A Sangamon County judge has denied a stay in his ruling against Catholic Charities over state foster care contracts, a spokesperson from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois confirmed.
Catholic Charities of Peoria, Belleville, Springfield and Joliet were denied $30 million state foster care contracts because they refused to place children with single parents and same-sex couples, despite new civil union law.
The charities sued the state for the right to the contracts, but Judge John Schmidt ruled in August that the charities did have not have a property right to the contracts.
Schmidt declined to stay his ruling in what is expected to be the first round of appeals from the charities.
The Charities have 30 days to file an appeal with the 4th District Appellate Court.