Court Opinion

ID: 9726229
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 12:38:22.975077+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:14:11.024932
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE McCUSKEY, dissenting: The majority’s analysis is certainly well reasoned. However, I respectfully dissent because I cannot agree with the majority’s holding. Based on its holding, there is no time limit restricting when a driver may file a petition to rescind a statutory summary suspension. I would affirm the trial court’s dismissal of the petition on the basis of laches. "Laches is an equitable doctrine which precludes the assertion of a claim by a litigant whose unreasonable delay in raising that claim has prejudiced the opposing party.” (Tully v. State (1991), 143 Ill. 2d 425, 432, 574 N.E.2d 659, 662.) Accordingly, two elements are necessary for a finding of laches: (1) lack of diligence by the party asserting the claim; and (2) prejudice to the opposing party caused by the delay. Tully, 143 Ill. 2d at 432, 574 N.E.2d at 662. The doctrine of loches is based on the principle that courts are reluctant to grant relief to a party who has knowingly withheld the assertion of a right if, in the exercise of due diligence, the right should have been asserted earlier. (People ex rel. Village of Buffalo Grove v. Village of Long Grove (1990), 199 Ill. App. 3d 395, 416, 557 N.E.2d 643, 656; see also Tully, 143 Ill. 2d at 432, 574 N.E.2d at 662.) "Where facts are tardily presented following inexcusable delay, courts are wont to deny relief because of the difficulty or impossibility of arriving at a safe and certain conclusion regarding the truth of the matters subject to dispute, as well as the doing of substantial justice between the parties.” (Rexroat v. Abatte (1987), 163 Ill. App. 3d 796, 799, 516 N.E.2d 1050, 1052.) The facts of each case must be examined to determine the applicability of laches. Tully, 143 Ill. 2d at 432-33, 574 N.E.2d at 662-63. In the case at hand, it is obvious that the petitioner was not diligent in asserting the challenge to his statutory summary suspension. The petitioner waited more than four years after he received notice of the suspension before he filed his petition to rescind. I agree with the State’s contention that the petitioner’s unreasonable delay in filing the petition has prejudiced the State’s ability to respond to the allegations the petitioner is now asserting. Therefore, I would find that laches applies. To find otherwise, as the majority has done, would subject the records of the Illinois Secretary of State to revisions many years after suspensions are filed. Ultimately, there would be no end to the process if the majority’s holding is allowed to stand. Moreover, the majority’s holding would allow a party to file a petition to rescind after the death or unavailability of the arresting officer. I am convinced that this type of belated hearing was not contemplated by either our legislature or the Illinois Supreme Court. As recognized by the majority, the supreme court has stated that "[t]he legislature has specifically directed that the license suspension proceedings are to be swift and of limited scope.” (People v. Moore (1990), 138 Ill. 2d 162, 169, 561 N.E.2d 648, 651.) The majority’s holding does not adhere to this intent. As a result, I respectfully dissent.