17th Circuit Court Celebrates National Adoption Day

On Saturday, November 18, 2023, the Seventeenth Circuit Court celebrated its nineteenth annual National Adoption Day Celebration at the Winnebago County Criminal Justice Center.  At this event, Judges Francis M. Martinez, and Erin Buhl, along with Circuit Clerk Tom Klein, local social service agencies (DCFS, YSB, LSSI, Brightpoint and Camelot Care Center) and other court personnel volunteered their time to finalize 15 adoptions of children previously residing in foster care.

National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to raise awareness of the estimated 113,000 children in foster care that are ready for adoption and waiting for a family.  On this day, members of the judiciary, attorneys and social service agency professionals from all across the United States work together to finalize adoptions and celebrate all of the families participating in adoptions. Over the last nineteen years, a total of 436 children have been adopted into permanent loving families in celebration of National Adoption Day in Winnebago County.  

Chief Judge John S. Lowry stated, “It is a great privilege to play a role in creating permanent, loving homes for the children and families involved in National Adoption Day.  Today is truly a day of celebration.”  Judge Martinez commented, "This is a very special day for all of us who work with children and families in foster care.  It gives us great joy to participate in the adoptions of these young people into their 'forever' homes with loving families to call their own."

For more information about this event, please contact Deputy Court Administrator Kimberly Ackmann at 815-319-4831 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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