Last week, Gov. Pat Quinn announced that child care services were underfunded by $73.6 million and suggested diverting funds to help avoid the budget gap. However, many state lawmakers contend that the child care budget gap was Quinn’s doing in the first place.
]]> Should the bill not pass, over 40,000 child care providers in the state would be unable to pay for their services for the final three months of the budget year. Many parents rely on the subsidized child care to get to work every day.House Minority Leader Tom Cross contends that state lawmakers fully funded the child care programs last year, but Quinn redirected those funds elsewhere. “We are now having to correct a problem he created because he didn’t stay within his budget,” Cross said.
Quinn reportedly shifted funds from the Child Care Assistance Program to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the state’s welfare program. That shift left child care programs underfunded.
According to Kelly Kraft, a spokeswoman for Quinn’s budget office, Quinn’s hands were tied. “TANF, along with Child Care, is funded through the same line, and federal law mandates the state pay TANF first,” Kraft said.
Senate Bill 2450 would divert $73.6 million from the state’s unspent general revenue to the child care funds. According to House Minority Leader Tom Cross, the budget for the fiscal year 2013 will be one of the most stringent budgets ever passed by the General Assembly.
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To make your divorce a little less painful, we’ve included a few steps that will help you on your way to dissolving your marriage.
]]> File the PaperworkBoth contested and uncontested divorces require the following forms:
The forms can be downloaded at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s website. Make four copies of each of the filled-out forms. You should then bring them to Room 802 of the Richard J. Daley Center. The cashier there will stamp your originals and assign you a case number and calendar number. You should write those down.
Serve Your Spouse with the Divorce Papers
If your spouse lives in Cook County, you should bring your Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and your Summons to the Sheriff’s Office on the 7th floor of the Daley Center. The cashier there should give you a dated receipt. Hold on to it.
If your spouse doesn’t live in Cook County, you’ll need to contact the Sheriff’s Office of the county where your spouse lives. You can find the Sheriff’s contact information on the National Association of Counties site.
Get a Hearing Date
Both you and your spouse must sign the proposed Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage and the Certification and Agreement of Counsel. You will then get a prove-up date. A prove-up date is a brief hearing during which you and your spouse state the facts you listed in your Petition for Dissolution and what you want to be done.
However, if your spouse did not answer your Summons, you’ll have to bring it and three copies of the Certificate and Motion for Default and the Notice of Hearing to the clerk in Room 802 of the Daley Center.
If you have any questions about filing for divorce or divorce law in general, you may want to consult with an attorney.
The post is part of FindLaw’s Legal U series. We are working to help you learn what to do in your city to cope with some of the legal problems, questions, or issues that come up in daily life.
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The bizarre story began on May 4 when 23-year-old Clint Ross reported finding an abandoned girl in a stroller near the intersection of Ashland and Roosevelt. It turned out, however, that Ross wasn’t just a concerned citizen, but the girl’s dad.
]]> Ross reportedly abandoned his daughter in her stroller last week. Before the girl was discovered by others, however, Ross himself reported the abandoned child to the police, claiming he was just a concerned citizen.Police began investigating Ross after discovering that the man had given them a false name and phone number. A week after reporting the bogus abandonment, Ross turned himself into the police, admitting the hoax.
According to police, Ross said that he regretted his actions and should’ve taken the girl to stay with relatives. Police charged Ross with contributing to the neglect of a child.
Under the state’s Neglected Children Offense Act, any parent who knowingly or willfully causes, aids, or encourages a child to become a dependent or neglected child has contributed to the neglect of a child. A “neglected child” is any child under the age of 18 who is destitute, homeless, or abandoned. If the allegations against Ross are accurate, then he contributed to the neglect of his daughter by abandoning the 2-year-old girl.
Clint Ross’ 2-year-old daughter was originally taken to the UIC Medical Center upon being found. She was later turned over to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
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Berry and French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry have been embroiled in a custody war over the care of their 4-year-old daughter Nahla. Aubry is requesting the huge child support payments because he wants his daughter to continue living the life to which she’s grown accustomed, according to TMZ.
]]>Would Aubry be entitled to similar child support payments in Illinois?
There are statutory guidelines under Illinois’ child support law, requiring non-custodial parents to pay a certain percent of their net income to the custodial parent as child support. The minimum requirements are as follows:
Courts also take into account other factors, including the financial needs of the children, the financial resources of the custodial parent, and the standard of living the children would’ve enjoyed had the marriage not been dissolved. In order for Gabriel Aubry’s $20,000 child support demand to be in line with Illinois’ statutory guidelines, Halle Berry would have to be making around $100,000 a month. That seems entirely plausible.
If you have any questions about child support, you should check out FindLaw’s new child support mini-guide. The FindLaw Guide to Getting Child Support Payments is available as a free download. The guide covers all steps in obtaining child support from eligibility to modification of child support.
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While many people think of biological motherhood when they hear “mom,” there are several ways to become a mother in Illinois. Below, we’ve included the different ways to become a mom under Illinois law.
]]> TraditionalBiological parents are generally vested with certain rights when they have a child, unless a court has ordered otherwise. Biological parents have the right to make decisions regarding their children's future and well being, as long as the health and safety of the children are not put into jeopardy.
Adoption
Under Illinois law, to adopt a child you must meet certain requirements. You must be at least 18 years old, have resided in the state for at least six months, and pass a criminal background check. Whether you're married, single, or divorced doesn't matter. If you are married, however, you and your spouse must petition jointly to adopt the child.
Surrogacy
In Illinois, surrogacy arrangements are allowed, but they must comply with certain requirements. Illinois' Gestational Surrogacy Act requires that at least one intended parent be genetically related to the child and prohibits the surrogate from supplying her own eggs. Under a valid surrogacy contract, the intended parents will become the legal parents of the child.
Foster Parenting
Orphans or children removed from their homes are sometimes temporarily placed with foster families. Generally, foster parents must be over 21, have a regular source of income, have no felony convictions, and attend parent training sessions.
Step Parenting
Illinois stepparents generally do not have legal parenting rights to their stepchildren, unless a biological parent is deemed unfit by a court. However, stepparents can adopt their stepchildren, thereby gaining parenting rights.
Remember that motherhood can arise in many different ways. Have a great Mother's Day!
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Last week, Quinn's office notified over 40,000 child care providers that the state would be unable to pay for their services for the last three months of the budget year. The announcement fixing that gap comes as welcome news to the parents who rely on the subsidized child care to get to work every day.
]]> Fortunately, Quinn now claims that the state can pay for child care by shifting funds that weren’t otherwise being used. The money will come from funds originally intended to pay for Medicare premiums, according to Quinn’s budget office.“We’ve located about $73 million in the budget that will not be spent on the original purpose this year, so we're going to reallocate that money for the child care subsidy to make sure that working moms and dads have the subsidy they need in order to go to work and make sure their kids are well taken care of,” Quinn said.
The next step, according to Quinn, is to get state lawmakers to approve the proposal. He's optimistic the proposal will pass. Democratic leaders are currently reviewing the proposal, and House Republican Leader Tom Cross has expressed his intent to solve the child care budget shortfall and is currently examining the proposal.
State lawmakers are now focusing on preventing cuts to next year’s child care budget in order to avoid another child care funding shortfall. Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed several measures, including increasing parent co-pays and limiting eligibility.
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Below, we've included some of the expenses for which child support payments may be used.
]]> Basic NeedsChild support may be used to cover all of a child's basic needs. This not only includes food and shelter, but clothing, Internet, and utilities as well.
Medical Care
Generally, the parent with the better employee benefits will be required to carry medical and dental insurance for a child. However, in cases of extraordinary or uninsured medical expenses, child support may be used to cover the deductibles, co-pays, or other out-of-pocket medical expenses. In such cases, parents often have to split the costs.
Education
School generally isn't free. Even public schools have certain fees that parents must pay. Child support may be used to cover any tuition, fees, or school supplies.
Childcare
If a parent with physical custody is unable to care for the child at all times due to work obligations, child support may be used to pay for a babysitter or day care.
Transportation
Kids often need to be shuttled around from school to extracurricular activities, and back home. All the commuting can add up to considerable travel costs. Child support can be used on car payments, gas, car insurance, or public transportation costs.
Entertainment
Parents can generally use child support to pay for their children's entertainment as well, including movies, trips, games, and Internet access.
Generally, courts don't monitor a parent's use of the child support payments he or she receives. However, in cases where the child's basic needs are not being met, authorities may look into a parent's allocation of child support. If you have any questions about child support, you may want to consult an attorney.
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According to authorities, a man has been arrested who tried to hire undercover officers to burn six people alive for breaking up his marriage, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. If convicted of the murder-for-hire charge, 49-year-old Zenon Grzegorczyk will face a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison.
]]> Grzegorczyk originally came to authorities’ attention when he reportedly tried to buy assault rifles and explosives for a group in Poland. Last month, officers from the Cook County Sheriff’s office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives met with Grzegorczyk, posing as weapons dealers.At the meeting, Grzegorczyk allegedly stated that he wanted a woman dead. The authorities then opened a separate investigation into the murder-for-hire plot. At a later date, Grzegorczyk told undercover officers that he wanted six people burned alive because of the painful nature of the act. He claimed that the individuals had broken up his marriage by turning his wife against him. The conversation was recorded.
Grzegorczyk was reportedly leery of the supposed hit men, telling them he was concerned they may be undercover officers and requesting that they meet at a Russian bathhouse in the nude, so that the hit men couldn’t wear wires. Instead, they met at a Northwest Side McDonald’s where Grzegorczyk gave the officers $3,000 and showed them $42,000 that would be given to them upon completion of the murders. Grzegorczyk was arrested in the parking lot.
Under the federal murder-for-hire law, anyone who pays or agrees to pay another person as consideration for the person’s killing of another has committed murder-for-hire. As it’s a federal law, the actions must in some way involve interstate travel or the use of interstate communications. As telephone lines run between states, merely planning over the phone is likely enough to satisfy the interstate element. If the plot is discovered before anyone could be killed, murder-for-hire is punishable by fines and up to 10 years in prison.
Fortunately for the six targeted individuals, federal authorities caught Zenon Grzegorczyk before he could hire real hit men to carry out his will.
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The star of the “Big Momma’s House” trilogy filed his divorce petition in Los Angeles Superior Court last week, citing the classic “irreconcilable differences.”
]]> Although the couple has only been married for 2 years, they were together for 15 years before marrying. They have two daughters — 11-year-old Iyanna and 9-year-old Amara Trinity.In a joint statement, the couple claimed to be parting on friendly terms. “Out of love and respect for one another, we will continue to remain friends and raise our two beautiful daughters together,” the statement read.
The reported terms of their divorce seem to be in line with an amicable breakup. Martin is seeking both joint physical custody and joint legal custody of the couple’s two daughters. A parent with legal custody has the right to make important decisions about key aspects of a child’s upbringing and future, including education, medical care, and religious instruction. Joint legal custody grants both parents that right.
In a joint physical custody arrangement, the children live with both parents for roughly equal periods of time. Joint legal and physical custody will ensure that Martin and Shamicka Lawrence will be seeing a lot of each other over the years.
The couple also reportedly signed a prenuptial agreement dictating how their assets will be split in a divorce. Prenups can help couples avoid messy divorce battles that could damage an otherwise healthy friendship.
Martin Lawrence and his soon-to-be ex-wife Shamicka were married on July 10, 2010, separated on April 24th, and filed for divorce a day later. Hopefully Lawrence won’t have to make another installment of “Big Momma’s House” to cover his divorce costs.
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Last Wednesday at around 11 a.m., an 11-year-old girl who was walking on South State Street was reportedly followed by a white man driving in a dark four-door vehicle.
]]> The man allegedly tried to lure the girl into his car by offering her money and a cell phone. The girl refused. When a teacher approached the vehicle, the man drove off.Under Illinois’ criminal code, a person commits the offense of child abduction when he or she intentionally violates any court order granting custody or care; lures or attempts to lure a child under the age of 16 into a motor vehicle, building, or dwelling place without the consent of the lawful custodian; or intentionally conceals, detains, or removes the child without the lawful custodian’s consent.
Child abduction is a Class 4 felony. However, if aggravating factors exist, like abuse of the child, the court can implement a much more severe sentence. In addition, aiding or abetting in the abduction of a child is a Class 4 felony in the state.
Police have described the man who attempted to abduct the girl as about 40 years old with dark eyes and black hair. He was wearing a white shirt at the time of the incident. If you have any information about the suspect, you should contact the Area South Detective Division at (312) 747-8271.
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Anita R. Joost allegedly drove her daughter to a park for a fight, telling the girl to “kick her ass.” Joost has been charged with aggravated battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
]]> On April 2, 46-year-old Joost’s daughter was involved in a disagreement with a 15-year-old-girl and suggested that they have a fight at a local park. According to police, Joost drove the girl and two of her friends to the park to fight the other girl. Arriving at the park, Joost reportedly told her daughter to “kick her ass” then screamed the same thing out the window.When the teens met they began discussing their problems, rather than fighting. Apparently, Joost didn’t agree with this line of action, as she’s accused of calling one of her daughter’s friends and telling her, “Enough’s enough, either kick her ass or let’s go home.”
Spurred on by Joost’s taunting, Joost’s daughter allegedly tried to fight the girl, but the girl refused to fight back. The daughter then began beating the girl, while one of her friends recorded the incident with her camera phone, according to police.
After the beating, Joost reportedly drove her daughter to the house of a different girl and encouraged her to fight that girl as well. Joost drove off after the homeowners ordered her to leave.
After viewing videos of the incident, police charged Joost with aggravated battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Under Illinois law, any person who knowingly aids or encourages a minor to be a delinquent is guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. A delinquent child is a minor who has violated or attempted to violate the law. The offense is a Class A misdemeanor.
On Thursday, a judge ordered Anita R. Joost held in lieu of $50,000 bail. Joost’s daughter has also been charged with aggravated battery and has been taken to Kane County Youth Home pending a juvenile court date.
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On Wednesday morning, Police found Porter Stone, who suffers from congestive heart failure and is a high-priority transplant candidate, unharmed at the Baymont Inn & Suites in Alsip. Authorities arrested Jeffrey Stone, the boy’s father, in the hotel room, charging him with kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child, and interference with child custody.
]]> On Tuesday, St. Louis Children’s Hospital discharged the boy to his parents. Jeffrey Stone told the Porter’s mother he was taking the boy to pick up his prescriptions from the hospital’s pharmacy. Soon after, Stone allegedly called the boy’s mother, telling her that “he was taking his son,” according to police.The search for Porter was a race against time, as the boy had been abducted without two of his “required and prescribed medications” or IV equipment needed to administer a drug that improved his heart function. Ultimately, police were able to locate Porter by tracing the numerous taunting calls and texts Jeffrey Stone made to the boy’s mother.
Under Illinois law, any person who has violated court-ordered visitation or custody time by detaining or concealing a child with the intent to deprive another person of his or her rights to visitation or custody has committed unlawful visitation or parenting time interference. Custody or visitation interference is a petty offense, unless the person has two prior convictions for interference. In that case, it’s a Class A misdemeanor. Kidnapping, a much more serious offense, is a Class 2 felony under Illinois’ criminal code.
In addition to Jeffrey Stone, police arrested Porter Stone’s paternal grandmother and aunt at the Alsip hotel room, charging them with kidnapping, endangerment, and custodial interference as well.
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Last week, Rodman finally put an end to the couple’s eight-year divorce battle. Though the Basketball Hall of Famer signed the divorce papers, the dispute over the $800,000 in allegedly unpaid child support payments continues.
]]> The former couple was married in 2003. However, Michelle filed for divorce only a year later, beginning a lengthy legal battle. The dispute was eventually put on pause when the couple attempted to patch things up.The cease-fire ended this year when the couple broke up once again. In an attempt to clarify her and Rodman’s relationship to their two children, Michelle again filed for divorce, according to her attorney Mary Ann Noiroux.
It will be interesting to see how the divorce negotiations pan out, as Rodman has already claimed he’s in no position to make the child and spousal support payments he currently owes. In court, Rodman recently stated that he could no longer pay $5,000 monthly child support payments for a child from another relationship, while paying the $4,500 he owes Michelle Rodman each month.
Rodman said that he’s “broke” and “extremely sick.” He blamed his current financial state on his inability to capitalize on the fame he experienced during his heyday.
Dennis Rodman has reportedly accepted a position coaching a topless women’s basketball team for Headquarters Gentlemen’s Club in New York, according to Fox Sports. For the sake of Michelle Rodman and her children, hopefully the position pays well.
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Feliciano was charged with three counts of felony aggravated battery to a child and two counts of misdemeanor endangering the health of a child. Her baby is currently in stable condition at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
]]> On April 15, the infant was rushed to Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago after a caretaker discovered his injuries. The injuries included multiple skull fractures, bleeding of the brain, a broken clavicle, burns on his hand, liver injury, and toothpick puncture wounds on his foot.Police arrested Feliciano on suspicion of child abuse on April 17. Police say that Feliciano admitted during interviews that she had pulled the boy out of his crib in a “bout of frustration” with such force that it fractured his clavicle. She also said that during another bout she repeatedly punctured the boy’s foot with a toothpick.
Under Illinois’ criminal code, aggravated battery of a child is defined as committing a battery that “causes bodily harm or disability or disfigurement to any child under the age of 13 years.” It’s a Class 3 felony and carries a prison sentence of 2 to 5.
The Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act also has a reporting provision, requiring that homemakers, physicians, social workers and many others report suspicions of child abuse if they have “reasonable cause to believe a child may be abused or neglected.”
April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month, a time to learn more about child mistreatment and how to prevent it. This month, the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect and many other organizations are providing activities, information, and updated statistics about child abuse and neglect.
Michelle Feliciano’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. Her bail has been set at $900,000. The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services have placed Feliciano’s other children in the care of a relative.
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Terrell’s 25-year-old ex-girlfriend told police last Friday that during an argument at Terrell’s high-rise apartment, Terrell grabbed the woman and threatened to throw her off the balcony. Police arrested Terell at his North South Side apartment later that day.
]]> In the early morning last Friday, the ex-girlfriend reportedly broke off her seven-month relationship with Terell, causing an argument to ensue. The incident culminated with the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Terrell grabbing the woman and saying, “I’ll throw you off the balcony and say you jumped,” according to Terrell’s ex-girlfriend.After the argument had died down, the woman reportedly waited for Terrell to fall asleep before going to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center for treatment. According to police, the woman had bruises on her neck, chest, and arms.
Terrell’s attorney, Shady Yassin, denied the veracity of the woman’s story, stating, “We intend to prove he’s innocent of these allegations.”
Under the Illinois criminal code, a person commits domestic battery if he knowingly “causes bodily harm to or makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with any family or household member.” Domestic battery is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the defendant has any prior domestic battery convictions. In that case, it’s a Class 4 felony.
Having been a first-round draft pick for the Chicago Bears, David Terrell is considered by many to be “one of the biggest draft busts” in the NFL, playing only four full seasons before retiring. The recent domestic battery charge isn’t Terrell’s first brush with the law, having been cited in the past for driving with a suspended license and driving without insurance.
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