CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yesterday, Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge John Schmidt heard arguments in a lawsuit against the State of Illinois filed by several Catholic Charities agencies. The lawsuit sought to reverse a decision by the Department of Children and Family Services to end its contractual relationship with these agencies to provide state-funded foster care and adoption services. The Catholic Charities agencies have refused to provide such services to lesbian and gay male couples, including couples who have a civil union under Illinois' new laws. In late July, Judge Schmidt approved a request by the ACLU of Illinois to join the lawsuit on behalf of the children in the custody of DCFS and a lesbian couple from Champaign who are interested in adopting in the future.
Today, Judge Schmidt ruled in favor of the State of Illinois, dismissing the lawsuit.
The following can be attributed to Ben Wolf, Associate Legal Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois:
Today's decision by Judge Schmidt is a good decision for the children under the care of DCFS in Illinois. The primary goal in foster care and adoptive services must be the best interest of the children in need of loving, secure homes. The State has a responsibility and constitutional obligation to assure that all decisions about foster and permanent homes for children are made in the best interest of the child - not other factors including the religious views of the contractual provider. Lesbians and gay men across Illinois daily provide secure, good homes for foster and adoptive children - and have done so for many years. These loving parents must be allowed to participate fully and equally in any program performing the state's function of licensing and placing children with foster or adoptive parents.
SOURCE American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois
