2025 Joint Midyear Meeting PhotosFebruary 2026The Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Judges Association proudly co-hosted the 2025 Joint Midyear Meeting on December 11–12 at the JW Marriott Chicago, bringing members of the legal community together for two days of connection and collaboration.
Become an Illinois Bar Foundation ChampionBy Jessica R. DurkinFebruary 2026At least twice a year at ISBA Annual and Midyear Meetings, we are pitched by colleagues and the Illinois Bar Foundation to become a “Champion.” But what is a Champion really, and what’s in it for us?
Family vs. Fosters: When Competing Adoption Petitions Create Court ConundrumsBy Sean McCumberFebruary 2026In a situation where the child has been under the care of the Department of Children and Family Services for over two years, with loving foster parents, what happens when the foster parents file an adoption petition and a family member immediately, but subsequently, files their own adoption petition? This query causes problems and raises many questions over what the court should do.
The “Scarlet-I”: When Indication Becomes a MarkBy Amanda VeselyFebruary 2026An analysis of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services’ Allegation #60: Branding parents or caregivers for what might have happened rather than what did. Child protection and due process can coexist, but only if risk is measured with restraint, evidence, and fairness.
