Opinion ID: 2215819
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: Preliminarily, we consider our jurisdiction to review this matter. Supreme Court Rule 302(a)(1) allows for direct appeals to this court from final judgments of the circuit court in cases where a state statute is held invalid. See 134 Ill.2d R. 302(a)(1). Clearly, in this case, the circuit court effectively ruled that section 22(A)(24) was unconstitutional. The circuit court granted the preliminary injunction based on, inter alia, the finding that Desnick was likely to prevail on the merits of his complaint because he had shown section 22(A)(24) to be unconstitutional. Cf. Sommer v. Village of Glenview, 79 Ill.2d 383, 38 Ill.Dec. 170, 403 N.E.2d 258 (1980) (interpreting trial court's statements and order as holding state statute unconstitutional); Garcia v. Tully, 72 Ill.2d 1, 7, 17 Ill.Dec. 820, 377 N.E.2d 10 (1978) (trial court opinion and order found to apparently rest on finding state statute unconstitutional). An order granting a preliminary injunction, however, is an interlocutory order, which is normally appealable as a matter of right to the appellate court under Supreme Court Rule 307. See 134 Ill.2d R. 307. Nevertheless, this court has jurisdiction to permit a direct appeal from other than final judgments. See Garcia, 72 Ill.2d at 7, 17 Ill.Dec. 820, 377 N.E.2d 10; 134 Ill.2d R. 302(b) (permitting appeal to be taken directly to supreme court in cases where the public interest requires expeditious determination). Further, where the order appealed from rests on a finding of a statute's unconstitutionality, this court has assumed jurisdiction under Rule 302(a), notwithstanding the finality requirement. Garcia, 72 Ill.2d 1, 17 Ill.Dec. 820, 377 N.E.2d 10. Consequently, we will review the matter.