Illinois Supreme Court
Civil Court
Child Custody
In postdissolution proceedings, father filed petition to modify, seeking residential custody of partiesfd’ daughter, then age 14. Court appointed a psychologist to give custody recommendation per Section 604(b) of Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Court dismissed without prejudice father’s petition to modify. Custody evaluator’s fees are not “court costs” under Sections 2-1009 and 5-116 of Code of Civil Procedure. Section 604(b) of Marriage Act provides for court to allocate evaluator fees, based on ability of parties and other appropriate factors. (GARMAN, FREEMAN, KILBRIDE, KARMEIER, BURKE, and THEIS, concurring.)