2022 Articles

Amendments to 750 ILCS 5/607.6 By Erin Wilson & Paige Zilinskas May 2022 On August 13, 2021, section 607.6 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, which addresses court-ordered therapy, was amended by House Bill 2741.

Case Law Update: Child Law Proceedings in the Pandemic By Susan M. Brazas Goldberg January 2022 Over the past year, several court decisions have addressed claims of denial of due process resulting from court hearing being conducted via Zoom rather than in person.

Child Abuse and Domestic Violence: A New Pilot Program By Vickie Smith April 2022 For the past five years, the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence has been an active partner in a pilot project called the Domestic Violence Co-Location Project.

Child Welfare From a Judge’s Perspective By Emily Maurer April 2022 An interview with Judge Christy Solverson, presiding circuit judge for the Jackson County Courthouse in Murphysboro.

Editor’s Note By Judge Bob Anderson, (ret.) April 2022 An introduction to the issue from the editor.

Equip for Equality Education Justice Project By Jessica Gingold December 2022 An overview of Equip for Equality’s Education Justice Project.

Global Trends in Children’s Rights By Elizabeth Clarke January 2022 Summaries of several global issues in juvenile justice.

Help Support Our Caseworkers By Judge Martin Mengarelli April 2022 The most overlooked and underappreciated asset of a juvenile abuse case is the caseworker.

Illinois CASA Updates During Covid By Mari Christopherson April 2022 The Illinois CASA network provides best interest volunteer advocacy to over 9,000 children who have experienced abuse and/or neglect through its network of 31 local offices working in 54 counties.

Illinois Ending ‘Automatic’ Transfer in Practice—Juvenile Judges Now Make Most Transfer Decisions By Scott Main & Hallie M. Bezner January 2022 A new report from the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission documents the striking downturn in the use of “automatic” prosecution of children in adult court in Illinois.

Illinois, Home of World’s First Juvenile Court, Fails to Provide Rights to Children By Elizabeth Clarke December 2022 A new report by Human Rights Watch finds that most U.S. states, including Illinois, fail to comply with international child rights standards.

Illinois House Resolution Urges In-Person Hearings for Juveniles Where Liberty Is at Stake By Scott F. Main December 2022 In March of 2022, the Illinois House of Representatives passed House Resolution 616, urging the Illinois Supreme Court to require Illinois courts to responsibly transition juvenile delinquency proceedings back to in-person hearings, especially where liberty interests are at stake.

The Intersection of the Law, Vaccinations, and COVID-19 By Lisa L. Dunn May 2022 Courts are now being asked to weigh in on difficul decisions regarding children and COVID-19.

Is Grandparent Visitation a Viable Cause of Action Under the IMDMA? By Sean P. Sullivan May 2022 Many potential clients insist that they have a right to see their grandchildren because they are a grandparent. Illinois law does not provide that simply by virtue of being a grandparent someone has a right to demand visitation with a grandchild. However, grandparents may fall into the class of “non-parents” who may have standing to seek visitation with a minor child.

Juvenile Redeploy IL 2015-2021 By John J. Rekowski December 2022 A new report documents the success of Juvenile Redeploy IL in expanding community-based alternatives for youth at risk of commitment to juvenile prison.

New Legislation on Restorative Justice: National Restorative Justice Conference Chicago July 2022 By Mark D. Hassakis January 2022 A new law, Public Act 102-100, effective July 2021, established a legal privilege for “anything said or done during the [restorative justice] practice, or in anticipation of or as a follow-up to the practice.”

Racial Equity and Children’s Rights in the Juvenile Justice System By Elizabeth Clarke & Bridgett Schott December 2022 An introduction to the issue from two co-editors.

Racial Equity and Children’s Rights in the Juvenile Justice System By Elizabeth Clarke & Bridgett Schott January 2022 An introduction to the issue from the editors.

Task Force Calls for Changes in Juvenile Detention Policies for Children Ages 10-12 By Sharita Forrest January 2022 CONTACT: Sharita Forrest, Education editor 217-244-1072, slforres@illinois.edu CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center superintendent Brian Brown had a hunch that his county’s detention rates might be disproportionately higher than those of similar-sized counties, but he didn’t have the data at his fingertips to make comparisons and advocate for needed reforms.

The Trend Away From the ‘Every Other Weekend’ Parent By Amy Silberstein May 2022 In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on a divorced parent with less parenting time having a more expanded parenting role and time schedule.

What Is the Difference Between a Guardian ad Litem, Child Representative, Parenting Coordinator, and Mediator? By Erin M. Wilson & Olivia K. Basu May 2022 A look at the distinctions between the four major roles in family law proceedings: guardian ad litem, child representative, parenting coordinator, and mediator.