JUSTICE WRIGHT delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.
¶ 1 The trial court sentenced defendant in absentia to nine years imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Approximately eight years later, defendant was arrested and filed a motion to vacate or reconsider the sentence imposed in his absence. The trial court struck defendants motion to vacate on October 28, 2015. Defendant appeals that 2015 ruling.
¶ 2 FACTS
¶ 3 On July 20, 2005, the State charged Ruben Gomez Moran (defendant) with aggravated driving under the influence pursuant to sections 11-501(a)(1) and 11-501(d)(1)(c) of the Illinois Vehicle Code ( 625 ILCS 5/11-501(a)(1), (d)(1)(c) (West 2004) ), reckless driving pursuant to section 11-503(c) of the Illinois Vehicle Code ( 625 ILCS 5/11-503(c) (West 2004) ), and failure to stop after having an accident involving personal injury or death pursuant to section 11-401(a) of the Illinois Vehicle Code ( 625 ILCS 5/11-401(a) (West 2004) ).
¶ 4 On July 11, 2006, defendant entered an open guilty plea to aggravated driving under the influence, reckless driving, and failure to stop after a personal injury accident. The trial court revoked defendants bond and ordered a presentence investigation report (PSI) for purposes of sentencing.
¶ 5 The next day, July 12, 2006, the trial court granted an agreed motion allowing defendant to be released on a recognizance bond until July 26, 2006, in order to allow defendant to be present for the impending birth of defendants child. Defendant failed to return to custody on July 26, 2006, as agreed.
¶ 6 On September 20, 2006, the trial court received a letter from the Will County Probation Services Department informing the court that the department could not complete defendants PSI because defendants whereabouts were unknown. On January 30, 2007, the trial court scheduled defendants sentencing hearing for March 15, 2007. A certified letter to appear, informing defendant of this court date was mailed to defendants last known address on February 1, 2007.
¶ 7 On March 15, 2007, defendant failed to appear but his attorney was present in court. Both the prosecutor and defense counsel agreed to proceed with sentencing without the PSI. The court stated: [defendant] chose voluntarily not to participate in the presentence investigation. So we are left-which is his right if he refuses and Well, since he didnt participate, we are left with kind of a lack of knowledge about the defendant, and without a presentence investigation, I will just listen to evidence in aggravation. The defense presented no evidence in mitigation and the trial court sentenced defendant to nine years imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections for aggravated driving under the influence ( 625 ILCS 5/11-501(a)(1), (d)(1)(C) (West 2004) ). Defendant did not file any timely motions after the sentence was imposed in 2007 and did not file a direct appeal.
¶ 8 On July 22, 2015, defendant was arrested and returned to custody in Will County. On September 8, 2015, counsel for defendant filed a section 115-4.1(e) Motion To Vacate Sentence And/Or In the Alternative Motion To Reconsider Sentence (2015 motion to vacate). 725 ILCS 5/115-4.1(e) (West 2014). Defendants 2015 motion to vacate incorporated defendants explanation for defendants absence in 2007. Defendant alleged his absence was due to his fear of returning to jail and no one else being able to support his family. In addition, defendant challenged the sentence imposed on the following three grounds: the trial court violated defendants constitutional rights by failing to properly admonish defendant regarding sentencing in absentia ; the trial court erroneously sentenced defendant before receiving a PSI; and the trial court imposed a sentence that was excessive.
¶ 9 In response, on the same day, the State filed a motion to strike defendants 2015 motion to vacate as untimely. On October 28, 2015, following a hearing on the 2015 motion to vacate, the trial court announced its ruling. The court stated that, The State does not have to consent to revesting the Court with the jurisdiction, therefore, I dont have the ability to grant the relief that you are seeking. In addition, the trial court found that defendant received the proper admonitions about the possibility of proceedings in absentia.
¶ 10 On November 2, 2015, defendant filed a notice of appeal challenging several orders, including the March 15, 2007, order imposing defendants sentence and the October 28, 2015, order granting the States motion to strike defendants 2015 motion to vacate.
¶ 11 ANALYSIS
¶ 12 Before considering the merits of defendants appeal, we must address the jurisdictional peculiarities created by an eight-year gap between the date of defendants 2007 sentencing order and defendants 2015 motion to vacate. Questions of jurisdiction are legal matters reviewed de novo . People v. Marker , 233 Ill. 2d 158, 162, 330 Ill.Dec. 164, 908 N.E.2d 16 (2009).
¶ 13 The record reveals defendants 2015 motion to vacate was not labeled a section 115-4.1(e) motion. 725 ILCS 5/115-4.1(e) (West 2014) However, for purposes of the appeal, both parties have construed and treated the 2015 motion to vacate as a section 115-4.1(e) motion. Based on the posture adopted by both parties on appeal, our court will also view defendants 2015 motion to vacate as a section 115-4.1(e) motion.
¶ 14 The portions of section 115-4.1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 provide that:
When a defendant who in his absence has been either convicted or sentenced or both convicted and sentenced appears before the court, he must be granted a new trial or new sentencing hearing if the defendant can establish that his failure to appear in court was both without his fault and due to circumstances beyond his control. A hearing with notice to the States Attorney on the defendants request for a new trial or a new sentencing hearing must be held before any such request may be granted. At any such hearing both the defendant and the State may present evidence. 725 ILCS 5/115-4.1(e) (West 2014).
Additionally, section 115-4.1(g) of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 addresses the process for reviewing a ruling on a section 115-4.1(e) ruling. Section 115-4.1(g) states that:
A defendant whose motion under paragraph (e) for a new trial or new sentencing hearing has been denied may file a notice of appeal therefrom. Such notice may also include a request for review of the judgment and sentence not vacated by the trial court . 725 ILCS 5/115-4.1(g) (West 2014) (Emphasis added.)
¶ 15 Our supreme court has previously provided guidance on the jurisdictional issue. Our supreme court has held that section 115-4.1(e) did not conflict with the time frame established for a direct appeal set forth in Supreme Court Rule 606. People v. Partee , 125 Ill. 2d 24, 35-38, 125 Ill.Dec. 302, 530 N.E.2d 460 (1988) ; Ill. S.Ct. R. 606 et seq (eff. Dec. 11, 2014). In so holding, the Partee court explained that a section 115-4.1(e) motion is considered a collateral attack upon a final judgment. Partee , 125 Ill. 2d at 35, 125 Ill.Dec. 302, 530 N.E.2d 460. More recently, in Williams , the reviewing court also held that no conflict exists between section 115-4.1(g) and Supreme Court Rule 606(b). People v. Williams, 274 Ill. App. 3d 793, 796, 211 Ill.Dec. 441, 655 N.E.2d 470 (1995). Further, the Williams court held that, The legislature has engrafted the request for review of the conviction and sentence as a part of that appeal from the final order of the [section 115-4.1(e) ] collateral proceeding as long as the appeal of the collateral proceeding is perfected within 30 days of the entry of the ruling on the section 115-4.1(e) motion. Id. at 798, 211 Ill.Dec. 441, 655 N.E.2d 470.
¶ 16 In this case, the trial court struck defendants 2015 motion to vacate and defendant had a 30-day window to appeal from the October 28, 2015, order. Within 30 days of this court order, defendant filed a notice of appeal challenging the trial courts ruling in the collateral attack on the judgment. Consequently, we conclude defendant has perfected his right to appeal the 2015 motion to vacate by filing a notice of appeal within 30 days of the entry of the ruling on that motion. Based on well-established case law, we conclude that this court has jurisdiction to review the trial courts order striking defendants section 115-4.1(e) motion. Based on the statutory language approved by our legislators, we conclude that the scope of our review includes an examination of the judgment and sentence not vacated by the trial court. 725 ILCS 5/115-4.1(g) (West 2014).
¶ 17 Section 5-3-1 of the Unified Code of Corrections provides that A defendant shall not be sentenced for a felony before a written presentence report of investigation is presented to and considered by the court. 730 ILCS 5/5-3-1 (West 2006). When looking back at defendants in absentia sentencing proceedings, we note that the court sentenced defendant without first receiving and then considering a written completed PSI.
¶ 18 The State recognizes that the trial court must strictly comply with the mandatory statutory requirements of section 5-3-1. 730 ILCS 5/5-3-1 (West 2006) ; People v. Harris , 105 Ill. 2d 290, 302-03, 85 Ill.Dec. 486, 473 N.E.2d 1291 (1985). Consequently, the State understandably agrees that if this court reaches the merits of defendants substantive challenge to the sentence imposed, then defendant would be entitled to a new sentencing hearing with a properly completed PSI. The States concession is supported by case law establishing that a defendants voluntary absence from trial does not result in defendants waiver of the court-ordered PSI that the court shall consider before imposing a sentence. People v. Lynch , 122 Ill. App. 3d 121, 124, 77 Ill.Dec. 513, 460 N.E.2d 817 (1984). Therefore, we reverse the trial courts order striking defendants section 115-4.1(e) motion as untimely, vacate defendants sentence, and remand the matter back to the trial court for new sentencing proceedings after the trial court receives a properly completed PSI.
¶ 19 CONCLUSION
¶ 20 The judgment of the circuit court of Will County is reversed, vacated and remanded.
¶ 21 Reversed, vacated and remanded with directions.
Justices Holdridge and Lytton concurred in the judgment and opinion.