On March 25, 2022, Illinois’ First District Appellate Court issued an opinion in Casteel v. Jiminez affirming the dismissal of a petition (filed pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-1401) to set aside the judgment against the Defendant. The opinion contains an interesting analysis of the timeliness of filing a motion under 735 ILCS 5/2-1401 based on particular defenses.
The Case
Plaintiff alleged that in 2015, while Defendant was “conducting illegal activities” on a street in Chicago, the Defendant intentionally shot Plaintiff in both legs. The complaint filed by Plaintiff contained two counts: the first alleged negligence, and the