Opinion ID: 2219225
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: our jurisdiction over appeal

Text: First, plaintiffs contend that we do not have jurisdiction over defendant's appeal. Specifically, plaintiffs assert that defendant's petition for leave to appeal from the final judgment of the appellate court, which defendant filed on June 18, 1991, was not filed within 35 days of the date of entry of the appellate court's judgment, which plaintiffs contend was April 19, 1991. On April 19, 1991, the appellate court entered an order granting plaintiffs relief and stating that a written opinion or order expressing reasons for the instant order would be filed in due course. Defendant asserts that his petition for leave to appeal was timely filed within 35 days of the appellate court's final judgment, which he contends was the May 14, 1991, written opinion of the court setting forth its reasons for the April 19, 1991, order. [1] We previously denied, on July 12, 1991, the same motion by plaintiffs based essentially on the same arguments and case law contained in their brief on appeal. In view of that denial and our construction of our rules, we conclude that we have jurisdiction over defendant's appeal. Supreme Court Rule 315(b) prescribes the time limits for petitioning for leave to appeal to this court and, in so doing, refers to petitions for rehearing in the appellate court and the time limit therefor. The rule does so in terms of the date of entry of the judgment of the appellate court. (134 Ill.2d R. 315(b).) Supreme Court Rule 367(a) actually provides for the filing of petitions for rehearing in the appellate court and prescribes the time limit. It does so in terms of the date of entry of the opinion of the appellate court. (134 Ill.2d R. 367.) Finally, Supreme Court Rule 23, relating to appeals to the appellate court, mandates that a case shall be disposed of by opinion where: (1) a majority of the panel deciding the case determines that any one of four criterion set forth therein are met; or (2) a concurring or dissenting opinion is proposed to be filed, unless the panel unanimously decides that an opinion will not be filed. 134 Ill.2d R. 23. Construing the above rules together and in light of the fact that the order issued by the appellate court in this case on March 19, 1991, indicated both that an opinion would be filed in due course and that one of the three justices on the panel dissented from the order, it is clear to us that the final judgment of the appellate court was not entered until its opinion was filed on May 14, 1991. As such, we have jurisdiction over defendant's appeal.