Family Law Section

Minutes November 2005

PRESENT: Rob Parrish, Russell Minas, Adam Caldwell, Dana Sarandos, Stuart Ralphs, Angela Fonnesbeck, John Sheaffer, Steve Gunn, Rick Hummel, Judge Hilder, Louise Knauer, Judge Jones, Christina Miller (by phone)

Approval of Minutes
The minutes from the October 12 meeting were read and approved without amendment.

Committee Reports
Monthly Seminars: The November Seminar topic has been changed and the date has been moved to Nov 29 due to lack of time to obtain a speaker after the initial proposed speaker had a conflict.

Spring Convention: The FLS will get two time slot for the spring convention. The Spring Conv Committee is asking for names of topic as and speakers.

Annual Convention: Nothing to report. Convention is mid July 2006.

Annual Seminar: The subcommittee has not formally met yet and is waiting for the Spring Convention topics so as not to repeat. There was discussion about a possible ""drawing card"" speaker." The Spring Convention Committee will continue to work on topics and proposed presenters.

Legislation & Rules Committee
The EC's position on proposed legislation discussed last month has been represented to leg committees (along with minority viewpoints). Current proposed legislation and the EC's current position is a s follows (judges abstained from all votes):

Marriage Preparation Education: Voluntary education course for marrying couples. Reduces marriage license fees by $20. For (Unanimous)

Child Protection Amendments: Certified when DCFS can take children in to protective custody. Not enough info. Tabled.

Uniform Interstate Enforcement of Domestic Violence Protection Orders Act. Clarifies how foreuign protective orders are registered and enforced by courts and law enforcement. For (Unanimous).

Uniform Mediation Act: No info yet. Email vote to be sought.

Child Support Guidelines Amendments. For the concept. No position on details yet, except for raising of guidelines to $20k (Unanimous).

Supervised visitation. Presumption of ordering supervised visitation for parent who commits domestic violence until completion of DV counseling. Opposed as drafted. (Unanimous).

Joint Custody & Domestic Violence. Not enough info. Tabled.

Dating Relationships & Protective Orders. Not enough info. Tabled.

The Legislation and Rules Committee continues to be active in identifying and bringing to the EC legislation of concern to family law practice.

EC Membership
No membership changes over the past month.

New Business
No new business this month that was not on the agenda.

Adjournment - Next Meeting
The meeting adjourned at approximately 1:30 p.m. The next meeting is set for January 11, 2006 at noon at the Law & Justice Center.