Opinion ID: 2524416
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: issues

Text: ¶ 8 The case presenting the first issue comes to this court from Cook County where defendant Fermin Alberty had his probation revoked in a proceeding initiated on April 18, 2007, when a probation officer filed a petition for violation of probation and warrant. The petition alleged that defendant had violated a condition of his probation in that he had failed to report for intensive probation on three occasions. The petition requested that the court determine whether or not the probation shall be revoked and if so, what new sentence and modifications shall be imposed, if any. A supplemental petition for violation of probation was filed on November 8, 2007, alleging that defendant had committed additional violations insofar as he had failed to report on two dates and had failed to attend outpatient drug meetings on three dates. ¶ 9 Following a hearing on December 12, 2007, the circuit court found defendant guilty of violating his probation. The court concluded that the State had proved defendant had violated his probation by not reporting on three separate occasions. Defendant was subsequently sentenced to five years' imprisonment. ¶ 10 On appeal, defendant contended that the order revoking his probation should be reversed because the probation officers lacked the authority to file the petitions at issue. The Appellate Court, First District, held otherwise, following its prior decision in People v. Keller, 399 Ill. App.3d 654, 339 Ill.Dec. 415, 926 N.E.2d 890 (2010), and rejecting defendant's reliance upon People v. Herrin, 385 Ill.App.3d 187, 324 Ill.Dec. 360, 895 N.E.2d 1075 (2008), and People v. Kellems, 373 Ill. App.3d 1129, 313 Ill.Dec. 407, 872 N.E.2d 390 (2007), which held, respectively, only the State's Attorney, and not a probation officer, has the authority to file a petition to revoke probation or supervision.