Plaintiff filed eminent domain complaints against several landowners, to facilitate construction of a high-voltage transmission line. Circuit court lacked jurisdiction to review the legality and constitutionality of the Illinois Commerce Commission's administrative proceedings. Circuit court was not exercising the special statutory jurisdiction conferred by Section 10-201 of Public Utilities Act, but it was sitting as a court of general jurisdiction charged with adjudicating the merits of Plaintiff's eminent domain complaints. Circuit court had no authority to review Commission's decision itself or whether the proceedings leading up to that decision were in violation of State or federal constitution or laws. (KARMEIER, BURKE, THEIS, and NEVILLE, concurring; GARMAN, specially concurring; KILBRIDE, concurring in part and dissenting in part.)
Illinois Supreme Court
Civil Court
Public Utilities Act