Jenner & Block Clears Record Of Mother Wrongly Flagged By DCFS

When a domestic violence survivor found herself facing a wrongful indication of neglect from Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) — on top of the trauma she had already endured — Jenner & Block Partner Stephanie Sebor stepped in to set the record straight. 

In November 2023, Stephanie’s client was assaulted in her home by her romantic partner, the father of her then-six-month-old daughter. This followed a previous incident that same day, which resulted in the partner being escorted home by police, while Jenner’s client returned home with her children. That night, despite having locked the doors, her partner entered her home uninvited and assaulted her.  

A hotline report made to DCFS of these events led to the involvement of an investigator, who attested to the precautionary measures the victim had taken prior to the assault and the fact she had called the police. Despite this and the fact that there had been no subsequent reports of domestic violence, the