families and children Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

REPORT: “Solutions rather than Obstacles” – An evaluation of the Hearing Officer Program in Cook County’s Domestic Relations Court

Every year, the Domestic Relations (DR) Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County processes approximately 40,000 divorce and child support cases. Because DR cases are handled in civil court, neither individual party -- the petitioner nor respondent -- have any right to free or accessible legal re...

Statement of the Chicago Council of Lawyers and Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice on HB 4113 to amend the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act

HB4113—a bill currently moving through the Illinois Legislature—aims to modify provisions of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act that affect the allocation of parenting time and responsibility. The bill would change the standard used by courts to restrict a parent’s time with the...

August is Child Support Awareness Month

Last month, Illinois adopted an “income shares” model for determining child support, joining 39 other states in considering the income of both parents in calculating the money needed to raise their child. “Income shares” for calculating child support is based upon a model developed by the Federal Of...

Reforming the Cook County Parentage Court

Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice had the privilege of providing research and analysis to a task force examining conditions for litigants and attorneys in the Parentage section of Domestic Relations Division of the Cook County Circuit Court. Our full report is now available. Cook County takes an u...

Community-Involved Efforts Lead to Record CPS Attendance Levels

Chicago Public Schools enjoyed a 94.7% attendance rate on the district's first day of school. The turnout this Tuesday marks a four-year high, and a jump from 92.9% last year. CPS attributes the turnout largely to coordinated efforts among the schools, community organizations, and families. One of...

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