In re Parentage of J.W.

2017 IL App (2d) 160554
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 28, 2017
Docket2-16-0554
StatusUnpublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 2017 IL App (2d) 160554 (In re Parentage of J.W.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Parentage of J.W., 2017 IL App (2d) 160554 (Ill. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

2017 IL App (2d) 160554

No. 2-16-0554

Opinion filed April 28, 2017

______________________________________________________________________________

IN THE

APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS

SECOND DISTRICT

______________________________________________________________________________

In re PARENTAGE OF J.W., a Minor ) Appeal from the Circuit Court ) of Du Page County. ) ) No. 01-F-424 ) ) Honorable (Carol M., Petitioner-Appellant, v. ) Timothy J. McJoynt, Larry W., Respondent-Appellee). ) Judge, Presiding. ______________________________________________________________________________

JUSTICE McLAREN delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion. Justices Zenoff and Burke concurred in the judgment and opinion.

OPINION

¶1 During the proceedings in this parentage action, originally filed under the Illinois

Parentage Act of 1984 (Parentage Act of 1984) (750 ILCS 45/1 et seq. (West 2008)), attorney

Jerry Kinnan filed three motions for “Interim Attorney Fees” on behalf of his client, petitioner

Carol M., seeking fees from respondent Larry W. The trial court dismissed Carol’s third motion

for interim attorney fees on the grounds that she was actually seeking contribution for final

attorney fees and that Carol and Kinnan did not have a written engagement agreement. Carol

appeals the trial court’s dismissal of her third motion for interim attorney fees. Carol argues that

the trial court erred by (1) failing to expeditiously schedule a hearing on her first two motions for

interim attorney fees, and (2) determining that a written engagement agreement was required.

We reverse and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. 2017 IL App (2d) 160554

¶2 I. BACKGROUND

¶3 In this parentage case, the parties are the parents of J.W., born in 2001. Larry signed a

voluntary acknowledgment of paternity two days after J.W.’s birth. After Carol petitioned for

child support in 2002, the trial court ordered Larry to pay child support. This case has been

litigated continuously with the assistance of many attorneys throughout the years. We will

concern ourselves with the most recent events.

¶4 From the time of J.W.’s birth, J.W. has lived with Carol. However, in August 2015, J.W.

began living with his godparents after Carol allegedly threatened to kill J.W. and herself and was

taken to a nearby hospital, where she remained for several days.

¶5 In September 2015, Larry filed a “Petition to Modify Custody, to Remove Child to

Maryland, and for other Relief,” alleging that since the entry of an agreed parenting order there

had been a substantial change in circumstances, arising from the events of August 2015. On

September 21, 2015, Kinnan filed his appearance on behalf of Carol. On September 28, 2015,

the trial court appointed a guardian ad litem (GAL). On October 19, 2015, Carol filed a response

to Larry’s petition. On October 22, 2015, Carol filed a motion to modify child support.

¶6 On November 2, 2015, Carol, by and through Kinnan, filed her first motion for interim

attorney fees, pursuant to sections 501(c-1) and 508 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of

Marriage Act (Marriage Act) (750 ILCS 5/501(c-1), 508 (West 2014)) and section 17 of the

Parentage Act of 1984 (750 ILCS 45/17 (West 2014)).

¶7 In her motion, Carol alleged that (1) Kinnan had expended 23.5 hours on behalf of Carol

since his appearance, (2) Carol owed Kinnan $7222 for attorney fees and costs, and (3) Kinnan

estimated that there would be an additional $8000 in attorney fees and costs. Of note, Carol

alleged that she and “Counsel have been unable to come to an agreement on the amount of legal

fees that [Carol] is willing to pay Counsel. Accordingly, Counsel, as the real party in interest,

-2­ 2017 IL App (2d) 160554

must therefore, seek legal fees on a quantum meruit basis.” Both Kinnan and Carol attached

affidavits to the motion.

¶8 On February 29, 2016, Carol, by and through Kinnan, filed her second motion for interim

attorney fees. Kinnan’s attached affidavit alleged that Carol owed him $14,464 for legal services

rendered, and he sought an additional $5000 for legal services he anticipated Carol would incur.

Carol’s notice of motion indicated that she would present her motion to the court on March 3,

2016.

¶9 On March 3, 2016, at the beginning of the call, the trial court listed all of the open

motions, including Larry’s motion to modify “custody,” now renamed “parental allocation,” and

his motion for “removal,” now renamed “relocation”; the GAL’s motion to quash Carol’s

subpoena of J.W.; Carol’s first motion for interim attorney fees; and Carol’s second motion for

interim attorney fees, which the court stated had been filed that day. The court heard the GAL’s

motion to quash Carol’s subpoena, which it granted, and then proceeded to a hearing on Larry’s

motion to modify the allocation of parental responsibilities. The record does not contain a

transcript of the remainder of the call that day.

¶ 10 On March 8, 2016, Carol, by and through Kinnan, filed her third motion for interim

attorney fees. Carol alleged the following. Thus far, Kinnan had expended 71.15 hours in

representing Carol and, based on quantum meruit, was owed $21,385 for attorney fees and costs.

Kinnan estimated an additional $2500 in attorney fees and costs. Carol also alleged that she had

previously filed two motions for interim attorney fees, which were presented to the court on

December 3, 2015, and March 3, 2016, and remained pending and undetermined.

¶ 11 Kinnan attached his affidavit, wherein he averred, in part, the following:

“2. [Carol] *** engaged my law firm *** to represent [her] in her ongoing custody

dispute with [Larry] on September 19, 2015.

-3­ 2017 IL App (2d) 160554

3. [Kinnan] provided valuable legal services to Carol including drafting numerous

pleadings, researching legal matters, consulting with [Carol,] and representing [Carol in

court on several occasions.]

4. [Carol] and Counsel have been unable to come to a meeting of the minds regarding the

hourly rate that [Carol] is to be charged for legal services rendered. I informed [Carol]

that my hourly billing rate is $300.00. However, [Carol] has indicated that she is unable

to pay Counsel for legal services rendered nor is she able to pay for her court ordered

GAL fees.

5. [Carol] has not paid me a retainer fee nor has she paid me any amount towards the

accrued and unpaid legal fees.

6. Counsel is not providing [Carol] any legal services on a pro bono basis and Counsel

has so informed [Carol] that he is not working pro bono and that he wants to be paid for

legal services rendered.

7. Notwithstanding that [Carol] is apparently unable to pay Counsel for services rendered

and there has been no meeting of the minds regarding legal fees [Carol] must pay,

Counsel is nevertheless entitled to be paid for services rendered on a quantum meruit

basis. [Citation.]

8. Quantum meruit literally mean ‘as much as he deserves.’ ”

¶ 12 In addition, Carol attached her affidavit to her third motion for attorney fees, wherein she

averred, in part, the following:

“2. I met with [Kinnan] *** on September 19, 2015, to discuss with him [Larry’s]

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Related

In re Parentage of J.W.
2017 IL App (2d) 160554 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2017)

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