In Re AW

896 N.E.2d 316, 231 Ill. 2d 92
CourtIllinois Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 18, 2008
Docket104854, 104871
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 896 N.E.2d 316 (In Re AW) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Illinois Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re AW, 896 N.E.2d 316, 231 Ill. 2d 92 (Ill. 2008).

Opinion

896 N.E.2d 316 (2008)
231 Ill.2d 92

In re A.W. (The People of the State of Illinois, Appellee and Cross-Appellant, v. Eugene W., Appellant and Cross-Appellee).

Nos. 104854, 104871.

Supreme Court of Illinois.

September 18, 2008.

*318 Louis P. Milot, Peoria, for appellant and cross-appellee.

Lisa Madigan, Attorney General, Springfield, Kevin W. Lyons, State's Attorney, Peoria (Michael A. Scodro, Solicitor General, Richard S. Huszagh, Assistant Attorney General, Chicago, Norbert J. Goetten, Terry A. Mertel, Richard T. Leonard, Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor, Ottawa, of counsel), for appellee and cross-appellant.

Robert F. Harris, Kass A. Plain and Janet L. Barnes, Chicago, for amicus curiae Office of the Cook County Public Guardian.

*319 OPINION

Justice KILBRIDE delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion:

The circuit court of Peoria County found A.W., a minor, neglected and made him a ward of the court. Eugene W., the minor's father, appealed. The appellate court upheld the neglect and unfitness findings, but vacated and remanded the cause, finding a violation of Eugene's fifth amendment right against self-incrimination because he was not allowed to complete sex offender counseling without admitting he committed a sex offense. 373 Ill. App.3d 574, 311 Ill.Dec. 400, 868 N.E.2d 400.

We allowed and consolidated the petitions for leave to appeal filed by both Eugene and the State. 210 Ill.2d R. 315. On appeal, Eugene contends the circuit court erred by finding: (1) the doctrine of collateral estoppel barred him from relitigating whether he is a sexual offender based on a prior court's ruling in another juvenile proceeding; (2) A.W. was neglected; and (3) Eugene was unfit to care for A.W. The State contends in its appeal that the appellate court erred in holding the circuit court violated Eugene's fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. We affirm the circuit court judgment and reverse that part of the appellate court judgment vacating the circuit court judgment.

BACKGROUND

In 2005, the State filed a petition alleging neglect of A.W., a minor. The petition stated the minor's environment was injurious to his welfare because: (1) Eugene was found unfit in a 2004 case involving A.W.'s sibling; (2) DCFS "indicated" Eugene for sexual molestation in 1998 and 2002; and (3) Eugene failed to complete court-ordered sex offender counseling. The petition also alleged A.W.'s mother was previously found unfit in 1999, she was found to remain unfit in 2001, and there was no subsequent order finding the mother fit.

At the adjudicatory hearing on January 4, 2006, the State submitted certified copies of the 2004 neglect adjudication of the minor's older sibling. Eugene did not object. The 2004 petition included sexual abuse allegations of the 1998 and 2002 DCFS indicated findings. The circuit court in the 2004 case found the State proved the allegations of the 1998 and 2002 sexual molestations by a preponderance of the evidence, and found the minor sibling neglected and both parents unfit. As a result of the disposition, Eugene was assigned a permanency goal of completing sex offender counseling.

Also at the adjudicatory hearing in this case, Eugene's caseworker testified the mother did not complete individual counseling after five years. The mother admitted she did not comply with required testing for illegal drug usage. The caseworker noted that Eugene completed drug and alcohol assessments and no treatment was recommended. Eugene also completed a sex offender assessment, domestic violence classes, and random drug drops.

Eugene testified and confirmed that he completed successfully a domestic violence class. Eugene also acknowledged the DCFS "indicated reports" of sexual molestation and the referral to sex offender counseling, but insisted he was not convicted of any sex crimes. Based on collateral estoppel, the circuit court prohibited Eugene from presenting evidence to refute the DCFS indications of sexual abuse proved in the 2004 case. The circuit court found the 1998 and 2002 reports of sexual abuse in the sibling's 2004 neglect proceeding were identical to the 1998 and 2002 reports of sexual abuse in this proceeding. *320 The court noted that, in the 2004 sibling's case, the juvenile court judge found the allegations of sexual molestation in 1998 and 2002 were proven by a preponderance of the evidence and the findings were affirmed on appeal. Eugene was permitted to make an offer of proof consisting largely of previous testimony denying he sexually abused anyone in 1998 and 2002.

The circuit court determined Eugene had not overcome the finding of unfitness from the sibling's prior case because he failed to complete sex offender counseling. The circuit court concluded the State proved A.W. was living in an injurious environment and both parents "remain unfit."

At the dispositional hearing, the circuit court took judicial notice of the appellate court decision in the 2004 case. The court also reviewed the social history report, the counseling summary report, and the foster-care progress report prepared for the case. These reports disclosed the mother and Eugene denied being romantically involved. The mother has four other children in state care. She has been in and out of substance abuse treatment for several years and she has difficulty maintaining employment. The reports showed the mother failed to comply with drug testing. She struggled with anger. She was not making significant progress in counseling and she has a history of unstable housing. The mother admitted putting her kids at risk and in jeopardy.

The reports indicate that during sex offender counseling Eugene made minimal progress because he failed to attend regularly and continued to deny the reported incidents of abuse. After being assigned a counselor in 2005, Eugene missed six scheduled appointments. Eugene also attended sessions with a different sex abuse counselor, but he was discharged in March 2006 for "being uncooperative." Eugene's caseworker encouraged him to return to sex abuse counseling "to at least learn something from the sessions" even if he did not admit any sexual offenses.

Eugene testified that he attended sex offender counseling, but the counselor would not continue the program unless he admitted to committing a sex offense. According to Eugene, he was unwilling to incriminate himself and the therapist discharged him unsuccessfully from the program. Thus, based on the prior adjudication of unfitness continuing into 2006, the circuit court found Eugene unfit to care for A.W.

The appellate court found the trial court properly ruled that the doctrine of collateral estoppel barred Eugene from introducing evidence to rebut the sexual abuse allegations. The appellate court also upheld the circuit court's neglect and unfitness determinations. The appellate court, however, concluded that Eugene's constitutional right against self-incrimination was violated when he was prevented from completing sex offender counseling based on his refusal to incriminate himself. The appellate court vacated the judgment of the circuit court and remanded the cause to reopen the dispositional hearing for the limited purpose of allowing Eugene to propose his own service plan that would allow him to complete sex offender counseling without incriminating himself.

We allowed Eugene's petition for leave to appeal the neglect and unfitness determinations.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Hedgepeth v. Britton
N.D. Illinois, 2024
In re Marriage of Leitzen
2023 IL App (4th) 220770-U (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2023)
In re Ivory W.
Supreme Court of Connecticut, 2022
People v. Sneed
2021 IL App (4th) 210180 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2021)
Michael C. v. Amber B.
2021 IL App (4th) 210020-U (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2021)
People v. Alyssa G. (In Re J v.
2018 IL App (1st) 171766 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2018)
Mandelstein v. Rukin
N.D. Illinois, 2018
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO A.D.L. AND C.L.B., JR.
2017 NV 72 (Nevada Supreme Court, 2017)
E.S. v. H.A.
167 A.3d 685 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 2017)
Linda Reed v. State of Illinois
808 F.3d 1103 (Seventh Circuit, 2015)
Peraica v. Village of McCook
124 F. Supp. 3d 816 (N.D. Illinois, 2015)
In the Interest D.L.W.
413 S.W.3d 2 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2012)
American Family Insurance Company v. Westfield Insurance Company
2011 IL App (4th) 110088 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2011)
John Crane, Inc. v. Admiral Ins. Co.
2011 IL App (1st) 093240 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2011)
Carter v. AMC, LLC
645 F.3d 840 (Seventh Circuit, 2011)
In Re RR
949 N.E.2d 209 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2011)
Lieberman v. Liberty Healthcare Corp.
948 N.E.2d 1100 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
896 N.E.2d 316, 231 Ill. 2d 92, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-aw-ill-2008.