The trial court had found that wife was in need of assistance but declined to make a permanent award of maintenance so that wife would be encouraged to become self-sufficient. During one of the hearings, the trial court explicitly stated that it was not awarding permanent maintenance because such an award would eliminate any incentive [...]
Divorced mother petitioned for modification of child support. The Trial Court entered an order increasing Father's child support obligation. Father appealed. The Appellate Court held that the increase in father's available income resulting from the termination of spousal support and car payments on wife's vehicle was contemplated by the original divorce decree. Therefore, it did [...]
The trial court entered an order terminating father's parental rights as to his minor daughter. She was then five years old. The court granted mother’s and another man’s petition to adopt the child. The court found father an unfit parent. On the basis that he failed to maintain a reasonable degree of interest, concern, or [...]
Wife had filed a petition to dissolve her marriage to husband, which was granted. The judgment required husband to pay a certain amount per week in child support for the parties' two children. However, husband failed to meet his child support obligations. Orders were entered for payment of the original amount of child support plus [...]
Husband had been involved in a motor vehicle accident. He sustained severe injuries that left him permanently and totally disabled. The court ruled that husband would not be required to pay child support as long as his only source of funds was a monthly social security disability benefit. The circuit court denied the husband’s petition [...]
THE DOWN SIDE OF USING A PREPRINTED FORM The Trial Court entered a two year plenary order of protection. The male Respondent was ordered to stay 500 feet away from his ex-spouse and her 4 minor children for 1 year. The Respondent appealed. He argued that the circuit court erred in admitting into evidence [...]
The Trial Court terminated the parental rights of the mother as to her daughter, age 9 at the time of the hearing. The Court deniedthe mother's motion to compel the daughter to testify at the termination hearing. J.C. was three when DCFS got involved. An anonymous call was made to the Department of Children and [...]
An attorney was appointed as guardian ad litem (GAL) for a minor plaintiff. There was a settlement for injuries she suffered in a motor vehicle accident. The mother had been appointed by the court as the guardian of the minor’s estate. Eight years went by after the settlement. The plaintiff minor sued her mother. The [...]
The parties had been married in Iowa. They lived together until wife moved to Illinois. Wife filed a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage in Illinois. Summons was issued to husband. He was then a resident of the state of Georgia. He was personally served. The petition for dissolution requested that the court award wife a [...]
The trial court held that the home in which parties resided for their 28–year marriage was marital property. It awarded the home and its furnishings to wife. Husband appealed. The marital home, located in Winnetka was acquired by the parties after their marriage. It was acquired and built from the proceeds from the sale of [...]