In People v. Lawton, 212 Ill. 2d 285, 818 N.E.2d 326, 334, 288 Ill. Dec. 638 (2004), the defendant had filed a section 2-1401 petition challenging the competency of the attorney who represented him in proceedings under the Sexually Dangerous Persons Act (725 ILCS 205/0.01 et seq. (West 2002)), as well as on direct appeal. The Lawton court first noted that the defendant could not raise his claim in a post-conviction petition, as proceedings under the Sexually Dangerous Persons Act are civil in nature and the Post-Conviction Hearing Act only applies to persons imprisoned pursuant to a criminal conviction. Having no recourse under the Post-Conviction Hearing Act, the court stated that the defendant was entitled to challenge the effectiveness of his attorney by means of a section 2-1401 petition. The court noted that, by allowing the defendant to do so, its holding gave effect to the purpose of section 2-1401, which is to grant relief when necessary to achieve justice. Lawton, 212 Ill. 2d at 297.