In case you missed it, we shared a story over at the free site yesterday about our ongoing lawsuit with DCFS, and that the judge found the department, “by and through its director,” in contempt of court.
You should read Ben Szalinski’s full accounting of yesterday’s surreal courtroom experience.
Here's the key bacgkround if you're just catching up
• We FOIA’d personnel records of caseworkers and supervisors and other information pertaining to the care of Mackenzi Felmlee, who was found dead in her Fairview Heights foster home in May 2024. The department has admitted that it denied the request erroneously.
• We sued. Our lawyer served them twice. They no-showed twice, later blaming “significant miscommunication.”
• We wrote a story in August about a judge ordering release of the documents and levying a $5,000 fine, and the department finally took note of the lawsuit.
• They delayed a couple court dates, and finally the director appeared in court on Thursday to explain the various failings that happened along the way.
• We received some documents in September, but the department hasn’t paid fines or fees.