Court Opinion

ID: 9522709
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 02:31:16.444779+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:03:43.214622
License: Public Domain

SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION ON DENIAL OF REHEARING Mr. JUSTICE MEJDA delivered the opinion of the court: Plaintiff has petitioned for a rehearing of this court’s determination that his appeal should be dismissed. Of those points raised in his petition, we consider that only one bears any relevance to our prior decision and thus deserves some comment. In our decision we recited the fact that the revocation of plaintiff’s license had rendered this case moot. Plaintiff still concedes that his license has in fact been revoked. We also noted that said revocation had become final, since plaintiff had failed to pursue his administrative remedies, and thus was not subject to a collateral attack through the instant appeal. The record before us contained no indication that an administrative appeal had been taken, and the court was informed at oral argument by the Assistant Attorney General, without objection or exception by plaintiff, that no such action had been taken. Plaintiff now points out that the court was misinformed on this point. In fact, he has filed a complaint for administrative review, which is presently pending in the circuit court. This fact, however, does not alter our determination. In our view, the revocation of plaintiff’s license still renders the instant appeal moot. Clearly, the question of injunctive relief has been mooted by the license revocation. Similarly, we conclude that any action by this court concerning the requested declaratory relief would still not have the effect of restoring plaintiff’s license. If such is to occur, it will be through the pending action in administrative review. Furthermore, we note that the issue on appeal concerning the dismissal of plaintiff’s declaratory judgment action is not whether the trial court should have declared the rights of the parties, but rather whether the court’s failure to do so was an abuse of discretion. (Farmer’s Oil & Supply Co. v. Illinois Central R.R. Co. (1972), 6 Ill. App. 3d 965, 286 N.E.2d 68; Interlake Iron Corp. v. Dravo Corp. (1966), 68 Ill. App. 2d 167, 215 N.E.2d 137.) However, since plaintiff now has the opportunity through administrative review to raise those same issues raised in his previous action, any such determination by this tribunal would be unnecessary, as well as unavailing. Plaintiff is assured of receiving a hearing on the merits. of his contentions and has thus basically secured what he originally sought. Cf. Thurman v. Department of Public Aid (1974), 25 Ill. App. 3d 367, 323 N.E.2d 502.  Lastly, we are unconvinced that the presence of alleged constitutional challenges to the statute’s validity in this case requires our ruling on the merits of this appeal. These issues too may be litigated in the administrative review process. Thus, while this court has the power to enter declaratory relief (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 110A, par. 366(a)(5)), we would abstain from doing so in a case such as this. The general rule is that a declaratory judgment will not issue where another appropriate proceeding involving the same subject matter and issues is already pending. See Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative v. City of Charleston (1972), 8 Ill. App. 3d 441, 289 N.E.2d 491; 16 Ill. L.& Prac. Declaratory Judgments §7 (1971). For the foregoing reasons, we adhere to our prior disposition of this case. The petition for rehearing is denied. LORENZ and WILSON, JJ., concur.