Rubly v. Edgar

568 N.E.2d 113, 209 Ill. App. 3d 396, 154 Ill. Dec. 113, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 54
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJanuary 17, 1991
Docket1-89-0334
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 568 N.E.2d 113 (Rubly v. Edgar) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rubly v. Edgar, 568 N.E.2d 113, 209 Ill. App. 3d 396, 154 Ill. Dec. 113, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 54 (Ill. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

JUSTICE LINN

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant, the Secretary of State, appeals from an order of the circuit court of Cook County that reversed defendant’s denial of plaintiff’s request for a restricted driving permit (RDP). The circuit court ordered the defendant to issue plaintiff a renewal of her RDP and refused to stay the order pending appeal. The defendant appeals, contending that: (1) the circuit court lacked jurisdiction on a motion to modify a judgment made more than 30 days after a final order had been entered and (2) the circuit court lacked jurisdiction because plaintiff had failed to file a complaint in administrative review based upon the November 15,1988, hearing.

We affirm.

On March 6, 1987, plaintiff was arrested and convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. Consequently, the defendant suspended plaintiff’s driver’s license for one year. On June 1, 1987, plaintiff petitioned the defendant for reinstatement of full driving privileges or, alternatively, issuance of a RDP. A hearing on the petition was held on July 16, 1987. On September 23, 1987, the hearing officer denied plaintiff’s request for restoration of driving privileges and, alternatively, for a restricted driving permit. The defendant adopted the hearing officer’s findings and recommendations.

On October 9, 1987, plaintiff filed a complaint for administrative review (No. 87 — CH—10119) of the defendant’s decision denying plaintiff’s petition for reinstatement of her driver’s license or, alternatively, a RDP. On January 13, 1988, the circuit court reversed the decision and ordered the defendant to issue plaintiff a RDP. The circuit court held that the defendant had abused his discretion in denying plaintiff the issuance of a RDP and that the decision was contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence. The circuit court also refused to stay the order pending appeal. The defendant filed a notice of appeal which he voluntarily dismissed several months later. On July 1, 1988, the defendant granted plaintiff a RDP valid for three months. The RDP was issued on September 12, 1988, and expired on December 12, 1988.

Plaintiff sought to renew the RDP prior to its expiration through an informal hearing procedure. The defendant denied plaintiff’s request because she had obtained her RDP as the result of a court order, and not a decision by the defendant’s office. Plaintiff was then required to undergo another formal hearing which was conducted on November 15, 1988. On January 4, 1989, plaintiff’s request for renewal of a RDP was denied. The hearing officer entered virtually the same findings of fact that had been previously entered on September 23, 1987.

On January 17, 1989, plaintiff filed a petition for relief from violation of the court’s order (No. 87 — CH—10119) that had been entered on January 13, 1988. On January 19, 1989, the circuit court reversed the defendant’s decision of January 4, 1989, and ordered the defendant to issue a RDP to plaintiff forthwith. On January 20, 1989, the defendant filed a motion to stay enforcement of the judgment pending appeal. On January 25, 1989, plaintiff filed a motion to reverse the defendant’s order denying her a RDP in a complaint for administrative review (No. 89 — CH—459) that she had filed based upon the November 15, 1988, hearing. On January 25, 1989, the cases were consolidated. On January 27, 1989, the circuit court refused to stay the order pending appeal and denied plaintiff’s motion to reverse the defendant’s order in No. 89 — CH—459 without prejudice.

Initially, we note plaintiff did not file a brief. However, the record is sufficient for us to decide the issues without the plaintiff’s assistance. First Capitol Mortgage Corp. v. Talandis Construction Corp. (1976), 63 Ill. 2d 128, 345 N.E.2d 493.

The defendant has broad authority to administer the State’s laws governing the conduct of drivers on the roads and is statutorily directed to observe, administer and enforce the provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code. (People v. Pine (1989), 129 Ill. 2d 88, 542 N.E.2d 711; Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, pars. 2 — 101, 2 — 104.) The defendant has authority to revoke and reinstate the driving privileges of persons convicted of DUI. (People v. Pine, 129 Ill. 2d 88, 542 N.E.2d 711; Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, pars. 6 — 205, 6 — 208.) The defendant has exclusive authority to hold hearings and grant hardship relief or reinstatement of license privileges after a suspension or revocation imposed pursuant to his authority over non-first-time DUI offenders. People v. Pine, 129 Ill. 2d 88, 542 N.E.2d 711; Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, pars. 6-205, 6-208.

Upon review, the findings and conclusions of an administrative agency are considered prima facie true and correct. (Murdy v. Edgar (1984), 103 Ill. 2d 384, 469 N.E.2d 1085; Britt v. Edgar (1989),

192 Ill. App. 3d 469, 548 N.E.2d 826; Fitzpatrick v. Edgar (1987), 158 Ill. App. 3d 966, 512 N.E.2d 56.) Courts may not interfere with an agency’s discretionary authority unless that power is exercised in an arbitrary and capricious fashion or the decision is contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence. (Britt v. Edgar, 192 Ill. App. 3d 469, 548 N.E.2d 826; Murdy v. Edgar, 103 Ill. 2d 384, 469 N.E.2d 1085; Fitzpatrick v. Edgar, 158 Ill. App. 3d 966, 512 N.E.2d 56.) The defendant’s decision will be found to be contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence only when the reviewing court can find, viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the agency, that no rational trier of fact could have agreed with the agency. Britt v. Edgar, 192 Ill. App. 3d 469, 548 N.E.2d 826; Agans v. Edgar (1986), 142 Ill. App. 3d 1087, 492 N.E.2d 929.

The relevant factors in determining whether to issue a RDP are the degree of hardship which deprivation of driving privileges imposes upon the applicant, whether alternative means of transportation are available, and whether issuance of the permit would prove a danger to public safety and welfare. (Britt v. Edgar, 192 Ill. App. 3d 469, 548 N.E.2d 826; Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 6-206(c)(3).) The relevant inquiry in restricted driving permit cases is the danger to public safety and welfare. Britt v. Edgar, 192 Ill. App. 3d 469, 548 N.E.2d 826; Murdy v. Edgar, 103 Ill. 2d 384, 469 N.E.2d 1085.

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Bluebook (online)
568 N.E.2d 113, 209 Ill. App. 3d 396, 154 Ill. Dec. 113, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 54, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rubly-v-edgar-illappct-1991.