In the Matter of Christine I. Hosier and John R. Hosier, Debtors. Appeal of R. Michael Fischer

POSNER, Circuit Judge.

This bankruptcy appeal presents a question of first impression under Illinois law— for that matter, so far as we have been able to discover, under any law: whether a parent who has custody of a child can assign a judgment for past-due child support.

Attorney R. Michael Fischer represented Christine Hosier in a suit against her former husband, Harold Brown, for arrearag-es of child support. Fischer obtained two judgments in the suit. One, styled an or der of garnishment, required Brown’s employer to deduct 15 percent of Brown’s monthly wages and pay the amount thus…