Chicago-Cook County Violence Against Women Task Force Court Systems and Programs Working Group 4/27/2026

Cook County Violence Against Women Task Force (Court Systems & Programs Working Group) · April 27, 2026

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Statutes and GAL applicability clarified

Discussion

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Hannah Cholowinski (senior division attorney, domestic relations) and others clarified statutory boundaries: the IDVA (domestic violence statute) applies to DV matters and does not allow guardian ad litem (GAL) appointments in DV proceedings, while the IMDMA covers domestic relations issues; the task force should focus on domestic-relations (DRD) issues where GALs may appear.

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At a Cook County Violence Against Women Task Force working-group meeting, Sarah Hawkins, director of the Domestic Relations Division of the Cook County Office of the Public Guardian, described the office's role as child representatives, differences from guardians ad litem (GALs), fee rules and intake process, and plans to begin accepting GAL appointments; commissioners raised questions about capacity, billing and enforcement practices.

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Transcript

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