2000)) and an abused minor as defined by section 2 \u2014 3(2)(ii) of the Act (705 ILCS 405/2 \u2014 3(2)(ii) (West 2000)).\nOn September 25, 2001, the trial court conducted a temporary custody hearing pursuant to section 2 \u2014 10 of the Act (705 ILCS 405/ 2 \u2014 10 (West 2000)). Neither respondent was present for the hearing. Following the hearing, the trial court awarded temporary custody of Tiona W. to D. Jean Ortega Pir\u00f3n, Guardianship Administrator of the Department of Children and Family Services. The court also entered an order appointing the Cook County public guardian as attorney and guardian ad litem for Tiona W\nOn October 1, 2001, Nathaniell E was served with a copy of the petition for adjudication of wardship and a summons via registered mail while in jail in Minnesota. On January 8, 2002, Nathaniell E appeared in court personally and through counsel. Tiara W appeared and was personally served with the petition for adjudication of wardship. Also on that date, the trial court, at the request of Nathaniell E, ordered paternity testing. The case was continued to February 28, 2002. On that date, the trial court made a finding, based upon the results of the paternity test, that Nathaniell E is Tiona W.\u2019s father. The court also conducted a case management conference and continued the matter to April 2, 2002, for an adjudicatory hearing.\nOn April 2, 2002, Tiara W. appeared personally and through counsel and Nathaniell E appeared through counsel. Nathaniell E\u2019s counsel explained to the trial court that his client was incarcerated in Minnesota and requested a continuance. The court allowed the parties an opportunity to attempt to arrange for Nathaniell E to participate in the hearing via telephone. When these attempts failed, the trial court denied the request for a continuance and proceeded with the adjudicatory hearing. At the conclusion of the State\u2019s evidence, Tiara W\u2019s counsel moved for a directed finding, and Nathaniell E\u2019s counsel joined in that motion. The trial court took the motion under advisement and continued the case to May 8, 2002.\nOn May 3, 2002, Nathaniell E filed a motion to dismiss the petition for adjudication of wardship pursuant to section 2 \u2014 14 of the Act (705 ILCS 405/2 \u2014 14 (West 1994)). At that time, section 2 \u2014 14(b) of the Act provided that \u201can adjudicatory hearing shall be held within 90 days of the date of service of process upon the minor, parents, any guardian and any legal custodian.\u201d 705 ILCS 405/2 \u2014 14(b) (West 1994). Section 2 \u2014 14(c) of the Act further provided that \u201c[i]f the adjudicatory hearing is not heard within the time limits required ***, upon motion by any party the petition shall be dismissed without prejudice.\u201d 705 ILCS 405/2 \u2014 14(c) (West 1994). On May 8, 2002, the trial court heard arguments on the motion to dismiss. Nathaniell E argued that the petition must be dismissed because the adjudicatory hearing had not been completed within 90 days of January 8, 2002, the date on which Tiara W. had been served.\nRelying on In re S.G., 175 Ill. 2d 471, 677 N.E.2d 920 (1997), where our supreme court interpreted this version of section 2 \u2014 14(b) as requiring that an adjudicatory hearing be completed and not merely commenced within 90 days of service of process, the trial court granted the motion and dismissed the petition for adjudication of wardship of Tiona W without prejudice. The transcript of the hearing on the motion to dismiss reflects that the State requested that the trial court stay its ruling in this regard \u201cfor approximately one hour\u201d to allow the State \u201cto do the mechanical paperwork *** to refile the case to bring it back into the system.\u201d The trial court granted this request and stayed the dismissal of the petition for adjudication for one hour. The case was subsequently recalled, at which time the trial court inquired as to whether the State needed a stay any longer. The State responded that it did not, and the trial court then dismissed the petition for adjudication of wardship without prejudice. The following day, the State filed a notice of appeal from the dismissal order.\nOn appeal, the State raises several arguments in urging us to reverse the trial court\u2019s order dismissing the petition for adjudication of wardship of Tiona W. First, the State asserts that we must apply an amended version of section 2 \u2014 14 of the Act, which provides that an adjudicatory hearing need only be commenced, not completed, within 90 days of service of process being completed. The amendment upon which it relies is contained in Public Act 92 \u2014 822, which became effective on August 21, 2002, after the trial court dismissed the petition in this case, but which states that it applies to all actions pending on or after January 1, 1998. Pub. Act 92 \u2014 822, eff. August 21, 2002 (reenacting 705 ILCS 405/2 \u2014 14). Alternatively, the State asserts that the trial court erred in dismissing the petition for adjudication because: (1) Nathaniell E should not have been considered served, and the 90-day time period in which the hearing was to be held should not have started running, until his paternity was established; (2) even if Nathaniell E was considered to have been served before paternity was established, the 90-day time period was tolled during the time in which the paternity testing was being conducted; (3) the parties waived the 90-day statutory time requirement; and (4) the trial court erred in granting the dismissal where Nathaniell E intentionally delayed the proceedings for the purpose of obtaining a dismissal pursuant to section 2 \u2014 14 of the Act. As we will explain, however, we need not reach the merits of the State\u2019s arguments.\nInitially, we note that the State has not included in its brief a statement of jurisdiction, as required by Supreme Court Rule 341(e)(4)(ii) (188 Ill. 2d R. 341(e)(4)(ii)). Respondent Tiara W has not filed a brief with this court, and respondent Nathaniell E has filed a brief but has not challenged this court\u2019s jurisdiction. Nonetheless, this court has an independent duty to consider whether it has jurisdiction over an appeal and to dismiss the appeal if it finds that jurisdiction is lacking. Archer Daniels Midland Co. v. Barth, 103 Ill. 2d 536, 539, 470 N.E.2d 290 (1984). Subject to certain exceptions for appeals from interlocutory orders provided for by supreme court rules not applicable in this case, this court\u2019s jurisdiction is limited to review of final orders of a trial court. Flores v. Dugan, 91 Ill. 2d 108, 112, 435 N.E.2d 480 (1982); see Official Reports Advance Sheet No. 21 (October 17, 2001), R. 660, eff. October 1, 2001 (appeals from final judgments in proceedings under Juvenile Court Act are governed by rules applicable to civil cases). A final judgment or order is \u201ca determination by the court on the issues presented by the pleadings which ascertains and fixes absolutely and finally the rights of the parties in the lawsuit.\u201d Towns v. Yellow Cob Co., 73 Ill. 2d 113, 119, 382 N.E.2d 1217 (1978). That is not to say that a judgment or order must be addressed to the merits of the action in order to be considered final. Rather:\n\u201c \u2018A final judgment means, not a final determination of the rights of the parties with reference to the subject matter of the litigation, but merely of their rights with reference to the particular suit. It is not at all necessary that the judgment should be upon the merits, if it definitely puts the case out of court. It is the termination of the particular action which marks the finality of the judgment.\u2019 \u201d Physicians Insurance Exchange v. Jennings, 316 Ill. App. 3d 443, 455, 736 N.E.2d 179 (2000), quoting Mutual Reserve Fund Life Ass\u2019n v. Smith, 169 Ill. 264, 265, 48 N.E. 208 (1897).\nOrdinarily, an order dismissing a complaint without prejudice is not deemed final for purposes of appeal. DeLuna v. St. Elizabeth\u2019s Hospital, 147 Ill. 2d 57, 76, 588 N.E.2d 1139 (1992); J. Eck & Son, Inc. v. Reuben H. Donnelley Corp., 188 Ill. App. 3d 1090 (1989); International Insurance Co. v. Morton Thiokol, Inc., 185 Ill. App. 3d 686, 691, 542 N.E.2d 6 (1989). As our supreme court stated in Flores v. Dugan, 91 Ill. 2d 108, 114, 435 N.E.2d 480 (1982), the language \u201cwithout prejudice\u201d in a dismissal order \u201cclearly manifests the intent of the court that the order not be considered final and appealable.\u201d Nonetheless, a reviewing court must look to the substance, rather than the form, of the order in question in order to determine whether it is final for purposes of appeal. In re Marriage of Yndestad, 232 Ill. App. 3d 1, 4, 597 N.E.2d 215 (1992).\nIn the instant case, the trial court dismissed the petition for adjudication of wardship of Tiona W. pursuant to a version of section 2 \u2014 14 of the Act which provided that \u201c[i]f the adjudicatory hearing is not heard within the time limits required ***, upon motion by any party the petition shall be dismissed without prejudice.\u201d 705 ILCS 405/2 \u2014 14(c) (West 1994). In interpreting the language of section 2 \u2014 14 as requiring dismissal, without prejudice, of any petition with regard to which the adjudicatory hearing is not completed within 90 days, our supreme court rejected the notion that its interpretation would put children at risk. It reasoned as follows:\n\u201cTrial judges are aware of the statutory deadline and are charged with controlling their docket accordingly. The Juvenile Court Act further provides for the liberal supplementing of petitions. See 705 ILCS 405/2 \u2014 13(5) (West 1994). Moreover, section 2 \u2014 14 provides that the dismissal of a petition on timeliness grounds is without prejudice. 705 ILCS 405/2 \u2014 14(c) (West 1994). Therefore, the State may immediately file a new petition where children may be put at risk.\u201d In re S.G., 175 Ill. 2d at 492.\nIn accordance with the statute, the trial court dismissed the instant petition without prejudice.\nIn Flores, the court held that a dismissal for want of prosecution is not final and appealable, as the plaintiff has an absolute right to refile the action, within one year, against the same party or parties and allege the same cause or causes of action. Flores, 91 Ill. 2d at 113-14. Similarly, as our supreme court observed in S.G., when a petition for adjudication of wardship is dismissed without prejudice on the basis that an adjudicatory hearing was not completed within the requisite time period, the State has the right to immediately file a new petition. The State may file the new petition against the same parties and base it on the same charges as those stated in the original petition. In the instant case, in fact, the trial court granted a brief stay of its dismissal order to allow the State to file a new petition. As such, we must conclude that the trial court\u2019s order dismissing the State\u2019s petition for adjudication of wardship of Tiona W. without prejudice is not a final order for purposes of appeal.\nFor the foregoing reasons, we dismiss the instant appeal.\nAppeal dismissed.\nSOUTH, EJ., and WOLFSON, J., concur.\nEffective January 1, 1998, section 2 \u2014 14 was amended to provide that an adjudicatory hearing must be \u201ccommenced,\u201d rather than \u201cheld,\u201d within this 90-day period. In 2001, however, the Illinois Supreme Court declared the public act effecting this amendment unconstitutional. See People v. Sypien, 198 Ill. 2d 334, 345, 763 N.E.2d 264 (2001).\nSupreme Court Rule 662 provides that an appeal may be taken from an adjudication of wardship if a dispositional order has not been entered within 90 days of the adjudication order. 134 Ill. 2d R. 662. In the instant case, however, no order of adjudication was ever entered. Rather, the petition for adjudication of wardship was dismissed without prejudice.", "type": "majority", "author": "JUSTICE HOFFMAN" } ], "attorneys": [ "Richard A. Devine, State\u2019s Attorney, of Chicago (Renee Goldfarb, Nancy Grauer Kisicki, and Mary E Needham, Assistant State\u2019s Attorneys, of counsel), for appellant.", "Rita A. Fry, Public Defender, of Chicago (Claude O. Travis, Assistant Public Defender, of counsel), for appellees." ], "corrections": "", "head_matter": "In re TIONA W., a Minor (The People ex rel. Richard A. Devine, State\u2019s Attorney of Cook County, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Tiara W. et al., Respondents-Appellees).\nFirst District (3rd Division)\nNo. 1 \u2014 02\u20141355\nOpinion filed June 25, 2003.\nRichard A. Devine, State\u2019s Attorney, of Chicago (Renee Goldfarb, Nancy Grauer Kisicki, and Mary E Needham, Assistant State\u2019s Attorneys, of counsel), for appellant.\nRita A. Fry, Public Defender, of Chicago (Claude O. Travis, Assistant Public Defender, of counsel), for appellees." }, "file_name": "0615-01", "first_page_order": 633, "last_page_order": 639 }