On June 13, 2000, the Second District of the Appellate Court of Illinois reversed the trial court's determination that the proper date for terminating a wife's maintenance awards was the date when the petition to terminate spousal support was filed.
On February 17, 2000, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the appellate court and held that a guardian has the authority to continue a dissolution of marriage proceeding that was originally initiated by a ward.
In a move to remedy some of the problems that have troubled the State Disbursement Unit for child support since its creation, Gov. George H. Ryan recently signed into law Public Act 91-677.
During the veto session, the General Assembly agreed to Gov. Ryan’s amendatory veto of House Bill 421, which amends the Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.
The authors note that several Illinois courts have distributed awards for strictly personal damage (i.e., pain and suffering) disproportionately to the injured spouse on divorce even when the cause of action arose during marriage.
The author reviews IMDMA section 610 and the applicable cases and argues that custody transfers within two years of a final custody order should be granted only under emergency circumstances.
On April 14, 1999, the second district of the Illinois Appellate Court affirmed the trial court's termination of the husband's maintenance, finding that the trial court correctly determined that the wife was involved in a conjugal relationship with another woman.
On December 2, 1998, the fourth district of the Illinois Appellate Court affirmed the trial court's decision denying James Heldebrandt's motion to reduce or terminate his child support obligations to his five children.
