Opinion ID: 2087167
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 22

Heading: Whether McDunn's Petition Was Timely Filed

Text: Williams also asserts that McDunn's election contest was not timely filed due to the fact that she amended her initial complaint after the time limitation in which to file a primary election contest. (Ill.Rev.Stat.1989, ch. 46, par. 763.) We need not address this argument, as no question which was raised or could have been raised in a prior appeal on the merits can be urged on subsequent appeal and those not raised are considered waived. ( Kazubowski v. Kazubowski (1970), 45 Ill.2d 405, 413, 259 N.E.2d 282.) Williams could have raised this claim before the appellate court after he succeeded in having McDunn's case dismissed as being untimely filed. Williams argues, however, that McDunn appealed only the trial court's decision that her original petition was untimely, and that the rule in Kazubowski does not control because he could not argue on appeal that her amended petition was untimely. Williams believes that to answer the question, the appellate court would have had to give an advisory opinion. This contention is without merit. The trial court noted in its order dismissing McDunn's petition that when it granted McDunn leave to file her amended petition, it did not prevent Williams from taking issue with that order. The court's order also noted that it dismissed McDunn's amended petition as well as the original petition. A trial court's order may be affirmed for any valid reason found in the record, regardless of the reasoning used by the trial court. ( Beckman v. Freeman United Coal Mining Co. (1988), 123 Ill.2d 281, 286, 122 Ill.Dec. 805, 527 N.E.2d 303.) Williams could have argued to the appellate court then, what he argues now, that McDunn's petition should be dismissed because she amended it after the time limitation in which to file primary election contests. If the appellate court agreed, it could have affirmed the trial court's order regardless of the reason given by the trial court.