Court Opinion

ID: 9779629
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 00:27:58.164976+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:37.009394
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE HUTCHINSON, dissenting: I generally agree with the analysis presented by the majority concerning the per se conflict of interest issue. I do not agree, however, that this court should have reviewed the issue. I do not believe that we should address the issue because the issue was never raised in the trial court, either during the series of hearings that followed the events in question or upon any motion for reconsideration. Accordingly, I do not believe that this issue has been preserved for review. This court should not overlook forfeiture because the rules of civil procedure do not direct our consideration of this issue. See In re Samantha V., 234 Ill. 2d 359 (2009). In In re M.W., 232 Ill. 2d 408, 430 (2009), our supreme court explained that the forfeiture principles that apply in criminal proceedings also apply in proceedings under the Juvenile Court Act. A criminal defendant preserves an error for review by objecting to the claimed error at trial and raising the issue in a posttrial motion. Samantha V., 234 Ill. 2d at 368, citing M.W., 232 Ill. 2d at 430. As the M.W. court stated, a respondent’s failure to object at trial forfeits consideration of the claimed error on appeal, unless the respondent can demonstrate plain error. M.W., 232 Ill. 2d at 430. In the present case, respondent forfeited review of this issue by not objecting at trial and by not including it in a posttrial motion. See In re Madison H., 215 Ill. 2d 364, 379 (2005), citing People v. Enoch, 122 Ill. 2d 176, 186 (1988) (both a trial objection and a written post-trial motion raising the issue are necessary to preserve an issue for appellate review). This same premise was recently addressed by the Illinois Supreme Court. See People v. Taylor, 237 Ill. 2d 356 (2010) (where a potential conflict of interest is not brought to the attention of the trial court, a defendant must establish that an actual conflict of interest adversely affected his lawyer’s representation). Finally, an opinion rendered without trial court review of the issue would be purely advisory. See In re Robert S., 213 Ill. 2d 30, 45 (2004) (stating that reviewing courts should not render advisory opinions). The record in this case is complete as to the evidence presented and the trial court’s findings. A careful review of that record reveals no actual conflict of interest that impacted respondent’s case. Counsel who appeared consistently on behalf of respondent after attorney Herrmann was present for respondent’s arraignment waged a steady and solid case on behalf of respondent. Indeed, respondent does not even raise the argument that an actual conflict of interest occurred. Rather, the majority and respondent are concerned about what happened outside the record when the same assistant public defender stepped up on behalf of respondent one day and then stepped up approximately three months later on behalf of the minor. Had this representation of both parties during the termination of parental rights proceedings been addressed to the trial court during those proceedings or in a postjudgment motion, the trial court could have taken evidence, if necessary, to determine whether during Herrmann’s brief representation any information had been revealed that compromised either respondent’s case or the minor’s case. During oral argument, the State noted that this case continued on for several months after Herrmann’s representation of the minor and that during this time, no one raised the issue or apparently considered that the scenario raised an ethical problem or a conflict of interest. By this dissent, I am not excusing this administrative mistake nor am I condoning it. The majority clearly identifies the dangers and potential constitutional dimensions of such confusion in representation during a termination of parental rights case. Furthermore, it is also obvious that the office of the public defender involved in this case recognizes that it must be cautious in representing parties in complicated, multiparty cases, as it has created various “Conflicts” divisions within its ranks. However, without more information and a proper resolution at the trial court level, I believe that respondent has forfeited this issue. Finally, I remain very concerned about stability on behalf of the minor here. Our supreme court has established rules for trial courts and rules for reviewing courts to expedite these matters, to give minors, whose lives are hanging in the balance, a decent chance at a stable, solid future as quickly as possible. See Ill. S. Ct. R 311 (eff. Feb. 26, 2010). The majority is remanding this case for new hearings on the petition to terminate respondent’s parental rights. The last hearing in this case took place approximately six months ago, and based upon responses from counsel during oral argument, respondent and her efforts have not been monitored by any child welfare entity since the close of the proceedings. Furthermore, the trial court was emphatic in its ruling that respondent had “never been to a point where the child could be returned to her care” during the monitored periods. Additionally, the child welfare representative testified emphatically that it was in the best interest of the minor to be adopted into a loving and stable home and that such an opportunity was available for him. If this matter must be remanded, and as I have earlier indicated, I do not believe that it should because the issue of a per se conflict of interest was not preserved, a more limited hearing appears appropriate. Assuming that the trial court and the attorneys involved in the presentation of this case are available, I would recommend upon remand that the trial court conduct a hearing to determine what, if any, information or knowledge was exchanged that could have compromised respondent’s case or the minor’s case. If the trial court determined that a conflict of interest did exist, then I believe new hearings on the petition to terminate respondent’s parental rights should be held.