97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB2547

 

Introduced 1/11/2012, by Sen. Ira I. Silverstein

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
755 ILCS 5/11a-17.2 new

    Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides procedures and standards for a guardian to initiate a dissolution of marriage or to not contest a dissolution of marriage.


LRB097 15547 AJO 60684 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2547LRB097 15547 AJO 60684 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by adding
5Section 11a-17.2 as follows:
 
6    (755 ILCS 5/11a-17.2 new)
7    Sec. 11a-17.2. Initiating dissolution proceedings for
8ward.
9    (a) A guardian of the person shall not consent to the
10initiation of a dissolution proceeding on behalf of a married
11ward without first obtaining an order from the court granting
12the guardian the authority to provide consent.
13    (b) A guardian seeking authority to consent to the
14initiation of a dissolution of the marriage of the ward shall
15seek such authority by filing a verified motion. The verified
16motion shall allege facts which demonstrate that the proposed
17dissolution is warranted under subsection (f), (g), or (h) of
18this Section. The guardian ad litem will notify the ward of the
19motion in the manner set forth in subsection (c) of this
20Section.
21    (c) Upon the filing of a verified motion for authority to
22initiate a dissolution of the marriage of a ward, the court
23shall appoint a guardian ad litem to report to the court

 

 

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1consistent with the provisions of this Section. If the guardian
2ad litem is not a licensed attorney, he or she shall be
3qualified, by training or experience, to work with or advocate
4for persons with a developmental disability, mental illness,
5physical disability, or disability because of mental
6deterioration, depending on the type of disability of the ward
7that is alleged in the motion. The court may allow the guardian
8ad litem reasonable compensation. The guardian ad litem may
9consult with a person who by training or experience is
10qualified to work with persons with a developmental disability,
11mental illness, physical disability, or disability because of
12mental deterioration, depending on the type of disability of
13the ward that is alleged. The guardian ad litem may also
14consult with health care providers knowledgeable about the
15traumatic or psychological effects of dissolution on an
16individual, particularly a disabled individual. Outside the
17presence of the guardian, the guardian ad litem shall
18personally observe the ward prior to the hearing and shall
19inform the ward orally and in writing of the contents of the
20verified motion for authority to consent to initiation of a
21dissolution proceeding. Outside the presence of the guardian,
22the guardian ad litem shall also attempt to elicit the ward's
23position concerning the motion, and any other areas of inquiry
24deemed appropriate by the court. At or before the hearing, the
25guardian ad litem shall file a written report detailing his or
26her observations of the ward; the responses of the ward to any

 

 

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1of the inquiries detailed in this Section; the opinion of the
2guardian ad litem and any other professionals with whom the
3guardian ad litem consulted concerning the ward's
4understanding of and desire for or objection to, as well as
5what is in the ward's best interest relative to, dissolution;
6and any other material issue discovered by the guardian ad
7litem. The guardian ad litem shall appear at the hearing and
8testify, and may present witnesses, as to any issues presented
9in his or her report.
10    (d) The court (1) may appoint counsel for the ward if the
11court finds that the interests of the ward will be best served
12by the appointment, and (2) shall appoint counsel upon the
13ward's request, if the ward is objecting to the proposed
14dissolution or if the ward takes a position adverse to that of
15the guardian ad litem. The ward shall be permitted to obtain
16the appointment of counsel either at the hearing or by any
17written or oral request communicated to the court prior to the
18hearing. The court shall inform the ward of this right to
19obtain appointed counsel. The court may allow counsel for the
20ward reasonable compensation.
21    (e) The court may order a medical and psychological
22evaluation of the ward. The evaluation shall address the ward's
23decision making capacity with respect to the proposed
24dissolution, the existence of any less permanent alternatives,
25and any other material issue.
26    (f) The court shall determine, as a threshold inquiry,

 

 

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1whether the ward has capacity to consent or withhold consent to
2the proposed dissolution and, if the ward lacks such capacity,
3whether the ward is likely to regain such capacity. The ward
4shall not be deemed to lack such capacity solely on the basis
5of the adjudication of disability and appointment of a
6guardian. If the court finds that (1) the ward has capacity to
7consent or withhold consent to the proposed dissolution and (2)
8the ward objects or consents to the legal proceeding the court
9shall enter an order consistent with the ward's objection or
10consent and the proceedings on the verified motion shall be
11terminated.
12    (g) If the court finds that the ward does not have capacity
13to consent or withhold consent to the proposed dissolution and
14is unlikely to regain such capacity, the court shall determine
15whether the ward is expressing a clear desire for the proposed
16divorce. If the ward is expressing a clear desire for the
17proposed divorce, the court's decision regarding the proposed
18divorce shall be made in accordance with the standards set
19forth in subsection (e) of Section 11a-17 of this Act.
20    (h) If the court finds that the ward does not have capacity
21to consent or withhold consent to the proposed dissolution and
22is unlikely to regain such capacity, and that the ward is not
23expressing a clear desire for the proposed dissolution the
24court shall consider the standards set forth in subsection (e)
25of Section 11a-17 of this Act and enter written findings of
26fact and conclusions of law addressing those standards. In

 

 

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1addition, the court shall not authorize the guardian to consent
2to the proposed initiation of a dissolution of marriage
3proceeding unless the court finds, by clear and convincing
4evidence and based on written findings of fact and conclusions
5of law, that all of the following factors are present:
6        (1) The ward lacks decisional capacity regarding the
7    proposed dissolution.
8        (2) The benefits to the ward of the proposed
9    dissolution outweigh the harm.
10        (3) The court has considered less intrusive
11    alternatives and found them to be inadequate in this case.
12        (4) The proposed dissolution is in the best interest of
13    the ward, taking into consideration the possibility that
14    the ward will experience trauma or psychological damage if
15    she is divorced, or conversely, the possibility of trauma
16    or psychological damage if she remains married.