In re Davis

38 Ill. Ct. Cl. 416
CourtCourt of Claims of Illinois
DecidedJanuary 21, 1986
DocketNo. 83-CV-0262
StatusPublished

This text of 38 Ill. Ct. Cl. 416 (In re Davis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Claims of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Davis, 38 Ill. Ct. Cl. 416 (Ill. Super. Ct. 1986).

Opinion

Roe, C.J.

This cause coming on to be heard on the petition of Delbert Davis for an extension of time to file documents to claim benefits under the Crime Victims Compensation Act, hereinafter referred to as the Act. Ill. Rev. Stat, ch. 70, par. 71 et seq.

The Court hereby finds:

1. Section 6.1 of the Act provides in pertinent part that a person is entitled to compensation under the Act if:

“(a) within 6 months of the occurrence of the crime he files a notice of intent to file a claim with the Attorney General and within one year of the occurrence of the crime upon which the claim is based, he files an application, under oath with the Court of Claims.. . . Upon good cause shown, the Court of Claims may extend the time for filing the notice of intent to file a claim and application for a period not exceeding one year;”

2. The crime was alleged to have occurred on August 5,1978.

3. The notice of intent was filed on August 30,1980.

4. The application was filed on September 20,1982.

5. The petition at bar was filed on September 20, 1982.

6. Pursuant to the section of the Act quoted above we have authority only to extend the filing time for a period not to exceed February 25,1980, for the notice of intent and August 25,1980, for the application.

7. We are therefore constrained by operation of law to deny this petition.

Wherefore, it is hereby ordered that this petition be, and hereby is, denied.

ORDER

This cause coming on to be heard on the Court’s own motion and the Court being fully advised in the premises;

It is hereby ordered that the order entered in this cause on October 20,1982, be, and hereby is, vacated; it is further ordered that applicant’s petition for an extension of time to file documents to claim benefits under the Act be, and hereby is, granted.

OPINION

Poch, J.

This claim arises out of an incident that occurred on August 25,1978. Delbert Davis, husband of the deceased victim, Clifty Davis, seeks compensation pursuant to the provisions of the Crime Victims. Compensation Act, hereafter referred to as the Act. Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 70, par. 71 et seq.

This Court has carefully considered the application for benefits submitted on September 20, 1982, on the form prescribed by the Court, and an investigatory report of the Attorney General of Illinois which substantiates matters set forth in the application. Eased upon these documents and other evidence submitted to the Court, the Court finds:

1. That Clifty Davis, age 43, was a victim of a violent crime as defined in section 2(c) of the Act, to wit: murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, eh. 38, par. 9 — 1).

2. That on August 25, 1978, the victim was abducted during the course of an armed robbery of The Other Place Tavern that she and her husband operated. The victim’s body was found in her car several hours later. The coroner found that the victim’s death resulted from a fractured skull and multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The offender was apprehended and convicted of murder. A second offender was convicted of a lesser charge.

3. That the Claimant seeks compensation for funeral and burial expenses and for loss of support for himself and the victim’s children, Theresa, age 13, Debbie, age 16, and Tom, age 8.

4. That the Claimant incurred funeral and burial expenses in the amount of $4,649.75, of which $2,000.00 is compensable under the Act.

5. That the Claimant has not submitted any evidence before the Court to substantiate the fact that he and the victim’s children were dependent upon the victim for support.

6. That pursuant to section 7(d) of the Act, this Court must deduct $200.00 from all claims plus the amount of benefits, payments or awards payable under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, eh. 48, par. 138.1 etseq.), from local governmental, State or Federal funds or from any other source, except annuities, pension plans, Federal social security benefits and the net proceeds of the first $25,000.00 (twenty-five thousands dollars) of life insurance paid or payable to the Claimant.

7. That the Claimant has received no reimbursements as a result of the victim’s death that can be counted as applicable deductions.

8. That the Claimant has complied with all pertinent provisions of the Act and qualifies for compensation thereunder.

9. That the Claimant is entitled to the maximum statutory award of $2,000.00 for funeral and burial expenses.

10. That the Claimant, having not submitted the necessary evidence needed to support his claim for loss of support, has not met a required condition precedent for compensation under that provision of the Act.

It is hereby ordered that the sum of $2,000.00 (two thousand dollars) be and is hereby awarded to Delbert Davis, husband of Clifty Davis, an innocent victim of a violent crime.

Montana, J.

This claim is before the Court on review of the opinion rendered on April 6, 1984. In said opinion the Claimant, Delbert Davis, was granted an award pursuant to the Crime Victims Compensation Act, hereinafter referred to as the Act, of $2,000.00 for funeral expenses incurred due to the death of the crime victim, his wife, Clifty Davis. The opinion denied the Claimant’s request for loss of support for himself and the couple’s minor children due to his failure to submit the necessary evidence needed to substantiate the alleged loss of support. The Claimant thereafter requested that a hearing be held concerning the claim for loss of support. The request was granted and a hearing was held before a commissioner on September 13, 1984. Both parties have filed briefs and the commissioner has filed his report. The matter is now before the Court for a decision.

On August 25, 1978, Clifty Davis was abducted during the course of an armed robbery at The Other Place Tavern. The Other Place Tavern was a restaurant/ tavern owned and operated by the Claimant and the victim. The victim’s body was found in her car several hours later. The coroner found that the victim’s death resulted from a fractured skull and multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The two offenders were subsequently apprehended. One offender was convicted of murder and the other of a lesser charge.

The documentation submitted in support of the Claimant’s application for benefits showed that the Claimant had incurred funeral and burial expenses in the amount of $4,649.75. Section 2(h) of the Act provides, in part, that Claimants may recover for “Funeral and burial expenses to a maximum of $2,000.00.” Claimant was, pursuant to this Court’s opinion of April 6, 1984, awarded the maximum available amount for funeral and burial expenses, $2,000.00.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
38 Ill. Ct. Cl. 416, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-davis-ilclaimsct-1986.