Respondent father appealed from an adjudication finding neglect as to his minor child and a dispositional order adjudicating the minor a ward of the court. On appeal, respondent argued that the adjudicatory finding of neglect was improper and deprived him of due process where the petition made no allegations against him, that the finding was against the manifest weight of the evidence, and that the order should be reversed because the circuit court failed to provide a factual basis for its disposition. The appellate court affirmed, finding that respondent’s arguments relating to the adjudicatory determination were moot because he did not challenge the court’s finding of dependency and that his arguments on that issue were without merit. The appellate court further found that the record supported the trial court’s finding that respondent was not able to care for the minor child at the time of the dispositional hearing and, as a result, it was not against the manifest weight of the evidence. (C.A. WALKER and TAILOR, concurring)
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Adjudication of Wardship