Opinion ID: 3135570
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: Respondent was adjudicated a sexually violent person in 2004. Following a dispositional hearing in 2005, the court ordered ResCare, an outpatient facility, to prepare a conditional release plan that met the minimum requirements of DHS. In April 2007, the State informed the court that it had not received a conditional release plan. Defense counsel agreed that if the court’s intention was to place respondent on conditional release, then the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act (the Act) (725 ILCS 207/1 et seq. (West 2008)) required DHS to provide the court with a conditional release plan. The case was continued. On July 3, 2007, the court stated: “I am convinced at this time that I would take the step of ordering conditional release, and I believe the statute requires that the department provide a conditional release plan.” On that same date, the court entered a written order that stated: “Respondent is to be placed on conditional release as disposition.” The order further provided that a conditional release plan be presented to the court on September 21, 2007. The State moved to reconsider the order, and the motion was denied on July 20, 2007. The State then filed a notice of appeal on August 20, 2007. On September 21, 2007, the court approved DHS’s 13-page conditional release plan. The docket sheet for September 21, 2007, reads: “The DHS plan is accepted by the Court and [respondent] is advised of the plan. [Respondent] agrees to the plan and is to be released.” The court also entered a written order stating: “Conditional release plan is approved and accepted by the court.” The State did not file a new notice of appeal. The appellate court ordered the parties to submit additional briefing addressing the appellate court’s jurisdiction. The State filed a supplemental brief, but respondent declined to do so. The appellate court considered and rejected the State’s arguments and dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction. 392 Ill. App. 3d 527. The appellate court relied on the familiar rule that a final judgment is one that “ ‘ “fixes absolutely and finally the rights of the parties in the lawsuit” ’ ” and “ ‘ “determines the litigation on the merits so that, -2- if affirmed, the only thing remaining is to proceed with the execution of the judgment.” ’ ” 392 Ill. App. 3d at 530, quoting In re M.M., 337 Ill. App. 3d 764, 771 (2003), quoting In re Adoption of Ginnell, 316 Ill. App. 3d 789, 793 (2000). The court explained that an order may be final for purposes of review when any matters left for future determination are merely incidental to the ultimate rights adjudicated; however, an order is not final where jurisdiction is retained for matters of substantial controversy. 392 Ill. App. 3d at 530. Applying these rules, the appellate court concluded that the July 3 order could not have been final because it did not fully and finally dispose of the rights of the parties. Rather, it left substantial matters–the details under which respondent would be released–to be determined at a later date. These details were later set forth in a 13-page plan that the court approved. The July 3 order could not have been enforced because respondent could not have been released until the court approved a conditional release plan. 392 Ill. App. 3d at 531. The appellate court explained that the approval of the conditional release plan could not be considered “incidental” to the ultimate rights adjudicated, because the matters left for future determination were essential to the case. 392 Ill. App. 3d at 531. Pursuant to statute, the plan must identify any treatment or services the respondent will receive, address any need for “supervision, counseling, medication, community support services, residential services, vocational services, and alcohol or other drug abuse treatment.” 725 ILCS 207/40(b)(3) (West 2008). The plan also has to specify who will be responsible for providing any services required by the plan. 725 ILCS 207/40(b)(3) (West 2008). The plan must be presented to the court for its approval within 60 days after the finding that the respondent is to be conditionally released. 725 ILCS 207/40(b)(3) (West 2008). As noted, in respondent’s case, these matters were addressed in great detail in a 13-page plan. The appellate court held that, given the breadth of areas to be covered by the plan and the specificity of the plan’s conditions, an order entered before the plan was approved could not have been final. 392 Ill. App. 3d at 532. The appellate court also rejected the State’s contention that jurisdiction was established by Supreme Court Rule 303(a)(1). This rule was amended in 2007 to provide, in part, as follows: “A notice of appeal filed after the court announces a decision, -3- but before the entry of the judgment or order, is treated as filed on the date of and after the entry of the judgment or order.” Ill. S. Ct. R. 303(a)(1) (eff. May 1, 2007). The appellate court held that this rule was intended to cover the situation in which a court orally pronounces a final judgment but the written order is entered at a later date. Here, the July 3 order was not a final judgment, and the September 21 order was not merely a memorialization of the July 3 order. 392 Ill. App. 3d at 534. The court held that this interpretation of Rule 303(a)(1) was consistent with its earlier interpretation in Eclipse Manufacturing Co. v. United States Compliance Co., 381 Ill. App. 3d 127 (2007). In that case, the circuit court announced its ruling on July 25, 2006, and ordered the parties to prepare draft orders incorporating the court’s comments from the bench, but the parties could not agree on the language. The losing party then filed a notice of appeal on August 22, 2006, and the appellate court docketed the appeal. On August 25, 2006, the trial court entered its final written order. The appellate court held that it had jurisdiction over the appeal under the 2007 amendment to Rule 303(a)(1). Eclipse Manufacturing, 381 Ill. App. 3d at 132-33. Here, the appellate court held that Eclipse embodied the very situation that the amendment to Rule 303(a)(1) was designed to address–a party filed its notice of appeal after the oral pronouncement of a judgment but before entry of the written order. By contrast, in the case before the court, the July 3 order was not final, and the September 21 order approving the conditional release plan was not merely the written memorialization of that order. 392 Ill. App. 3d at 533-34. Accordingly, finding no basis for its jurisdiction, the appellate court dismissed the appeal. 392 Ill. App. 3d at 534. We allowed the State’s petition for leave to appeal. 210 Ill. 2d R. 315. Subsequently, respondent supplemented the record on appeal with information establishing the mootness of the State’s appeal. On May 26, 2009, the State moved in the circuit court to revoke respondent’s conditional release on the grounds that he had violated the conditions of the release plan. The court granted the State’s petition the following day, and respondent was returned to the -4- custody of DHS.1