Opinion ID: 2184785
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Application and Waiver

Text: Applying the statute, the adjudicatory hearing was not timely. Section 2-14 provides that the 90-day statutory time period begins on the date of service of process. 705 ILCS 405/2-14(b) (West 1994). We therefore take the default entered against the absent fathers on September 1, 1992, as the starting date for the 90-day statutory period. Fifty-one days had elapsed when the public guardian's office was granted a continuance on October 22, which we will assume satisfied the requirements for a continuance pursuant to section 2-14(c). Section 2-14(c) provides that upon the expiration of the 30-day continuance, the 90-day period shall continue at the point at which it was suspended. 705 ILCS 405/2-14(c) (West 1994). Thus, 30 days later on November 21, 1992, the time again began to run on the 90-day time period, starting at 51 days. The 90-day period therefore expired 39 days later on December 30, 1992. The hearing, however, was not concluded until March 12, 1993, well beyond the statutory period. The public guardian's office argues that the adjudicatory hearing need not have been held within the statutory period because Pearlie waived her right to a prompt adjudicatory hearing. See 705 ILCS 405/2-14(d) (West 1994). The public guardian initially argues that Pearlie waived her right to a prompt hearing after the hearing first commenced on December 15, 1992, by agreeing to have the case heard thereafter on a piecemeal basis. The public guardian further argues that Pearlie again waived her right to a prompt hearing on January 11, 1993, by declining the judge's offer to hear the case on a piecemeal basis and instead requesting a set block of time at a future date. The public guardian's waiver arguments represent a brazen distortion of the record. Throughout the entire proceedings, Pearlie's attorney repeatedly voiced Pearlie's frustration at the slow pace of the proceedings and her desire for a quick completion. After the beginning of the adjudicatory hearing on December 15, the court gave the parties the option either to have the case heard on a piecemeal basis at the end of the call each day or to schedule the case for a block of time in February. When Pearlie's attorney pressed the court on the scheduling issue, the court explicitly responded that if he was unwilling to waive the 90-day period and have the case scheduled at a remote time, then he must accept the prospect of having the case proceed bit by bit. Pearlie's attorney responded that he would agree to have the case heard bit by bit. In agreeing to having the case heard when time was available, Pearlie was exercising her statutory right to a prompt hearing, not waiving it. The public guardian further argues that Pearlie again waived her right to a prompt hearing on January 11, 1993, by agreeing to have the case heard in a block of available time in March. In its effort to manufacture waiver, the public guardian's office again distorts the record. At no time during the January 11 hearing did the court or the parties even discuss a waiver of the statutory time period. Indeed, Pearlie's attorney at first rejected both hearing the case immediately on a piecemeal basis and hearing the case at a later block of time, suggesting instead that the court reschedule other cases and fit the case in the call over the next week or two. After hearing from the parties, the court ruled that the case would proceed in March when the court had a block of time available in its busy call. Our review of the record thoroughly undermines the contention that Pearlie ever waived her statutory right to a timely hearing. Last, the public guardian argues that the motion filed by W.G.'s attorney to disqualify the public guardian's office tolled the statutory time period. The public guardian notes that in addition to the speedy-trial provision, a statutory right to counsel exists in the Juvenile Court Act (705 ILCS 405/1-5 (West 1994)). The public guardian reasons that the circuit court acted properly in balancing the competing statutory policies by resolving the representation issue prior to continuing the hearing. Section 2-14 provides no support for the public guardian's contention that resolving issues surrounding the children's representation should toll the statutory time period. Section 2-14 provides that only one 30-day continuance of the proceedings is to be granted. 705 ILCS 405/2-14(c) (West 1994). We decline to read any exceptions into the clear statutory language requiring that adjudicatory hearings be held within the statutory time period.