Respondent was found to be a sexually violent person (SVP), and after dispositional hearing he was committed to institutional care in a secure facility. Court considered all evidence before it and weighed factors accordingly, and court did not abuse its discretion in denying Respondent's request for conditional release. Respondent's notice of appeal is considered timely filed; on last day to file notice of appeal, upon Respondent informing court that he wanted to appeal, court ordered clerk to file a notice of appeal, but clerk failed to do so until 2 days later. As SVP proceedings are quasi-criminal, Respondent should have been able to justifiably rely on court's directive that clerk was to file a timely notice of appeal.(CARTER and McDADE, concurring.)
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Sexually Violent Persons