Court Opinion

ID: 9521239
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 02:01:02.85255+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:45:41.586783
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE EARNS, dissenting: The appellant never questioned the sufficiency of the motion to reinstate as a proper section 72 petition, and, as the majority opinion notes, both parties have treated the motion as a proper section 72 petition, at least as to form, in this court. While section 72 of the Civil Practice Act requires matters not of record to be supported by “affidavit or other appropriate showing,” this court has held that the failure of the party opposing the petition to question in the trial court the sufficiency of the petition for lack of verification or other appropriate showing constitutes a waiver of this objection on review. (Strader v. Chrysler Corp. (1973), 9 Ill. App. 3d 793, 293 N.E.2d 149; see also Nashlund v. Sabade (1976), 39 Ill. App. 3d 139, 350 N.E.2d 90.) Thus the only question before this court is whether the trial court abused its discretion in reinstating plaintiff’s action. Taylor v. City of Chicago (1975), 28 Ill. App. 3d 962, 329 N.E.2d 506; Klehm v. M. Suson & Associates, Inc. (1974), 22 Ill. App. 3d 1070, 318 N.E.2d 346; Nashlund v. Sabade. Admittedly, the pleading styled a “motion to reinstate” was not artfully drawn as a section 72 petition; however, I do not believe that this court can say that the trial court abused its discretion in allowing the motion. It does not appear that the delay in producing the documents and materials requested in defendant’s request to produce prejudiced the defendant in any respect or was done deliberately with intent to prejudice the defendant in his defense. The excuse offered for their nonproduction was accepted as sufficient by the trial court. I cannot say that lack of due diligence in presenting the petition is demonstrated as a matter of law; again this determination must rest within the sound discretion of the trial court. In fact, want of due diligence does not necessarily bar a section 72 relief. George F. Mueller & Sons, Inc. v. Ostrowski (1974), 19 Ill. App. 3d 973, 313 N.E.2d 684; Nashlund v. Sabade. The law favors a resolution of litigation on its merits, and to that end a party should have his day in court; a certain liberality should be accorded litigants to accomplish this end. (McDonald v. Checker Taxi Co. (1976), 44 Ill. App. 3d 345, 358 N.E.2d 95.) I believe the trial court did not abuse its discretion in reinstating plaintiff’s cause.