Recent Case on Parental Rights in IL

An Illinois trial court recently found a Respondent father unfit, detemining that the child’s best interests required the termination of Respondent’s parental rights.  The appellate court affirmed, determining, first, that the trial court was not prohibited from finding the Respondent an unfit father because of his minority at age 15.  Second, Respondent was not denied due process rights because Section 1 of the Adoption Act did not list protected parental rights, but grounds for parental unfitness.  Finally, the trial court’s best interest finding was not against the manifest weight of the evidence, which showed the infant already bonded with foster parents and was maltreated by the father.  The case is In re I.B., No. 3-09-0547 (Ill. Ct. App., 3d Dist. Dec. 30, 2009).  Read the full opinion here.

MR