On Sunday, September 21, 2014, at the MidAmerica Club in Chicago, the Family Defense Center honored Ellen Domph for her exemplary work as lead trial counsel in the celebrated In re: Yohan K. case which led to a landmark appellate victory as well as the research and advocacy of Professor Deborah Tuerkheimer, whose focus on the widespread injustice and error in so many “Shaken Baby Syndrome” prosecutions has helped exonerate wrongly accused families and shaped public discourse. A Community and Professional Service Award was given to FDC Board Member and pro bono attorney Louis Fogel of Jenner and Block. We also recognized the Goodman Theatre with a Community Awareness Award for promoting awareness of the child welfare system through the production of the play Luna Gale. Click to view pictures from the event as well as the event program booklet.
re Yohan K
Updates from the 2014 Legislative Session
June 30, 2014. The Family Defense Center has been busy this legislative session! We successfully passed two pieces of legislation, initiated a DCFS working group, and prevented a bill from passing that could have been extremely damaging for Illinois families. In our spare time, we supported a number of other bills and tracked any other legislation that may help, or harm, our clients.
Family Defender Issue 15: Summer 2013
Click here to read issue #15 in PDF (Summer 2013)
Special Double Issue: Medically-Complex Cases in the Child Welfare System
Features:
In re Yohan K.: Parents of Infant with Rare Medical Conditions Known to Mimic Signs of Abuse Exonerated by the Appellate Court of Illinois after Two-Year-Long Battle, page 1
Family Defense Briefs, page 2
National Reunification Day Gives Families A Chance to Tell Stories, Plant Seeds for Change, page 3
Julie Q. Scores Huge Win for Illinois Families, page 4
Family Defense Center Paper to Address Medical Ethical Issues in Child Abuse Pediatrics, page 6
Release of Information: Consent or Coercion?, page 9
The Family Defense Center and the Innocence Movement: A Natural Collaboration, page 10
Hon. Nancy C. Dreher Fund Supports Medically-Complex Case Advocacy and Research, page 11
Illinois Higher Courts Disallow Medical Opinion Hearsay and Prior Notes of Persons Not Testifying, page 16
My Son Needed Treatment and I Needed Answers, But Instead We Got Accusations and Threats from the Doctors and Hospital I Had Trusted, page 17
Our Lives and Our Beliefs In The Justice System–And in the Medical Care System–Were Shattered by a False Allegation By a Child Abuse Pediatrician, Page 19
Prima Facie Case of “Failure to Thrive” Ends in Exoneration for Mother, page 21
Can You Believe This?, page 21
Message from the Executive Director, page 24