Court Opinion

ID: 9527720
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:33:25.532927+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:26:06.387121
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE MURRAY, concurring in part and dissenting in part: I concur with the conclusion that the trial court failed to follow Supreme Court Rule 604(d) (134 Ill. 2d R. 604(d)). The trial court’s failure to advise defendant that a written motion to withdraw his plea of guilty and that he was entitled to a free transcript was a violation of two of the six pieces of advice a trial judge is required to give a defendant like Kelley who desires to withdraw his guilty plea to a probation violation. I cannot see how either defendant or the criminal justice system was harmed by the trial judge’s failure. Defendant was initially convicted of “home repair fraud” on his plea of guilty. Among other matters, he was ordered to perform 500 hours of community service. He was charged with violation of his probation because he failed to complete his 500 hours of community service. In light of the offense, defendant pleaded guilty to “home repair fraud.” Defendant’s failure to carry out this term of his initial probation may have been, in itself, a service to the community. Rather than reversing and remanding the trial court to permit defendant to file a motion to vacate his guilty plea, this court should consider defendant’s failure to perform community service a service to the community and dismiss his appeal on the ground of mootness. The appeal demonstrates one of the great defects in our modern criminal justice system (1) our hang-up for procedure over substance, and (2) our modern dedication to appearance over reality.