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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CALLING FOR A HEARING OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER MEASURES TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE FAIR AND EQUITABLE PROCESSING OF DOMESTIC RELATIONS MEDIATIONS AND CHILD REPRESENTATION
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners convened a hearing of the Criminal Justice Committee on July 22, 2025, to hear from advocates and county public safety stakeholders on the implementation of safeguards for the protection of gender-based violence survivors and domestic relations mediations and child representation; and
WHEREAS, several critical findings from the hearing highlighted the urgent need to address the ineffectual and inequitable processes within the Domestic Relations Court; and
WHEREAS, the processes within the domestic relations court system are crucial for daily operations and play a vital role in ensuring the safety of victim-witnesses, much like the domestic violence court; and
WHEREAS, domestic relations court mediations and proceedings, particularly those involving children, are vital in safeguarding both the victim and the well-being of children; and
WHEREAS, consequently, any proceedings involving the support, custody, visitation, allocation of parental responsibilities, education, parentage, or general welfare of a minor or dependent child, the court may, on its own motion or that of any party, appoint an attorney to serve as guardian ad litem, child representative, and/or an attorney for child pursuant to 750 ILCS 5/506; and
WHEREAS, additionally the court may decide that a child needs a representative, and may appoint the Public Guardian's Office; and
WHEREAS, attorneys seeking admittance on the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) / Child Representative (CR) / Attorney for Child (AFC) active roster are interviewed by members of the GAL / CR / AFC Screening Committee, and after acceptance by the Presiding Judge and the Screening Committee, the attorney attends a training session...
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