In re Marriage of Jackson

PRESIDING JUSTICE SLATER

delivered the opinion of the court:

The respondent, Lawrence Eugene Jackson, appeals from the judgment of the trial court awarding custody of his son, Lateef, to his former spouse, the petitioner, Kathy Kay Jackson. We find that the trial court improperly gave res judicata effect to the custody provisions of a plenary order of protection entered before the commencement of the dissolution of marriage proceedings. This error deprived Lawrence of a fair custody hearing. Thus, we reverse the judgment of the circuit court and remand the matter for further proceedings.

Lawrence…