Sports

JOLIET (STNG) ― Brian Urlacher and Tyna Robertson will meet in the middle. Literally. The Chicago Bears' star linebacker and the mother of his son fought the final battle Wednesday in their custody dispute.

On the days that he has visitation, Robertson, 34, wanted Urlacher to fetch the 1-year-old boy from Joliet. Urlacher had other ideas. He wanted Robertson to chauffeur the boy to his Lake Forest home. When they couldn't agree, the pair handed the problem to Will County Judge Ludwig Kuhar.

The judge split the difference. He said they should meet halfway on regular visits, perhaps in Hinsdale. On holidays, Urlacher should make the trip to Joliet, the judge ruled.

It all began in a bar on Chicago's Rush Street. Urlacher and Robertson met one night and had a fleeting relationship. They never married, but in May 2005, Robertson had a baby boy. Urlacher filed a Will County paternity suit the following month to establish his relationship. Genetic tests already indicated that he was the father.

Though Urlacher is divorced, he and his former wife lived together for some time after their marriage was dissolved. They have a daughter who is about the same age as Robertson's son. By the time Urlacher asked the court to give him either full- or part-time custody of the boy, the fight was on.

By Oct. 5, most of the issues were solved and the two sides had a joint parenting agreement and Robertson was designated the custodial parent. But they couldn't solve the transportation problem. So Urlacher, Robertson and their lawyers returned to court Wednesday afternoon.

Under Will County guidelines, the parent who doesn't have primary custody is responsible for routine pickup and drop-off during visitation, Lake argued. Urlacher often had canceled visits in the past, a fact that inconvenienced Robertson and soured some real estate deals, causing her to lose money, he added.

Then Robertson testified.

"What is your objection to participating in the driving (of your son) during the week?" Lake asked.

"I have to work," replied Robertson. "The child support is for (our son) it's not for me. I have to support myself."

Robertson said she was sick Monday and had a temperature of 104 degrees. "What was I supposed to do, get out of bed, bring (the boy) to Brian?" she asked.

Later on, Urlacher took the stand. Dressed in a dark suit and tie, he sat down, looked down at his hands and frowned. Lake asked him why he didn't want to drive to Joliet.

"We share the parenting roles, so we both should be responsible for taking care of the child," Urlacher testified.

Lake wanted to know if the child preferred to have one parent or another serve as the driver.

"I can't speak for him," Urlacher said.

During closing arguments, Donald Schiller of Chicago's Schiller, DuCanto and Fleck argued that Urlacher would love to have the boy full time. "We're not asking her to be a slave as she would characterize (it)," Schiller said.

Then the judge asked everyone to gather around the bench. He praised Urlacher and Robertson for reaching an out-of-court agreement while urging them to work together for the boy's sake. And he reminded them of the length of the road ahead.

"It's going to be another 16 years," Kuhar said. And then he announced his decision. It infuriated Robertson.

"I can't sign an agreement I don't agree on," she said. "We'll appeal this for sure." Then she walked out of the courtroom.

Photographers and television cameramen were waiting outside. Although he was spotted inside the lower level entrance to the building, Urlacher disappeared. "We're not going to comment," Schiller said as he walked through the parking lot.

Robertson, Lake and his associate, Heather Nosko, stopped at Jefferson and Ottawa streets to talk to the media. "She's happy with the agreement," Lake said, referring to Robertson. "She's a full-time mom. This is one little thing."

When it was Robertson's turn, she mentioned the "slave" remark made by Schiller. "It's horrible," she said.

As for the shared driving responsibilities, Robertson still disagreed. "I shouldn't have to work for Brian," she said.

(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2006. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)