2001 Articles

Adoption by one spouse can be in the best interest of the child By Andrea M. Schleifer February 2001 Until 1998, someone who was married could only adopt a child if his spouse participated.

Adoption in Illinois by only one spouse: is it in the best interest of the child? By Marta C. Bukata February 2001 The uncontroverted ultimate purpose of the Adoption Act is to facilitate a legal action that is in the best interests of the child.

Another view By David Royko January 2001 Last week, I learned that elevators can be great little rooms for big epiphanies, or at least re-epiphanies.

Case law update By Barry H. Greenburg November 2001 Summaries of the cases of In Re the Marriage of Gross, In Re Marriage of Grams, In Re Marriage of Letsinger, In Re Hasabnis and In Re Marriage of Langman.

Case law update By Don C. Hammer March 2001 In Re Adoption of D. (2-99-1245) Mother, and Mother's new husband, sought to adopt Mother's child. Petitioners sought to terminate the parental rights of the presumed father for willful desertion and/or abandonment.

Case law update By Don C. Hammer February 2001 In re Adoption of K.L.P. (316 Ill. App. 3d 110; 735 N.E. 2d 1071) The adoption petition alleged that the biological mother was an unfit parent. Mother appeared and informed the court that she could not afford to hire an attorney and requested a public defender.

The chairman’s column By Alan J. Toback November 2001 Well, another year is upon us. First and foremost, a grateful thank you for a fantastic job well done to our immediate past-chair, Julie Katz.

Chair’s column June 2001 By the time this newsletter is circulated, I will be the "immediate past chair" and my distinguished colleague, Alan J. Toback, will be at the helm.

Chair’s column By Julie Keehner Katz May 2001 As the 2000-2001 term of the Family Law Section Council winds down, we have been inundated with numerous bills for our review.

Chair’s column By Julie Keehner Katz February 2001 As the legislative session gets underway, the Family Law Section Council will be inundated, as usual, with proposed legislation for us to review.

Chair’s column By Julie Keehner Katz January 2001 It's hard to believe that we are already halfway through the term of this 2000-2001 section council.

Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (H.R. 2883) March 2001 The Child Citizenship Act of 2000, which grants automatic citizenship to certain children born abroad who are adopted by a U.S. citizen, took effect February 27, 2001.

Child support and the high income parent—is the good fortune trust the answer? By Barbara E. Hardin June 2001 When making a determination of child support in high-income cases, courts often deviate downwards from statutory guidelines.

Confidentiality in adopt-related proceedings By Don C. Hammer March 2001 Most aspects of adoption proceedings are confidential (see section 18 of the Adoption Act), and courts have consistently held that "confidentiality protects the interests of biological parents, adopting parents, and adopted minors."

Deviation from child support guidelines in parentage cases By Richard D. Larson June 2001 Many parentage cases handled by family law practitioners in the later years of the twentieth century differ from the norm because the parties involved are possessed of substantial income(s) and assets.

Editor’s column By Richard W. Zuckerman January 2001 It is unfortunate that Judy Wallerstein has chosen to spend her career studying the effects of divorce on children when it would have been more profitable to discuss the effects of divorce on divorce attorneys.

Editor’s note By Richard W. Zuckerman June 2001 On behalf of my fellow co-editor, Don C. Hammer, I would like to thank all of the contributors to the 2000-2001 Family Law Section Council Newsletter.

Editor’s note By Richard W. Zuckerman May 2001 You don't have to handle custody case for very long before it becomes clear that cases usually fall into one of three patterns.

Editor’s note By Don C. Hammer February 2001 The year 2000 was a significant year for adoption practitioners in Illinois. This issue, and the following issue, of the Family Law newsletter will focus on adoption.

Family law bytes By Roza Gossage January 2001 The technology committee of the Family Law Section, in its efforts to make you actually use your computer and the Internet, will be providing sites that may be of help in your family law cases as well as suggestions for programs you may want to explore.

Fractured tales November 2001 Normally I suggest to my client to provide a copy of a photo of the spouse to the process server to insure prompt service.

The judge’s corner By Judge Moshe Jacobius June 2001 There has been some uncertainty created by the various provisions regarding attorney fees set forth in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.

The judge’s corner By John W. Demling May 2001 From a general standpoint, family law and divorce encompasses many big picture issues involving the relationship of the parties and their children after the entry of a final judgment.

The judge’s corner January 2001 From a general standpoint, family law and divorce encompasses many big picture issues involving the relationship of the parties and their children after the entry of a final judgment.

Legislative update By M. Lee Witte June 2001 The 92nd General Assembly did family law practitioners some good and, we think, very little harm.

Parent power By M. Lee Witte & Margaret C. Benson February 2001 While the Illinois Supreme Court was considering the application of Troxel v. Granville to our grandparents' visitation statute, a future justice of that court was using Troxel to find that a Constitutional right to court-appointed counsel exists in adoption proceedings.

Problems in the enforcement of foreign divorce judgments By Scott C. Colky May 2001 We hear on a daily basis the world is getting smaller. We are told we are becoming a global village.

Recent cases By Barry H. Greenburg June 2001 In Re the Marriage of Mitchell, 2nd District, Appellate No. 2-00-0005, filed March 3, 2001

Recent cases By Barry H. Greenburg May 2001 Summaries of the recent cases of In Re the Marriage of Drury, In Re Petition of Mary Klak, In Re Marriage of Carter, In Re Shaddle, In re Adoption of D___, In Re Marriage of Lehr, In Re Marriage of Gattone, In Re J.P., In Re Marriage of Beerbridge, In Re the Marriage of Buck, In Re Marriage of Didier, In Re the Marriage of Petersen, In Re Donath v. Buckley, In Re Cerven and In Re Troy S. and Rachel S.

Recent cases By Barry H. Greenburg January 2001 In re Estate of Alex J. Sarron, August 25, 2000, 3rd District, No. 3-99-1010; Appeal from the Circuit Court of Peoria County as a result of a Florida divorce.