In re Marriage of Eckert

Petitioner (mother) appeals an order of the trial court that denied her petition for leave to remove the parties’ minor child from Illinois to Arizona.

Petitioner and respondent (father) were married on June 30, 1976, in Belleville. One child was born of the marriage, Matthew, age seven years at the time of the hearing on the instant petition. The parties’ marriage was dissolved by a judgment of the circuit court of St. Clair County entered on December 18, 1983. The judgment awarded custody of Matthew (Matt hereafter, as he is referred to by the parties) to the mother with detailed and rather…