Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Due Process
Respondent appealed from a circuit court judgment terminating her parental rights to her two minor children. On appeal, respondent raised several issues related to the summons, the discharge of her appointed counsel, the absence of a notice of default order, the judicial notice of a court docket, and the denial of her motion to vacate. The appellate court reversed and remanded, finding that respondent was denied due process when the circuit court discharged her counsel without compliance with SCR 13 and then proceeded to hold a hearing on the petitions to terminate her parental rights without respondent or her counsel being present at the hearing. (STEIGMANN and LANNERD, concurring)