People v. Martinez

Decision Date03 November 1977
Docket NumberNo. 77-325,77-325
Citation12 Ill.Dec. 417,370 N.E.2d 40,54 Ill.App.3d 607
Parties, 12 Ill.Dec. 417 PEOPLE of the State of Illinois, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Charles E. MARTINEZ, Defendant-Appellant.
CourtUnited States Appellate Court of Illinois

Charles G. Haskins, Chicago, for defendant-appellant.

Bernard Carey, State's Atty. of Cook County, for plaintiff-appellee; Laurence J. Bolon, Richard J. Barr, Jr., Asst. State's Attys., of counsel.

LINN, Justice.

The defendant, Charles E. Martinez, was charged by traffic complaints with operating a motor vehicle while his driver's license was suspended and with following too closely behind another vehicle. (Ill.Rev.Stat.1975, ch. 95 1/2, pars. 6-303(a) and 11-710(a).) Although somewhat unclear, the record indicates that the circuit court denied defendant's written pretrial motion to dismiss the complaint charging operation of a vehicle while defendant's license was suspended. The court expressly stated the order of denial was final for purposes of appeal, and continued the matter to a later date for disposition on that charge. The record also indicates that defendant entered a plea of not guilty, waived trial by jury and stipulated to the correctness of the complaint charging him with following too closely behind another vehicle, for which he was placed under supervision for a period of 60 days.

Defendant appeals solely from the order denying his pretrial motion to dismiss the charge of operating a motor vehicle while his driver's license was suspended. He contends that the order of denial was improperly entered in light of a recent three-judge Federal District Court decision in an unpublished memorandum opinion. That court declared the Illinois statute relating to suspension or revocation of drivers' licenses unconstitutional on the grounds that the statute did not require notice and hearing prior to the licensing authority issuing an order of suspension or revocation. Defendant contended in his pretrial motion to dismiss that he had been denied due process since no prior notice and hearing relating to suspension or revocation of his driver's license was afforded him. See Love v. Howlett (N.D.Ill.1976), No. 75 C 1821, declaring unconstitutional section 6-206(a) 3 of the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code. (Ill.Rev.Stat.1975, ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-206(a) 3.) We note, however, that Love v. Howlett (N.D.Ill.1976), No. 75 C 1821, was subsequently overturned by the United States Supreme Court in Dixon v. Love (1977), 431 U.S. 105, 97 S.Ct. 1723, 52 L.Ed.2d 172. The Supreme Court held that the Illinois statutory provisions relating to suspension and revocation of drivers' licenses were not violative of due process of law, and that Illinois authorities could properly revoke or suspend drivers' licenses without predecision administrative hearings. See also People v. Anderson (1977), 50 Ill.App.3d 516, 8 Ill.Dec. 491, 365 N.E.2d 729.

Aside from the foregoing, examination of the record of this proceeding indicates that this case involves an attempt to appeal from a nonappealable interlocutory order denying a motion to dismiss a complaint. The appeal must therefore be dismissed for want of jurisdiction in this court. People v. Culhane (1975), 34 Ill.App.3d 158, 340 N.E.2d 63, and the cases cited therein; Ill.Rev.Stat.1975, ch. 110A, par. 603.

The trial court's express statement that the order of denial was final for purposes of appeal did not make the order appealable. (See People v. McGary (1970), 120 Ill.App.2d 170, 256...

To continue reading

Request your trial
2 cases
  • People v. Braden
    • United States
    • United States Appellate Court of Illinois
    • April 2, 1993
  • People v. Tarkowski, 80-374
    • United States
    • United States Appellate Court of Illinois
    • September 22, 1981
    ...e. g. Sanner v. Champaign County (1980), 88 Ill.App.3d 491, 496-97, 43 Ill.Dec. 656, 410 N.E.2d 656; People v. Martinez (1977), 54 Ill. App.3d 607, 609, 12 Ill.Dec. 417, 370 N.E.2d 40.) At this time, however, we are compelled to address the question of whether section 5-6-3.1(i) of the Unif......

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT