The State Journal-Register reported on the court hearing over Catholic Charities v. DCFS, in which the ACLU of Illinois was granted a motion to intervene. Four Catholic Charities diocese have lost their foster services contracts with DCFS because they have refused to place children with couples who are in a civil union. DCFS argues that state law now requires Catholic Charities to observe the rights of gay and lesbian couples in a civil union and not just married couples.

Sangamon County Judge John Schmidt did not make an immediate ruling Wednesday in the case, in which Catholic Charities sued the Department of Children and Family Services after DCFS terminated the charity’s $30 million in contracts.

Schmidt listened to attorneys for the state and Catholic Charities argue the case for more than an hour before saying he will issue a written decision in the future.  He did not set a date for the ruling.

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Kate Sosin of the Windy City Times reported on the Catholic Charities v. DCFS hearing, a case in which the ACLU of Illinois has been granted permission to intervene. The four Catholic Charities diocese that recently lost contracts with the state to carry on foster services, insist they have a right to refuse couples in a civil union foster care services because of their religious beliefs that marriage is defined as being between a man and a woman. ACLU of Illinois attorney Karen Sheley argued on behalf of foster children and couples in a civil union who are being discriminated against.

Karen Sheley, a lawyer with the ACLU said that a refusal to place children with same-sex civil union partners would harm LGBT children in foster care and discourage LGBT couples from becoming foster parents.

"When they send [a case] to another agency, it doesn't solve the problem," she said. "It's still discrimination."

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The Chicago Tribune covered the hearing over the case between Catholic Charities and DCFS. The ACLU of Illinois was recently granted a motion to intervene in the case on behalf of foster children, and to help defend couples who are parties to a civil union obtain foster services. Judge John Schmidt of Sangamon County will rule on the case in the near future.

"This 40-year relationship we've had has resulted in annual renewals without exception," lawyer Tom Brejcha argued on behalf of Catholic Charities. "There was certainly no expectation here, no notice given that there was a proposal to cease that relationship."

Deborah Barnes, a lawyer for the Illinois Attorney General, argued that the longevity of the state's contract with Catholic Charities did not entitle them to an automatic renewal.

“It was not arbitrary and capricious, the end of this 40-year relationship," she said. "The state has a great deal of gratitude for Catholic Charities. … The relationship has changed because the legal landscape has changed.”

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