State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Engrossed ]

90_HB0236

      750 ILCS 5/601            from Ch. 40, par. 601
          Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of  Marriage
      Act with respect to a child custody proceeding commenced by a
      person  other  than  a parent.  Provides that, in determining
      whether a child is in the physical  custody  of  one  of  his
      parents,   for   purposes   of   determining   a  nonparental
      petitioner's standing to commence the proceeding,  the  court
      shall  consider  all  relevant factors, including the child's
      age, the circumstances of the  transfer  to  the  nonparental
      petitioners  including  any conditions placed on the transfer
      by the transferring parent, the integration of the child into
      the  petitioner's  family  setting,  whether  either   parent
      voluntarily   relinquished   custody,  whether  the  father's
      paternity has been established, and other factors,  with  the
      weight  of each factor to be determined by the court, and the
      basis for  granting  or  denying  standing  included  in  the
      court's decision.  Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9001669SMdv
                                               LRB9001669SMdv
 1        AN  ACT to amend the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of
 2    Marriage Act by changing Section 601.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.   The  Illinois  Marriage  and Dissolution of
 6    Marriage Act is amended by changing Section 601 as follows:
 7        (750 ILCS 5/601) (from Ch. 40, par. 601)
 8        Sec. 601. Jurisdiction; Commencement of Proceeding.
 9        (a)  A court of this  State  competent  to  decide  child
10    custody  matters  has  jurisdiction  to  make a child custody
11    determination in  original  or  modification  proceedings  as
12    provided   in   Section   4  of  the  Uniform  Child  Custody
13    Jurisdiction Act as adopted by this State.
14        (b)  A child  custody  proceeding  is  commenced  in  the
15    court:
16             (1)  by a parent, by filing a petition:
17                  (i)  for   dissolution  of  marriage  or  legal
18             separation or declaration of invalidity of marriage;
19             or
20                  (ii)  for custody of the child, in  the  county
21             in which he is permanently resident or found; or
22             (2)  by  a  person  other than a parent, by filing a
23        petition for custody of the child in the county in  which
24        he  is  permanently  resident or found, but only if he is
25        not in the physical custody of one  of  his  parents.  In
26        determining whether a child is in the physical custody of
27        one of his parents, the court shall consider all relevant
28        factors, including: the child's age; the circumstances of
29        the transfer to the nonparental petitioners including any
30        conditions  placed  thereon  by  the transferring parent;
31        whether  the  transfer  was  attributable   to   economic
                            -2-                LRB9001669SMdv
 1        hardship  or  illness;  the integration of the child into
 2        the family setting of  the  nonparental  petitioner;  the
 3        length  of time the child has spent in the family setting
 4        of the nonparental petitioner; whether either or both  of
 5        the child's parents have voluntarily relinquished custody
 6        of  the  child;  and  whether  the child's father, if not
 7        married to the child's mother, has acknowledged  that  he
 8        is  the child's father or been declared to be the child's
 9        father by a court of competent jurisdiction.  The  weight
10        to be given each of these factors is in the court's sound
11        discretion.   The  court  shall  state  in  its  decision
12        specific  findings  of fact in support of its decision to
13        grant or deny standing.
14        (c)  Notice of a child custody proceeding,  including  an
15    action for modification of a previous custody order, shall be
16    given to the child's parents, guardian and custodian, who may
17    appear,  be heard, and file a responsive pleading. The court,
18    upon showing of good cause, may permit intervention of  other
19    interested parties.
20        (d)  Proceedings  for  modification of a previous custody
21    order commenced more than 30 days following the  entry  of  a
22    previous custody order must be initiated by serving a written
23    notice  and  a copy of the petition for modification upon the
24    child's parent, guardian and custodian at least 30 days prior
25    to hearing on the petition.  Nothing in  this  Section  shall
26    preclude  a  party  in  custody modification proceedings from
27    moving for a temporary order under Section 603 of this Act.
28        (e)  In a custody proceeding  involving  an  out-of-state
29    party,  the  court,  prior to granting or modifying a custody
30    judgment,  shall  consult  the   registry   of   out-of-state
31    judgments    to    determine   whether   there   exists   any
32    communications or documents alleging that the  child  who  is
33    the  subject  of custody proceedings may have been improperly
34    removed from the physical custody of the person  entitled  to
                            -3-                LRB9001669SMdv
 1    custody or may have been improperly retained after a visit or
 2    other  temporary  relinquishment of physical custody.  Where,
 3    on the basis of such documents or communications contained in
 4    the registry of out-of-state judgments, the court  determines
 5    that  the  child  who is the subject of custody may have been
 6    improperly removed or retained, the court  shall  notify  the
 7    person  or agency who submitted such communications as to the
 8    location of the child, as soon as is practicable.
 9    (Source: P.A. 87-1255.)
10        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
11    becoming law.

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