Case law updateBy Ellen PaulingChild Law, March 2004The court found that section 1 (D)(q) of the Adoption Act, the conviction of attempted murder of a child is identified as a grounds for parental unfitness, violates neither the due process nor equal protection clauses of the constitution because evidence of the respondent subsequent rehabilitation can be presented at best interests hearings.
Legislation on the moveChild Law, March 2004At the time this newsletter was in publication, the following juvenile justice bills were scheduled for committee hearings, or were already on 2d or 3d reading.
Case law updateBy Ellen PaulingChild Law, April 2003State filed a petition against mother, seeking termination of her parental rights to five of her children.
Deaf parties have special needsBy Susan O’Neal JohnsonChild Law, December 2002Deaf parties to juvenile abuse and neglect proceedings have certain rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.
Case law updateBy Ellen PaulingChild Law, October 2002State filed a petition against mother seeking termination of her parental rights to five of her children. Trial court found mother unfit as to each of the five children based on "the extended period that the mother had no contact with the children" and then terminated her rights to her two youngest children
The youth court option: Now that’s a young prosecutorBy Terrence M. MadsenChild Law, October 2002The scene in the Knox County courtroom is pretty much the same as at any routine juvenile proceeding except that the prosecutor is 14, the defense "attorney" is 16 and a "jury" of 13-17 year-olds are hearing evidence in aggravation and mitigation in anticipation of imposing a very real sentence.
Child welfare case law updateBy Judge Thomas MuellerChild Law, July 2002Any adult person, including a child's court appointed guardian ad litem, may file a motion/petition to terminate parental rights.
From the benchChild Law, July 2002The Juvenile Justice System by its nature deals with a diverse group of young people involved in a wide spectrum of cases ranging from minor offenses to very serious and violent crimes
Message from the chairBy Kathryn BischoffChild Law, July 2002My year as chairman of the Section Council has passed very quickly.
Delinquency case law updateBy Kulmeet S. GalhotraChild Law, May 2002In re R.A.B, 197 Ill. 2d 358, 757 N.E. 2d 887, 259 Ill. Dec. 24 (2001), a case concerning the fundamental right to trial by jury, was issued on September 20, 2001.
Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection ActBy Karen RyanChild Law, February 2002On August 17, 2001 Governor Ryan signed House Bill 632 and Senate Bill 216, enacting The Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act.
Should your child client be in a different school?By Joy RogersChild Law, February 2002Selection of an appropriate school for a child may become a legal matter in a variety of situations including delinquency, neglect and/or abuse, child custody, special education conflicts, and McKinney Act issues. Parties in such actions are often in conflict about what school arrangements are best for the affected child. The issues to be weighed are complex.
Sycamore police peer jury programBy Steve CookChild Law, February 2002Thirteen-year old Mike stands in front of a group of kids telling them how he shoplifted at the local grocery store.
School choice under the “Individuals with Disabilities Act Amendments of 1997”By Mark J. CarrollChild Law, January 2002Prior to 1975, disabled children and their parents were provided little protection by the federal government against states who excluded disabled children from the educational system because of their disability.
Termination: two and two for the springBy Terrence M. MadsenChild Law, January 2002The parental rights termination provisions of 750 ILCS 50/1 went two and two this spring in the constitutional challenge area.
Establishing teen courts in local communitiesBy Cindy NelsonChild Law, October 2001Diverting first time youth offenders to teen court can provide a number of benefits to the community which utilizes such a system.
From the chairBy Kathryn BischoffChild Law, October 2001When I got "notice" from our newsletter editor that one of my responsibilities this year as chair of the section council was to write a column for each newsletter I was excited.
GEE? No, GED!By Terrence M. MadsenChild Law, October 2001Consider the following two paragraphs from the same judgment of dissolution. The first paragraph appears under a section of the incorporated settlement agreement entitled "Maintenance."
Lee/Ogle/Dekalb Intervention System’s Advisory Board (LODIS)By Ellen PaulingChild Law, October 2001A chronic or habitual truant is a child subject to compulsory school attendance who is absent without valid cause for ten percent or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days.
Balancing the perspectivesBy Fran StottChild Law, June 2001On one hand we have a deep understanding of the importance to the child of the family of origin.
From the chairBy Ruth GudinoChild Law, June 2001This has been a very busy year for the section council. Juvenile Law is changing every day and we are diligently working on legislative issues, setting up our Internet Site, and cable programs.
Major court decisionsBy Kulmeet S. GalhotraChild Law, June 2001In an unanimous opinion released in May of this year, the Illinois Supreme delivered the latest pronouncement on the topic of environment injurious in the case of In re N.B., 191 Ill.2d 388, 730 N.E.2d 1086, 246 Ill.Dec. 621 (2000).