(725 ILCS 5/112A-4.5)

Sec. 112A-4.5. Who may file petition.

(a) A petition for a domestic violence order of protection may be filed:

(1) by a named victim who has been abused by a family or household member;

(2) by any person or by the State's Attorney on behalf of a named victim who is a minor child or an adult who has been abused by a family or household member and who, because of age, health, disability, or inaccessibility, cannot file the petition;

(3) by a State's Attorney on behalf of any minor child or dependent adult in the care of the named victim, if the named victim does not file a petition or request the State's Attorney file the petition; or

(4) any of the following persons if the person is abused by a family or household member of a child:

(i) a foster parent of that child if the child has been placed in the foster parent's home by the Department of Children and Family Services or by another state's public child welfare agency;

(ii) a legally appointed guardian or legally appointed custodian of that child;

(iii) an adoptive parent of that child;

(iv) a prospective adoptive parent of that child if the child has been placed in the prospective adoptive parent's home pursuant to the Adoption Act or pursuant to another state's law.

For purposes of this paragraph (a)(4), individuals who would have been considered "family or household members" of the child under paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of Section 112A-3 before a termination of the parental rights with respect to the child continue to meet the definition of "family or household members" of the child.

(b) A petition for a civil no contact order may be filed:

(1) by any person who is a named victim of non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration, including a single incident of non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration;

(2) by a person or by the State's Attorney on behalf of a named victim who is a minor child or an adult who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration but, because of age, disability, health, or inaccessibility, cannot file the petition;

(3) by a State's Attorney on behalf of any minor child who is a family or household member of the named victim, if the named victim does not file a petition or request the State's Attorney file the petition;

(4) by a service member of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve military component serving within the State who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct who has also received a Military Protective Order; or

(5) by the Staff Judge Advocate of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve military component serving in the State on behalf of a named victim who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct who has also received a Military Protective Order only after receiving consent from the victim, and the petition shall include a statement that the victim has consented to the Staff Judge Advocate filing the petition.

(c) A petition for a stalking no contact order may be filed:

(1) by any person who is a named victim of stalking;

(2) by a person or by the State's Attorney on behalf of a named victim who is a minor child or an adult who is a victim of stalking but, because of age, disability, health, or inaccessibility, cannot file the petition;

(3) by a State's Attorney on behalf of any minor child who is a family or household member of the named victim, if the named victim does not file a petition or request the State's Attorney file the petition;

(4) by a service member of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve military component serving within the State who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct who has also received a Military Protective Order; or

(5) by the Staff Judge Advocate of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve military component serving in the State on behalf of a named victim who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct who has also received a Military Protective Order only after receiving consent from the victim, and the petition shall include a statement that the victim has consented to the Staff Judge Advocate filing the petition.

(d) The State's Attorney shall file a petition on behalf of any person who may file a petition under subsections (a), (b), or (c) of this Section if the person requests the State's Attorney to file a petition on the person's behalf, unless the State's Attorney has a good faith basis to delay filing the petition. The State's Attorney shall inform the person that the State's Attorney will not be filing the petition at that time and that the person may file a petition or may retain an attorney to file the petition. The State's Attorney may file the petition at a later date.

(d-5) (1) A person eligible to file a petition under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Section may retain an attorney to represent the petitioner on the petitioner's request for a protective order. The attorney's representation is limited to matters related to the petition and relief authorized under this Article.

(2) Advocates shall be allowed to accompany the petitioner and confer with the victim, unless otherwise directed by the court. Advocates are not engaged in the unauthorized practice of law when providing assistance to the petitioner.

(e) Any petition properly filed under this Article may seek protection for any additional persons protected by this Article.

(Source: P.A. 102-890, eff. 5-19-22; 103-407, eff. 7-28-23.)