Public Act 098-1082
 
HB5686 EnrolledLRB098 20113 ZMM 55402 b

    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by changing
Sections 11-5, 11-5.4, 11-8, 11-8.1, 11-10.1, and 11-13 as
follows:
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-5)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11-5)
    Sec. 11-5. Appointment of guardian.
    (a) Upon the filing of a petition for the appointment of a
guardian or on its own motion, the court may appoint a guardian
of the estate or of both the person and estate, of a minor, or
may appoint a guardian of the person only of a minor or minors,
as the court finds to be in the best interest of the minor or
minors.
    (a-1) A parent, adoptive parent or adjudicated parent,
whose parental rights have not been terminated, may designate
in any writing, including a will, a person qualified to act
under Section 11-3 to be appointed as guardian of the person or
estate, or both, of an unmarried minor or of a child likely to
be born. A parent, adoptive parent or adjudicated parent, whose
parental rights have not been terminated, or a guardian or a
standby guardian of an unmarried minor or of a child likely to
be born may designate in any writing, including a will, a
person qualified to act under Section 11-3 to be appointed as
successor guardian of the minor's person or estate, or both.
The designation must be witnessed by 2 or more credible
witnesses at least 18 years of age, neither of whom is the
person designated as the guardian. The designation may be
proved by any competent evidence. If the designation is
executed and attested in the same manner as a will, it shall
have prima facie validity. The designation of a guardian or
successor guardian does not affect the rights of the other
parent in the minor.
    (b) The court lacks jurisdiction to proceed on a petition
for the appointment of a guardian of a minor if it finds that
(i) the minor has a living parent, adoptive parent or
adjudicated parent, whose parental rights have not been
terminated, whose whereabouts are known, and who is willing and
able to make and carry out day-to-day child care decisions
concerning the minor, unless: (1) the parent or parents
voluntarily relinquished physical custody of the minor; (2)
after receiving notice of the hearing under Section 11-10.1,
the parent or parents fail to object to the appointment at the
hearing on the petition; or (3) the parent or parents consent
to the appointment as evidenced by a written document that has
been notarized and dated, or by a personal appearance and
consent in open court; or (ii) there is a guardian for the
minor appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction. There
shall be a rebuttable presumption that a parent of a minor is
willing and able to make and carry out day-to-day child care
decisions concerning the minor, but the presumption may be
rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. If a short-term
guardian has been appointed for the minor prior to the filing
of the petition and the petitioner for guardianship is not the
short-term guardian, there shall be a rebuttable presumption
that it is in the best interest of the minor to remain in the
care of the short-term guardian. The petitioner shall have the
burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that it is
not in the child's best interest to remain with the short-term
guardian.
    (b-1) If the court finds the appointment of a guardian of
the minor to be in the best interest of the minor, and if a
standby guardian has previously been appointed for the minor
under Section 11-5.3, the court shall appoint the standby
guardian as the guardian of the person or estate, or both, of
the minor unless the court finds, upon good cause shown, that
the appointment would no longer be in the best interest of the
minor.
    (c) If the minor is 14 years of age or more, the minor may
nominate the guardian of the minor's person and estate, subject
to approval of the court. If the minor's nominee is not
approved by the court or if, after notice to the minor, the
minor fails to nominate a guardian of the minor's person or
estate, the court may appoint the guardian without nomination.
    (d) The court shall not appoint as guardian of the person
of the minor any person whom the court has determined had
caused or substantially contributed to the minor becoming a
neglected or abused minor as defined in the Juvenile Court Act
of 1987, unless 2 years have elapsed since the last proven
incident of abuse or neglect and the court determines that
appointment of such person as guardian is in the best interests
of the minor.
    (e) Previous statements made by the minor relating to any
allegations that the minor is an abused or neglected child
within the meaning of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting
Act, or an abused or neglected minor within the meaning of the
Juvenile Court Act of 1987, shall be admissible in evidence in
a hearing concerning appointment of a guardian of the person or
estate of the minor. No such statement, however, if
uncorroborated and not subject to cross-examination, shall be
sufficient in itself to support a finding of abuse or neglect.
(Source: P.A. 96-1338, eff. 1-1-11.)
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-5.4)
    Sec. 11-5.4. Short-term guardian.
    (a) A parent, adoptive parent, or adjudicated parent whose
parental rights have not been terminated, or the guardian of
the person of a minor may appoint in writing, without court
approval, a short-term guardian of an unmarried minor or a
child likely to be born. The written instrument appointing a
short-term guardian shall be dated and shall identify the
appointing parent or guardian, the minor, and the person
appointed to be the short-term guardian. The written instrument
shall be signed by, or at the direction of, the appointing
parent in the presence of at least 2 credible witnesses at
least 18 years of age, neither of whom is the person appointed
as the short-term guardian. The person appointed as the
short-term guardian shall also sign the written instrument, but
need not sign at the same time as the appointing parent.
    (b) A parent or guardian shall not appoint a short-term
guardian of a minor if the minor has another living parent,
adoptive parent or adjudicated parent, whose parental rights
have not been terminated, whose whereabouts are known, and who
is willing and able to make and carry out day-to-day child care
decisions concerning the minor, unless the nonappointing
parent consents to the appointment by signing the written
instrument of appointment.
    (c) The appointment of the short-term guardian is effective
immediately upon the date the written instrument is executed,
unless the written instrument provides for the appointment to
become effective upon a later specified date or event. Except
as provided in subsection (e-5) of this Section, the short-term
guardian shall have authority to act as guardian of the minor
as provided in Section 11-13.2 for a period of 365 days from
the date the appointment is effective, unless the written
instrument provides for the appointment to terminate upon an
earlier specified date or event. Only one written instrument
appointing a short-term guardian may be in force at any given
time.
    (d) Every appointment of a short-term guardian may be
amended or revoked by the appointing parent or by the
appointing guardian of the person of the minor at any time and
in any manner communicated to the short-term guardian or to any
other person. Any person other than the short-term guardian to
whom a revocation or amendment is communicated or delivered
shall make all reasonable efforts to inform the short-term
guardian of that fact as promptly as possible.
    (e) The appointment of a short-term guardian or successor
short-term guardian does not affect the rights of the other
parent in the minor. The short-term guardian appointment does
not constitute consent for court appointment of a guardian.
    (e-5) Any time after the appointment of a temporary
custodian under Section 2-10, 3-12, 4-9, 5-410, or 5-501 of the
Juvenile Court Act of 1987, and after notice to all parties,
including the short-term guardian, as required by the Juvenile
Court Act of 1987, a court may vacate any short-term
guardianship for the minor appointed under this Section,
provided the vacation is consistent with the minor's best
interests as determined using the factors listed in paragraph
(4.05) of Section 1-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
    (f) The written instrument appointing a short-term
guardian may, but need not, be in the following form:
 
APPOINTMENT OF SHORT-TERM GUARDIAN

 
    
[IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS:
    By properly completing this form, a parent or the guardian
of the person of the child is appointing a guardian of a child
of the parent (or a minor ward of the guardian, as the case may
be) for a period of up to 365 days. A separate form should be
completed for each child. The person appointed as the guardian
must sign the form, but need not do so at the same time as the
parent or parents or guardian.
    This form may not be used to appoint a guardian if there is
a guardian already appointed for the child, except that if a
guardian of the person of the child has been appointed, that
guardian may use this form to appoint a short-term guardian.
Both living parents of a child may together appoint a guardian
of the child, or the guardian of the person of the child may
appoint a guardian of the child, for a period of up to 365 days
through the use of this form. If the short-term guardian is
appointed by both living parents of the child, the parents need
not sign the form at the same time.]
        1. Parent (or guardian) and Child. I, (insert name of
    appointing parent or guardian), currently residing at
    (insert address of appointing parent or guardian), am a
    parent (or the guardian of the person) of the following
    child (or of a child likely to be born): (insert name and
    date of birth of child, or insert the words "not yet born"
    to appoint a short-term guardian for a child likely to be
    born and the child's expected date of birth).
        2. Guardian. I hereby appoint the following person as
    the short-term guardian for the child: (insert name and
    address of appointed person).
        3. Effective date. This appointment becomes effective:
    (check one if you wish it to be applicable)
            ( ) On the date that I state in writing that I am
        no longer either willing or able to make and carry out
        day-to-day child care decisions concerning the child.
            ( ) On the date that a physician familiar with my
        condition certifies in writing that I am no longer
        willing or able to make and carry out day-to-day child
        care decisions concerning the child.
            ( ) On the date that I am admitted as an in-patient
        to a hospital or other health care institution.
            ( ) On the following date: (insert date).
            ( ) Other: (insert other).
[NOTE: If this item is not completed, the appointment is
effective immediately upon the date the form is signed and
dated below.]
        4. Termination. This appointment shall terminate 365
    days after the effective date, unless it terminates sooner
    as determined by the event or date I have indicated below:
    (check one if you wish it to be applicable)
            ( ) On the date that I state in writing that I am
        willing and able to make and carry out day-to-day child
        care decisions concerning the child.
            ( ) On the date that a physician familiar with my
        condition certifies in writing that I am willing and
        able to make and carry out day-to-day child care
        decisions concerning the child.
            ( ) On the date that I am discharged from the
        hospital or other health care institution where I was
        admitted as an in-patient, which established the
        effective date.
            ( ) On the date which is (state a number of days,
        but no more than 365 days) days after the effective
        date.
            ( ) Other: (insert other).
[NOTE: If this item is not completed, the appointment will be
effective for a period of 365 days, beginning on the effective
date.]
        5. Date and signature of appointing parent or guardian.
    This appointment is made this (insert day) day of (insert
    month and year).
            Signed: (appointing parent)
        6. Witnesses. I saw the parent (or the guardian of the
    person of the child) sign this instrument or I saw the
    parent (or the guardian of the person of the child) direct
    someone to sign this instrument for the parent (or the
    guardian). Then I signed this instrument as a witness in
    the presence of the parent (or the guardian). I am not
    appointed in this instrument to act as the short-term
    guardian for the child. (Insert space for names, addresses,
    and signatures of 2 witnesses)
        7. Acceptance of short-term guardian. I accept this
    appointment as short-term guardian on this (insert day) day
    of (insert month and year).
            Signed: (short-term guardian)
        8. Consent of child's other parent. I, (insert name of
    the child's other living parent), currently residing at
    (insert address of child's other living parent), hereby
    consent to this appointment on this (insert day) day of
    (insert month and year).
            Signed: (consenting parent)
[NOTE: The signature of a consenting parent is not necessary if
one of the following applies: (i) the child's other parent has
died; or (ii) the whereabouts of the child's other parent are
not known; or (iii) the child's other parent is not willing or
able to make and carry out day-to-day child care decisions
concerning the child; or (iv) the child's parents were never
married and no court has issued an order establishing
parentage.]
(Source: P.A. 98-568, eff. 1-1-14.)
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-8)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11-8)
    Sec. 11-8. Petition for guardian of minor.
    (a) The petition for appointment of a guardian of the
estate, or of both the person and estate, of a minor, or for
appointment of the guardian of the person only of a minor or
minors must state, if known: (1) the name, date of birth and
residence of the minor; (2) the names and post office addresses
of the nearest relatives of the minor in the following order:
(i) the spouse, if any; if none, (ii) the parents, and adult
brothers and sisters, and the short-term guardian, if any; if
none, (iii) the nearest adult kindred; (3) the name and post
office address of the person having the custody of the minor;
(4) the approximate value of the personal estate; (5) the
amount of the anticipated gross annual income and other
receipts; (6) the name, post office address and, in case of an
individual, the age and occupation of the proposed guardian;
(7) the facts concerning the execution or admission to probate
of the written designation of the guardian, if any, a copy of
which shall be attached to or filed with the petition; and (8)
the facts concerning any juvenile, adoption, parentage,
dissolution, or guardianship court actions pending concerning
the minor or the parents of the minor and whether any guardian
is currently acting for the minor. In addition, if the petition
seeks the appointment of a previously appointed standby
guardian as guardian of the minor, the petition must also
state: (9) the facts concerning the standby guardian's previous
appointment and (10) the date of death of the minor's parent or
parents or the facts concerning the consent of the minor's
parent or parents to the appointment of the standby guardian as
guardian, or the willingness and ability of the minor's parent
or parents to make and carry out day-to-day child care
decisions concerning the minor.
    If a short-term guardian who has been appointed by the
minor's parent or guardian prior to the filing of the petition
subsequently petitions for court-ordered guardianship of the
minor, the petition shall state the facts concerning the
appointment of the short-term guardian, including: (i) the date
of the appointment; (ii) the circumstances surrounding the
appointment; (iii) the date the short-term guardian
appointment ends; and (iv) the reasons why a court-ordered
guardian is also needed for the minor. A copy of the short-term
guardianship appointment shall be attached to the petition.
    (b) A single petition for appointment of only a guardian of
the person of a minor may include more than one minor. The
statements required in items (1) and (2) of subsection (a)
shall be listed separately for each minor.
(Source: P.A. 90-796, eff. 12-15-98.)
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-8.1)
    Sec. 11-8.1. Petition for standby guardian of minor. The
petition for appointment of a standby guardian of the person or
the estate, or both, of a minor must state, if known: (a) the
name, date of birth, and residence of the minor; (b) the names
and post office addresses of the nearest relatives of the minor
in the following order: (1) the parents, if any; if none, (2)
the adult brothers and sisters, if any; if none, (3) the
nearest adult kindred; (4) the short-term guardian, if any; (c)
the name and post office address of the person having custody
of the minor; (d) the name, post office address, and, in case
of any individual, the age and occupation of the proposed
standby guardian; (e) the facts concerning the consent of the
minor's parent or parents or the guardian of the person of the
minor to the appointment of the standby guardian, or the
willingness and ability of the minor's parent or parents, if
any, or the guardian of the person of the minor to make and
carry out day-to-day child care decisions concerning the minor;
(f) the facts concerning the execution or admission to probate
of the written designation of the standby guardian, if any, a
copy of which shall be attached to or filed with the petition;
and (g) the facts concerning any juvenile, adoption, parentage,
dissolution, or guardianship court actions pending concerning
the minor or the parents of the minor and whether any guardian
is currently acting for the minor. If a short-term guardian has
been appointed by the minor's parent or guardian and
subsequently petitions for standby guardianship of the minor,
the petition shall state the facts concerning the appointment
of the short-term guardian, including: (i) the date of the
appointment; (ii) the circumstances surrounding the
appointment; (iii) the date the short-term guardian
appointment ends; and (iv) the reasons why a standby guardian
is also needed for the minor. A copy of the short-term
guardianship appointment shall be attached to the petition.
(Source: P.A. 90-796, eff. 12-15-98.)
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-10.1)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11-10.1)
    Sec. 11-10.1. Procedure for appointment of a standby
guardian or a guardian of a minor.
    (a) Unless excused by the court for good cause shown, it is
the duty of the petitioner to give notice of the time and place
of the hearing on the petition, in person or by mail, to the
minor, if the minor is 14 years, or older, and to the relatives
and the short-term guardian of the minor whose names and
addresses are stated in the petition, not less than 3 days
before the hearing, but failure to give notice to any relative
is not jurisdictional.
    (b) In any proceeding for the appointment of a standby
guardian or a guardian the court may appoint a guardian ad
litem to represent the minor in the proceeding.
(Source: P.A. 88-529.)
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-13)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11-13)
    Sec. 11-13. Duties of guardian of a minor. Before a
guardian of a minor may act, the guardian shall be appointed by
the court of the proper county and, in the case of a guardian
of the minor's estate, the guardian shall give the bond
prescribed in Section 12-2. Except as provided in Section
11-13.1 and Section 11-13.2 with respect to the standby or
short-term guardian of the person of a minor, the court shall
have control over the person and estate of the ward. Under the
direction of the court:
    (a) The guardian of the person shall have the custody,
nurture and tuition and shall provide education of the ward and
of his children, but the ward's spouse may not be deprived of
the custody and education of the spouse's children, without
consent of the spouse, unless the court finds that the spouse
is not a fit and competent person to have such custody and
education. If the ward's estate is insufficient to provide for
the ward's education and the guardian of his person fails to
provide education, the court may award the custody of the ward
to some other person for the purpose of providing education. If
a person makes a settlement upon or provision for the support
or education of a ward and if either parent of the ward is
dead, the court may make such order for the visitation of the
ward by the person making the settlement or provision as the
court deems proper. The guardian of the minor shall inform the
court of the minor's current address by certified mail, hand
delivery, or other method in accordance with court rules within
30 days of any change of residence.
    (b) The guardian or other representative of the ward's
estate shall have the care, management and investment of the
estate, shall manage the estate frugally and shall apply the
income and principal of the estate so far as necessary for the
comfort and suitable support and education of the ward, his
children, and persons related by blood or marriage who are
dependent upon or entitled to support from him, or for any
other purpose which the court deems to be for the best
interests of the ward, and the court may approve the making on
behalf of the ward of such agreements as the court determines
to be for the ward's best interests. The representative may
make disbursement of his ward's funds and estate directly to
the ward or other distributee or in such other manner and in
such amounts as the court directs. If the estate of a ward is
derived in whole or in part from payments of compensation,
adjusted compensation, pension, insurance or other similar
benefits made directly to the estate by the Veterans
Administration, notice of the application for leave to invest
or expend the ward's funds or estate, together with a copy of
the petition and proposed order, shall be given to the
Veterans' Administration Regional Office in this State at least
7 days before the hearing on the application. The court, upon
petition of a guardian of the estate of a minor, may permit the
guardian to make a will or create a revocable or irrevocable
trust for the minor that the court considers appropriate in
light of changes in applicable tax laws that allow for
minimization of State or federal income, estate, or inheritance
taxes; however, the will or trust must make distributions only
to the persons who would be entitled to distributions if the
minor were to die intestate and the will or trust must make
distributions to those persons in the same amounts to which
they would be entitled if the minor were to die intestate.
    (c) Upon the direction of the court which issued his
letters a representative may perform the contracts of his ward
which were legally subsisting at the time of the commencement
of the guardianship. The court may authorize the guardian to
execute and deliver any bill of sale, deed or other instrument.
    (d) The representative of the estate of a ward shall appear
for and represent the ward in all legal proceedings unless
another person is appointed for that purpose as representative
or next friend. This does not impair the power of any court to
appoint a representative or next friend to defend the interests
of the ward in that court, or to appoint or allow any person as
the next friend of a ward to commence, prosecute or defend any
proceeding in his behalf. Any proceeding on behalf of a minor
may be commenced and prosecuted by his next friend, without any
previous authority or appointment by the court if the next
friend enters bond for costs and files it in the court where
the proceeding is pending. Without impairing the power of the
court in any respect, if the representative of the estate of a
minor and another person as next friend shall appear for and
represent the minor in a legal proceeding in which the
compensation of the attorney or attorneys representing the
guardian and next friend is solely determined under a
contingent fee arrangement, the guardian of the estate of the
minor shall not participate in or have any duty to review the
prosecution of the action, to participate in or review the
appropriateness of any settlement of the action, or to
participate in or review any determination of the
appropriateness of any fees awarded to the attorney or
attorneys employed in the prosecution of the action.
    (e) Upon petition by any interested person (including the
standby or short-term guardian), with such notice to interested
persons as the court directs and a finding by the court that it
is in the best interest of the minor, the court may terminate
or limit the authority of a standby or short-term guardian or
may enter such other orders as the court deems necessary to
provide for the best interest of the minor. The petition for
termination or limitation of the authority of a standby or
short-term guardian may, but need not, be combined with a
petition to have a guardian appointed for the minor.
    (f) The court may grant leave to the guardian of a minor
child or children to remove such child or children from
Illinois whenever such approval is in the best interests of
such child or children. The guardian may not remove a minor
from Illinois except as permitted under this Section and must
seek leave of the court prior to removing a child for 30 days
or more. The burden of proving that such removal is in the best
interests of such child or children is on the guardian. When
such removal is permitted, the court may require the guardian
removing such child or children from Illinois to give
reasonable security guaranteeing the return of such children.
    The court shall consider the wishes of the minor's parent
or parents and the effect of removal on visitation and the
wishes of the minor if he or she is 14 years of age or older.
The court may not consider the availability of electronic
communication as a factor in support of the removal of a child
by the guardian from Illinois. The guardianship order may
incorporate language governing removal of the minor from the
State.
    Before a minor child is temporarily removed from Illinois
for more than 48 hours but less than 30 days, the guardian
shall inform the parent or parents of the address and telephone
number where the child may be reached during the period of
temporary removal and the date on which the child shall return
to Illinois. The State of Illinois retains jurisdiction when
the minor child is absent from the State pursuant to this
subsection. The guardianship order may incorporate language
governing out-of-state travel with the minor.
(Source: P.A. 90-345, eff. 8-8-97; 91-149, eff. 1-1-00.)