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1 | AN ACT concerning civil law.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Marriage Act is amended by changing Sections 601, 602, 602.1, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 604, 604.5, 605, and 607 as follows:
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7 | (750 ILCS 5/601) (from Ch. 40, par. 601)
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8 | Sec. 601. Jurisdiction; Commencement of Proceeding.
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9 | (a) A court of this State competent to decide child custody | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | matters has
jurisdiction to make a child custody determination | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | in original or modification
proceedings as provided in Section | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 201 of the Uniform
Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | Act as
adopted by this State.
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14 | (b) A child custody proceeding is commenced in the court:
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15 | (1) by a parent, by filing a petition:
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16 | (i) for dissolution of marriage or legal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | separation or declaration
of invalidity of marriage; | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | or
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | (ii) for custody of the child, in the county in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | which he is
permanently resident or found;
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21 | (2) by a person other than a parent, by filing a | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | petition for
custody of the child in the county in which he | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | is permanently resident
or found, but only if he is not in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24 | the physical custody of one of his
parents; or
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
25 | (3) by a stepparent, by filing a petition, if all of | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
26 | the following
circumstances are met:
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27 | (A) the child is at least 12 years old;
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
28 | (B) the custodial parent and stepparent were | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | married for at least 5
years during which the child | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
30 | resided with the parent and stepparent;
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
31 | (C) the custodial parent is deceased or is disabled | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
32 | and cannot perform
the duties of a parent to the child;
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (D) the stepparent provided for the care, control, | ||||||
2 | and welfare to the
child prior to the initiation of | ||||||
3 | custody proceedings;
| ||||||
4 | (E) the child wishes to live with the stepparent; | ||||||
5 | and
| ||||||
6 | (F) it is alleged to be in the best interests and | ||||||
7 | welfare of the
child to live with the stepparent as | ||||||
8 | provided in Section 602 of this Act. | ||||||
9 | (4) When one of the parents is deceased, by a | ||||||
10 | grandparent who is a parent or stepparent of a deceased | ||||||
11 | parent, by filing a petition, if one or more of the | ||||||
12 | following existed at the time of the parent's death: | ||||||
13 | (A) the surviving parent had been absent from the | ||||||
14 | marital abode for more than one month without the | ||||||
15 | deceased spouse knowing his or her whereabouts; | ||||||
16 | (B) the surviving parent was in State or federal | ||||||
17 | custody; or | ||||||
18 | (C) the surviving parent had: (i) received | ||||||
19 | supervision for or been convicted of any violation of | ||||||
20 | Article 12 of the Criminal Code of 1961 directed | ||||||
21 | towards the deceased parent or the child; or (ii) | ||||||
22 | received supervision or been convicted of violating an | ||||||
23 | order of protection entered under Section 217, 218, or | ||||||
24 | 219 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 for | ||||||
25 | the protection of the deceased parent or the child.
| ||||||
26 | (c) Notice of a child custody proceeding, including an | ||||||
27 | action
for modification of a previous custody order, shall be | ||||||
28 | given to the
child's parents, guardian and custodian, who may | ||||||
29 | appear, be heard, and
file a responsive pleading. The court, | ||||||
30 | upon showing of good cause, may
permit intervention of other | ||||||
31 | interested parties.
| ||||||
32 | (d) Proceedings for modification of a previous custody | ||||||
33 | order
commenced more than 30 days following the entry of a | ||||||
34 | previous custody order
must be initiated by serving a written | ||||||
35 | notice and a copy of the petition
for modification upon the | ||||||
36 | child's parent, guardian and custodian at least
30 days prior |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | to hearing on the petition. Nothing in this Section shall
| ||||||
2 | preclude a party in custody modification proceedings from | ||||||
3 | moving for a
temporary order under Section 603 of this Act.
| ||||||
4 | (e) (Blank). | ||||||
5 | (f) The court shall, at the court's discretion or upon the | ||||||
6 | request of any party entitled to petition for custody of the | ||||||
7 | child, appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the best | ||||||
8 | interest of the child for the duration of the custody | ||||||
9 | proceeding or for any modifications of any custody orders | ||||||
10 | entered. The guardian ad litem shall have completed 3 hours of | ||||||
11 | training that relates to the functions and duties of a guardian | ||||||
12 | ad litem and that includes training on the dynamics of domestic | ||||||
13 | violence on partners and children. The guardian ad litem shall | ||||||
14 | investigate whether there is evidence that either partner | ||||||
15 | engaged in domestic violence and shall report to the court on | ||||||
16 | the results of the investigation. Nothing in this Section shall | ||||||
17 | be construed to prevent the court from appointing the same | ||||||
18 | guardian ad litem for 2 or more children that are siblings or | ||||||
19 | half-siblings.
| ||||||
20 | (Source: P.A. 93-108, eff. 1-1-04; 93-1026, eff. 1-1-05.)
| ||||||
21 | (750 ILCS 5/602) (from Ch. 40, par. 602)
| ||||||
22 | Sec. 602. Best Interest of Child.
| ||||||
23 | (a) The court shall determine
custody in accordance with | ||||||
24 | the best interest of the child. The court
shall consider all | ||||||
25 | relevant factors including:
| ||||||
26 | (1) the wishes of the child's parent or parents as to | ||||||
27 | his custody;
| ||||||
28 | (2) the wishes of the child as to his custodian;
| ||||||
29 | (3) the interaction and interrelationship of the child | ||||||
30 | with his
parent or parents, his siblings and any other | ||||||
31 | person who may
significantly affect the child's best | ||||||
32 | interest;
| ||||||
33 | (4) the child's adjustment to his home, school and | ||||||
34 | community;
| ||||||
35 | (5) the mental and physical health of all individuals |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | involved;
| ||||||
2 | (6) the physical violence or threat of physical | ||||||
3 | violence by the child's
potential custodian, whether | ||||||
4 | directed against the child or directed against
another | ||||||
5 | person;
| ||||||
6 | (7) the occurrence of ongoing abuse as defined in | ||||||
7 | Section 103 of the
Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, | ||||||
8 | whether directed against the child
or directed against | ||||||
9 | another person; and
| ||||||
10 | (8) the willingness and ability of each parent to | ||||||
11 | facilitate and
encourage a close and continuing | ||||||
12 | relationship between the other parent
and the child.
| ||||||
13 | In the case of a custody proceeding in which a stepparent | ||||||
14 | has standing
under Section 601, it is presumed to be in the | ||||||
15 | best interest of the minor child
that the natural parent have | ||||||
16 | the custody of the minor child unless the
presumption is | ||||||
17 | rebutted by the stepparent.
| ||||||
18 | (a-3) There is a rebuttable presumption that it is not in | ||||||
19 | the best interest of the child for the court to grant custody | ||||||
20 | to a parent who: (i) has been adjudicated guilty of domestic | ||||||
21 | violence as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic | ||||||
22 | Violence Act of 1986 on multiple incidents of domestic violence | ||||||
23 | or on a single incident of domestic violence that resulted in | ||||||
24 | serious physical injury, as determined by the trier of fact, | ||||||
25 | against the parent's partner or against the child; or (ii) has | ||||||
26 | been convicted of violating an order of protection entered | ||||||
27 | under Section 217, 218, or 219 of the Illinois Domestic | ||||||
28 | Violence Act of 1986. | ||||||
29 | (a-5) The presumption stated in subsection (a-3) of this | ||||||
30 | Section may be rebutted only by a preponderance of evidence | ||||||
31 | that: (i) the party who committed the abuse or domestic | ||||||
32 | violence has successfully completed treatment for abusers or | ||||||
33 | persons who have committed domestic violence provided through a | ||||||
34 | certified treatment program or by a certified treatment | ||||||
35 | provider and is not abusing alcohol or any other drug; (ii) it | ||||||
36 | is in the best interest of the child for the primary physical |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | aggressor to be awarded sole custody based on a consideration | ||||||
2 | of the factors; and (iii) there is little likelihood of future | ||||||
3 | injury to the child resulting from an act of abuse or domestic | ||||||
4 | violence. | ||||||
5 | (a-7) In any case where the presumption is rebutted, the | ||||||
6 | court shall state in writing the evidence upon which the court | ||||||
7 | determined that the presumption was rebutted and its findings | ||||||
8 | relating to the reason that legal custody with that party is in | ||||||
9 | the best interest of the child.
| ||||||
10 | (b) The court shall not consider conduct of a present or | ||||||
11 | proposed
custodian that does not affect his relationship to the | ||||||
12 | child.
| ||||||
13 | (c) Unless the court finds the occurrence of ongoing abuse | ||||||
14 | as defined
in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act | ||||||
15 | of 1986, the court
shall presume that the maximum involvement | ||||||
16 | and cooperation
of both parents regarding the physical, mental, | ||||||
17 | moral, and emotional
well-being of
their child is in the best | ||||||
18 | interest of the child. There shall be no
presumption in favor | ||||||
19 | of or against joint custody.
| ||||||
20 | (Source: P.A. 90-782, eff. 8-14-98.)
| ||||||
21 | (750 ILCS 5/602.1) (from Ch. 40, par. 602.1)
| ||||||
22 | Sec. 602.1. (a) The dissolution of marriage, the | ||||||
23 | declaration of
invalidity of marriage, the legal separation of | ||||||
24 | the parents, or the parents
living separate and apart shall not | ||||||
25 | diminish parental powers, rights, and
responsibilities except | ||||||
26 | as the court for good reason may determine under
the standards | ||||||
27 | of Section 602.
| ||||||
28 | (b) Upon the application of either or both parents, or upon | ||||||
29 | its own motion,
the court shall consider an award of joint | ||||||
30 | custody. Joint custody means
custody determined pursuant to a | ||||||
31 | Joint Parenting Agreement or a Joint Parenting
Order. In such | ||||||
32 | cases, the court shall initially request the parents to produce
| ||||||
33 | a Joint Parenting Agreement. Such Agreement shall specify each | ||||||
34 | parent's
powers, rights and responsibilities for the personal | ||||||
35 | care of the child and
for major decisions such as education, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | health care, and religious training.
The Agreement shall | ||||||
2 | further specify a procedure by which proposed changes,
disputes | ||||||
3 | and alleged breaches may be mediated or otherwise resolved and
| ||||||
4 | shall provide for a periodic review of its terms by the | ||||||
5 | parents. In
producing a Joint Parenting Agreement, the parents | ||||||
6 | shall be flexible in
arriving at resolutions which further the | ||||||
7 | policy of this State as expressed
in Sections 102 and 602. For | ||||||
8 | the purpose of assisting the court in making
a determination | ||||||
9 | whether an award of joint custody is appropriate, the court
may | ||||||
10 | order mediation and may direct that an investigation be | ||||||
11 | conducted
pursuant to the provisions of Section 605. If there | ||||||
12 | is a danger to the health or safety of a partner, joint | ||||||
13 | mediation shall not be required by the court. In the event the | ||||||
14 | parents fail
to produce a Joint Parenting Agreement, the court | ||||||
15 | may enter an appropriate
Joint Parenting Order under the | ||||||
16 | standards of Section 602 which shall
specify and contain the | ||||||
17 | same elements as a Joint Parenting Agreement, or it
may award | ||||||
18 | sole custody under the standards of Sections 602, 607, and 608.
| ||||||
19 | (c) The court may enter an order of joint custody if it | ||||||
20 | determines
that joint custody would be in the best interests of | ||||||
21 | the child, taking into
account the following:
| ||||||
22 | (1) the ability of the parents to cooperate effectively | ||||||
23 | and
consistently in matters that directly affect the joint | ||||||
24 | parenting of the child.
"Ability of the parents
to | ||||||
25 | cooperate" means the parents' capacity to substantially | ||||||
26 | comply with a Joint
Parenting Order. The court shall not | ||||||
27 | consider the inability of the parents to
cooperate | ||||||
28 | effectively and consistently in matters that do not | ||||||
29 | directly affect
the joint parenting of the child;
| ||||||
30 | (2) The residential circumstances of each parent; and
| ||||||
31 | (3) all other factors which may be relevant to the best | ||||||
32 | interest of the
child.
| ||||||
33 | (c-3) There is a rebuttable presumption that it is not in | ||||||
34 | the best interest of the child for the court to grant joint | ||||||
35 | custody to a party who: (i) has been adjudicated guilty of | ||||||
36 | domestic violence as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Domestic Violence Act of 1986 on multiple incidents of domestic | ||||||
2 | violence or on a single incident of domestic violence that | ||||||
3 | resulted in serious physical injury, as determined by the trier | ||||||
4 | of fact, against the parent's partner or against the child; or | ||||||
5 | (ii) has been convicted of violating an order of protection | ||||||
6 | entered under Section 217, 218, or 219 of the Illinois Domestic | ||||||
7 | Violence Act of 1986. | ||||||
8 | (c-5) The presumption stated in subsection (c-3) of this | ||||||
9 | Section may be rebutted only by a preponderance of evidence | ||||||
10 | that: (i) the abuser or person who has committed the domestic | ||||||
11 | violence has successfully completed treatment for abusers or | ||||||
12 | persons who have committed domestic violence provided through a | ||||||
13 | certified treatment program or by a certified treatment | ||||||
14 | provider and is not abusing alcohol or any other drug; (ii) it | ||||||
15 | is in the best interest of the child for the party who | ||||||
16 | committed the abuse or domestic violence to be awarded joint | ||||||
17 | custody based on a consideration of the factors; and (iii) | ||||||
18 | there is little likelihood of future injury to the child | ||||||
19 | resulting from an act of abuse or domestic violence. | ||||||
20 | (c-9) In any case where the presumption is rebutted, the | ||||||
21 | court shall state in writing the evidence upon which the court | ||||||
22 | determined that the presumption was rebutted and its findings | ||||||
23 | relating to the reason that joint custody is in the best | ||||||
24 | interest of the child.
| ||||||
25 | (d) Nothing within this section shall imply or presume that | ||||||
26 | joint
custody shall necessarily mean equal parenting time. The | ||||||
27 | physical
residence of the child in joint custodial situations | ||||||
28 | shall be determined by:
| ||||||
29 | (1) express agreement of the parties; or
| ||||||
30 | (2) order of the court under the standards of this | ||||||
31 | Section.
| ||||||
32 | (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, access to | ||||||
33 | records and
information pertaining to a child, including but | ||||||
34 | not limited to medical,
dental, child care and school records, | ||||||
35 | shall not be denied to a parent for
the reason that such parent | ||||||
36 | is not the child's custodial parent; however,
no parent shall |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | have access to the school records of a child if the parent
is | ||||||
2 | prohibited by an order of protection from inspecting or | ||||||
3 | obtaining such
records pursuant to the Illinois Domestic | ||||||
4 | Violence Act of 1986, as now or
hereafter amended.
| ||||||
5 | (Source: P.A. 88-409.)
| ||||||
6 | (750 ILCS 5/604) (from Ch. 40, par. 604)
| ||||||
7 | Sec. 604. Interviews.) (a) The court may interview the | ||||||
8 | child in chambers
to ascertain the child's wishes as to his | ||||||
9 | custodian and as to visitation.
Counsel shall be present at the | ||||||
10 | interview unless otherwise agreed upon by
the parties. The | ||||||
11 | court shall cause a court reporter to be present who shall
make | ||||||
12 | a complete record of the interview instantaneously to be part | ||||||
13 | of the
record in the case.
| ||||||
14 | (b) The court may seek the advice of professional | ||||||
15 | personnel, whether or
not employed by the court on a regular | ||||||
16 | basis. The professional personnel must have completed 3 hours | ||||||
17 | of training in domestic violence and its effects on the partner | ||||||
18 | and the child. The advice given shall be
in writing and made | ||||||
19 | available by the court to counsel. Counsel may examine,
as a | ||||||
20 | witness, any professional personnel consulted by the court, | ||||||
21 | designated
as a court's witness.
| ||||||
22 | (Source: P.A. 80-923.)
| ||||||
23 | (750 ILCS 5/604.5)
| ||||||
24 | Sec. 604.5. Evaluation of child's best interest.
| ||||||
25 | (a) In a proceeding for custody, visitation, or removal of | ||||||
26 | a child from
Illinois, upon notice
and motion made within a | ||||||
27 | reasonable time before trial, the court may order an
evaluation | ||||||
28 | concerning the best interest of the child as it relates to | ||||||
29 | custody,
visitation, or removal. All evaluators must have | ||||||
30 | completed 3 hours of training in domestic violence and its | ||||||
31 | effects on the partner and the child. The motion may be made by | ||||||
32 | a party, a parent, the
child's
custodian, the attorney for the | ||||||
33 | child, the child's guardian ad litem, or the
child's | ||||||
34 | representative. The requested evaluation may be in place of or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | in
addition to an evaluation conducted under subsection (b) of | ||||||
2 | Section 604.
| ||||||
3 | The
motion shall state the identity of the proposed | ||||||
4 | evaluator and set forth the
evaluator's specialty or | ||||||
5 | discipline. The court may refuse to
order an evaluation by the | ||||||
6 | proposed evaluator, but in that event, the court may
permit the | ||||||
7 | party seeking the evaluation to propose one or more other
| ||||||
8 | evaluators.
| ||||||
9 | (b) An order for an evaluation shall fix the time, place, | ||||||
10 | conditions, and
scope of the evaluation and shall designate the | ||||||
11 | evaluator.
A party or person shall not be required to travel an | ||||||
12 | unreasonable distance for
the evaluation.
| ||||||
13 | (c) The person requesting an evaluator shall pay the fee | ||||||
14 | for the evaluation
unless otherwise ordered by the court.
| ||||||
15 | (d) Within 21 days after the completion of the evaluation, | ||||||
16 | if the moving
party or person intends to call the evaluator as | ||||||
17 | a witness, the evaluator shall
prepare and mail or deliver to | ||||||
18 | the attorneys of record duplicate originals of
the written | ||||||
19 | evaluation. The evaluation shall set forth the evaluator's
| ||||||
20 | findings, the results
of all tests administered, and the | ||||||
21 | evaluator's conclusions and recommendations.
If
the
written | ||||||
22 | evaluation is not delivered or mailed to the attorneys within | ||||||
23 | 21 days
or within any extensions or modifications granted by | ||||||
24 | the court, the written
evaluation and the evaluator's | ||||||
25 | testimony, conclusions, and recommendations may
not be | ||||||
26 | received into evidence.
| ||||||
27 | (e) The person calling an evaluator to testify at trial
| ||||||
28 | shall
disclose the evaluator as an opinion
witness in | ||||||
29 | accordance with the Supreme Court Rules.
| ||||||
30 | (f) Subject to compliance with the Supreme
Court Rules, | ||||||
31 | nothing in this Section bars a person who did not request the
| ||||||
32 | evaluation from calling the evaluator as a witness. In that | ||||||
33 | case, however,
that person shall
pay the evaluator's fee for | ||||||
34 | testifying unless otherwise ordered by the
court.
| ||||||
35 | (Source: P.A. 91-746, eff. 6-2-00.)
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (750 ILCS 5/605) (from Ch. 40, par. 605)
| ||||||
2 | Sec. 605. Investigations and Reports. (a) In contested | ||||||
3 | custody proceedings,
and in other custody proceedings if a | ||||||
4 | parent or the child's custodian so
requests, the court may | ||||||
5 | order an investigation and report concerning custodial
| ||||||
6 | arrangements for the child. The investigation and report may be | ||||||
7 | made by
a child welfare agency approved by the Department of | ||||||
8 | Children and
Family Services, but shall not be made by that | ||||||
9 | Department
unless the court determines either that there is no | ||||||
10 | child welfare agency
available or that the parent or the | ||||||
11 | child's custodian is financially unable
to pay for the | ||||||
12 | investigation or report.
| ||||||
13 | (b) An investigator who makes a report to the court must | ||||||
14 | have completed 3 hours of accepted training in domestic | ||||||
15 | violence and its effects on the partner and the child. In | ||||||
16 | preparing his report concerning a child, the investigator may | ||||||
17 | consult
any person who may have information about the child and | ||||||
18 | his potential custodial
arrangements. Under order of the court, | ||||||
19 | the investigator may refer the child
to professional personnel | ||||||
20 | for diagnosis. The investigator may consult with
and obtain | ||||||
21 | information from medical, psychiatric or other expert persons
| ||||||
22 | who have served the child in the past, without obtaining the | ||||||
23 | consent of
the parent or the child's custodian. The child's | ||||||
24 | consent must be obtained if
he has reached the age of 16, | ||||||
25 | unless the court finds that he lacks mental
capacity to | ||||||
26 | consent.
| ||||||
27 | (c) The investigator shall mail the report to counsel, and | ||||||
28 | to any party
not represented by counsel, at least 10 days prior | ||||||
29 | to the hearing. The court
may examine and consider the | ||||||
30 | investigator's report
in determining custody. The investigator | ||||||
31 | shall make available to counsel,
and to any party not | ||||||
32 | represented by counsel, the investigator's file of
underlying | ||||||
33 | data, reports, and the complete texts of diagnostic reports
| ||||||
34 | made to the investigator pursuant to the provisions of | ||||||
35 | subsection (b) of
this Section, and the names and addresses of | ||||||
36 | all persons whom the
investigator has consulted. Any party to |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the proceeding may call the
investigator, or any person whom he | ||||||
2 | has consulted, as a court's witness,
for cross-examination. A | ||||||
3 | party may not waive his right of cross-examination
prior to the | ||||||
4 | hearing.
| ||||||
5 | (Source: P.A. 86-659.)
| ||||||
6 | (750 ILCS 5/607) (from Ch. 40, par. 607)
| ||||||
7 | Sec. 607. Visitation.
| ||||||
8 | (a) A parent not granted custody of the child
is entitled | ||||||
9 | to reasonable visitation rights unless the court finds,
after a | ||||||
10 | hearing, that visitation would endanger seriously the child's
| ||||||
11 | physical, mental, moral or emotional health. If the custodian's | ||||||
12 | street
address is not identified, pursuant to Section 708, the | ||||||
13 | court shall require
the parties to identify reasonable | ||||||
14 | alternative arrangements for visitation
by a non-custodial | ||||||
15 | parent, including but not limited to visitation of the
minor | ||||||
16 | child at the residence of another person or at a local public | ||||||
17 | or
private facility.
| ||||||
18 | (a-3) Nothing in subsection (a-5) of this Section shall | ||||||
19 | apply to a child in whose interests a petition under Section | ||||||
20 | 2-13 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is pending. | ||||||
21 | (a-5)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection | ||||||
22 | (a-5), any grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling may file | ||||||
23 | a
petition for
visitation rights to a minor child if there is | ||||||
24 | an unreasonable denial of visitation by a parent and at least | ||||||
25 | one
of the
following conditions exists: | ||||||
26 | (A) one parent of the child is incompetent as a matter | ||||||
27 | of law or deceased or has been sentenced to a period of | ||||||
28 | imprisonment for more than 1 year; | ||||||
29 | (B) the child's mother and father are divorced or have | ||||||
30 | been legally separated from
each other during the 3 month | ||||||
31 | period prior to the filing of the petition and at least one | ||||||
32 | parent does not object to the grandparent, | ||||||
33 | great-grandparent, or sibling having visitation with the | ||||||
34 | child. The visitation of the grandparent, | ||||||
35 | great-grandparent, or sibling must not diminish the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | visitation of the parent who is not related to the | ||||||
2 | grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling seeking | ||||||
3 | visitation; | ||||||
4 | (C) the court, other than a Juvenile Court, has | ||||||
5 | terminated a parent-child relationship and the | ||||||
6 | grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling is the parent | ||||||
7 | of the person whose parental rights have been terminated, | ||||||
8 | except in cases of adoption. The visitation must not be | ||||||
9 | used to allow the parent who lost parental rights to | ||||||
10 | unlawfully visit with the child; | ||||||
11 | (D) the child is illegitimate, the parents are not | ||||||
12 | living together, and the petitioner is a maternal | ||||||
13 | grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling of the | ||||||
14 | illegitimate child; or | ||||||
15 | (E) the child is illegitimate, the parents are not | ||||||
16 | living together, the petitioner is a paternal grandparent, | ||||||
17 | great-grandparent, or sibling, and the paternity has been | ||||||
18 | established by a court of competent jurisdiction. | ||||||
19 | (2) The grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling of a | ||||||
20 | parent whose parental rights have been terminated through an | ||||||
21 | adoption proceeding may not petition for visitation rights.
| ||||||
22 | (3) In making a determination under this subsection (a-5), | ||||||
23 | there is a
rebuttable
presumption that a fit parent's actions | ||||||
24 | and decisions regarding grandparent,
great-grandparent, or | ||||||
25 | sibling visitation are not harmful to the child's mental, | ||||||
26 | physical, or emotional health. The
burden is on the
party | ||||||
27 | filing a petition under this Section to prove that the
parent's | ||||||
28 | actions and
decisions regarding visitation times are harmful to | ||||||
29 | the child's mental, physical, or emotional health. | ||||||
30 | (4) In determining whether to grant visitation, the court | ||||||
31 | shall consider the following:
| ||||||
32 | (A) the preference of the child if the child is | ||||||
33 | determined to be of sufficient maturity to express a | ||||||
34 | preference; | ||||||
35 | (B) the mental and physical health of the child; | ||||||
36 | (C) the mental and physical health of the grandparent, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | great-grandparent, or sibling; | ||||||
2 | (D) the length and quality of the prior relationship | ||||||
3 | between the child and the grandparent, great-grandparent, | ||||||
4 | or sibling;
| ||||||
5 | (E) the good faith of the party in filing the petition;
| ||||||
6 | (F) the good faith of the person denying visitation; | ||||||
7 | (G) the quantity of the visitation time requested and | ||||||
8 | the potential adverse impact that visitation would have on | ||||||
9 | the child's customary activities; | ||||||
10 | (H) whether the child resided with the petitioner for | ||||||
11 | at least 6 consecutive months with or without the current | ||||||
12 | custodian present; | ||||||
13 | (I) whether the petitioner had frequent or regular | ||||||
14 | contact with the child for at least 12 consecutive months; | ||||||
15 | and
| ||||||
16 | (J) any other fact that establishes that the loss of | ||||||
17 | the relationship between the petitioner and the child is | ||||||
18 | likely to harm the child's mental, physical, or emotional | ||||||
19 | health. | ||||||
20 | (5) The court may order visitation rights for the | ||||||
21 | grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling that include | ||||||
22 | reasonable access without requiring overnight or possessory | ||||||
23 | visitation.
| ||||||
24 | (a-7)(1) Unless by stipulation of the parties, no motion to | ||||||
25 | modify a grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling visitation | ||||||
26 | order may be made earlier than 2 years after the date the order | ||||||
27 | was filed, unless the court permits it to be made on the basis | ||||||
28 | of affidavits that there is reason to believe the child's | ||||||
29 | present environment may endanger seriously the child's mental, | ||||||
30 | physical, or emotional health. | ||||||
31 | (2) The court shall not modify a prior grandparent, | ||||||
32 | great-grandparent, or sibling visitation order unless it finds | ||||||
33 | by clear and convincing evidence, upon the basis of facts that | ||||||
34 | have arisen since the prior visitation order or that were | ||||||
35 | unknown to the court at the time of entry of the prior | ||||||
36 | visitation, that a change has occurred in the circumstances of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the child or his or her custodian, and that the modification is | ||||||
2 | necessary to protect the mental, physical, or emotional health | ||||||
3 | of the child. The court shall state in its decision specific | ||||||
4 | findings of fact in support of its modification or termination | ||||||
5 | of the grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling visitation. | ||||||
6 | (3) Attorney fees and costs shall be assessed against a | ||||||
7 | party seeking modification of the visitation order if the court | ||||||
8 | finds that the modification action is vexatious and constitutes | ||||||
9 | harassment. | ||||||
10 | (4) Notice under this subsection (a-7) shall be given as | ||||||
11 | provided in subsections (c) and (d) of Section 601.
| ||||||
12 | (b) (1) (Blank.)
| ||||||
13 | (1.5) The Court may grant reasonable visitation privileges | ||||||
14 | to a stepparent
upon petition to the court by the stepparent, | ||||||
15 | with notice to the parties
required to be notified under | ||||||
16 | Section 601 of this Act, if the court determines
that it is in | ||||||
17 | the best interests and welfare of the child, and may issue any
| ||||||
18 | necessary orders to enforce those visitation privileges.
A | ||||||
19 | petition for visitation privileges may be filed under this | ||||||
20 | paragraph (1.5)
whether or not a petition pursuant to this Act | ||||||
21 | has been previously filed or is
currently pending if the | ||||||
22 | following
circumstances are met:
| ||||||
23 | (A) the child is at least 12 years old;
| ||||||
24 | (B) the child resided continuously with the parent and | ||||||
25 | stepparent for at
least 5 years;
| ||||||
26 | (C) the parent is deceased or is disabled and is unable | ||||||
27 | to care for the
child;
| ||||||
28 | (D) the child wishes to have reasonable visitation with | ||||||
29 | the stepparent;
and
| ||||||
30 | (E) the stepparent was providing for the care, control, | ||||||
31 | and welfare to the
child prior to the initiation of the | ||||||
32 | petition for visitation.
| ||||||
33 | (2)(A) A petition for visitation privileges shall not be | ||||||
34 | filed pursuant
to this subsection (b) by the parents or | ||||||
35 | grandparents of a putative father
if the paternity of the | ||||||
36 | putative father has not been legally established.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (B) A petition for visitation privileges may not be filed | ||||||
2 | under
this subsection (b) if the child who is the subject of | ||||||
3 | the
grandparents' or great-grandparents' petition has been | ||||||
4 | voluntarily
surrendered by the parent or parents, except for a | ||||||
5 | surrender to the
Illinois Department of Children and Family | ||||||
6 | Services or a foster care
facility, or has been previously | ||||||
7 | adopted by an individual or individuals
who are not related to | ||||||
8 | the biological parents of the child or is the
subject of a | ||||||
9 | pending adoption petition by an individual or individuals who
| ||||||
10 | are not related to the biological parents of the child.
| ||||||
11 | (3) (Blank).
| ||||||
12 | (c) The court may modify an order granting or denying | ||||||
13 | visitation
rights of a parent whenever modification would serve | ||||||
14 | the best interest of
the child;
but the court shall not | ||||||
15 | restrict a parent's visitation rights unless it
finds that the | ||||||
16 | visitation would endanger seriously the child's physical,
| ||||||
17 | mental, moral or emotional health.
The court may modify an | ||||||
18 | order granting, denying, or limiting visitation
rights of a | ||||||
19 | grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling of any minor child
| ||||||
20 | whenever a change of circumstances has occurred based on facts | ||||||
21 | occurring
subsequent to the judgment and the court finds by | ||||||
22 | clear and convincing evidence
that the modification is in the | ||||||
23 | best interest of the minor child.
| ||||||
24 | (c-3) There is a rebuttable presumption that it is not in | ||||||
25 | the best interest of the child for the court to grant | ||||||
26 | visitation to a partner who has been adjudicated guilty of | ||||||
27 | domestic violence as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois | ||||||
28 | Domestic Violence Act of 1986 on multiple incidents of domestic | ||||||
29 | violence or on a single incident of domestic violence that | ||||||
30 | resulted in serious physical injury, as determined by the trier | ||||||
31 | of fact, against the partner or the child or has been convicted | ||||||
32 | of violating an order of protection entered under Section 217, | ||||||
33 | 218, or 219 of the same Act.
| ||||||
34 | (c-5) The presumption stated in subsection (c-3) of this | ||||||
35 | Section may be rebutted only by a preponderance of evidence | ||||||
36 | that: (i) the abuser or person who has committed the domestic |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | violence has successfully completed treatment for abusers or | ||||||
2 | persons who have committed domestic violence provided through a | ||||||
3 | certified treatment program or by a certified treatment | ||||||
4 | provider and is not abusing alcohol or any other drug; (ii) it | ||||||
5 | is in the best interest of the child for the party who | ||||||
6 | committed the abuse or domestic violence to be awarded | ||||||
7 | visitation based on a consideration of the factors; and (iii) | ||||||
8 | there is little likelihood of future injury to the child | ||||||
9 | resulting from an act of abuse or domestic violence. In any | ||||||
10 | case where the presumption is rebutted, the court shall state | ||||||
11 | in writing the evidence upon which the court determined that | ||||||
12 | the presumption was rebutted and its findings relating to the | ||||||
13 | reason why visitation is in the best interest of the child.
| ||||||
14 | (c-7) If the court finds that a party has engaged in a | ||||||
15 | pattern or serious incident of abuse or domestic violence and | ||||||
16 | the court awards visitation to the party who has committed the | ||||||
17 | domestic violence or abuse, the court shall provide for the | ||||||
18 | safety and well-being of the child and for the safety and well | ||||||
19 | being of the party who was the victim of domestic violence or | ||||||
20 | abuse. For that purpose, the court, giving consideration to the | ||||||
21 | availability of services or programs and to the ability of the | ||||||
22 | party who committed the domestic violence or abuse to pay for | ||||||
23 | those services or programs, shall impose one or more of the | ||||||
24 | following, as appropriate: | ||||||
25 | (1) Requiring the exchange of the child to occur in a | ||||||
26 | protected setting or in the presence of an appropriate | ||||||
27 | third party who agrees by affidavit or other supporting | ||||||
28 | evidence to assume the responsibility assigned by the court | ||||||
29 | and to be accountable to the court for his or her actions | ||||||
30 | with respect to the responsibility. | ||||||
31 | (2) Requiring the child's periods of visitation with | ||||||
32 | the party who committed the abuse or domestic violence to | ||||||
33 | be supervised by an appropriate third party who agrees by | ||||||
34 | affidavit or other supporting evidence to assume the | ||||||
35 | responsibility assigned by the court and to be accountable | ||||||
36 | to the court for his or her actions with respect to the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | responsibility. | ||||||
2 | (3) Requiring the partner who committed the abuse or | ||||||
3 | domestic violence to pay the costs of supervised | ||||||
4 | visitation. | ||||||
5 | (4)
Requiring the party who committed the abuse or | ||||||
6 | domestic violence to attend and complete, to the | ||||||
7 | satisfaction of the court, treatment for abusers or persons | ||||||
8 | who have committed domestic violence provided through a | ||||||
9 | certified treatment program or by a certified treatment | ||||||
10 | provider as a condition of exercising his or her | ||||||
11 | visitation. | ||||||
12 | (5) If the party who committed the abuse or domestic | ||||||
13 | violence has a significant problem with alcohol or drug | ||||||
14 | abuse, prohibiting that party from being under the | ||||||
15 | influence of alcohol or any controlled substance when the | ||||||
16 | parties exchange the child for visitation and from | ||||||
17 | possessing or consuming alcohol or any controlled | ||||||
18 | substance during his or her periods of visitation. | ||||||
19 | (6) Prohibiting the party who committed the abuse or | ||||||
20 | domestic violence from having overnight visitation with | ||||||
21 | the child. | ||||||
22 | (7) Requiring the party who committed the abuse or | ||||||
23 | domestic violence to post bond for the return and safety of | ||||||
24 | the child. | ||||||
25 | (8) Imposing any other condition that the court | ||||||
26 | determines is necessary for the safety and well-being of | ||||||
27 | the child or the safety of the party who was the victim of | ||||||
28 | the abuse or domestic violence. | ||||||
29 | (d) If any court has entered an order prohibiting a | ||||||
30 | non-custodial parent
of a child from any contact with a child
| ||||||
31 | or restricting the non-custodial parent's contact with the | ||||||
32 | child, the
following provisions shall apply:
| ||||||
33 | (1) If an order has been entered granting visitation | ||||||
34 | privileges with the
child to a grandparent or | ||||||
35 | great-grandparent who is related to the child through
the | ||||||
36 | non-custodial parent, the visitation privileges of the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | grandparent or
great-grandparent may be revoked if:
| ||||||
2 | (i) a court has entered an order prohibiting the | ||||||
3 | non-custodial parent
from any contact with the child, | ||||||
4 | and the grandparent or great-grandparent is
found to | ||||||
5 | have used his or her visitation privileges to | ||||||
6 | facilitate contact
between the child and the | ||||||
7 | non-custodial parent; or
| ||||||
8 | (ii) a court has entered an order restricting the | ||||||
9 | non-custodial parent's
contact with the child, and the | ||||||
10 | grandparent or great-grandparent is found to
have used | ||||||
11 | his or her visitation privileges to facilitate contact
| ||||||
12 | between the child and the non-custodial parent in a | ||||||
13 | manner that violates the
terms of the order restricting | ||||||
14 | the non-custodial parent's contact with the
child.
| ||||||
15 | Nothing in this subdivision (1) limits the authority of | ||||||
16 | the court to
enforce its orders in any manner permitted by | ||||||
17 | law.
| ||||||
18 | (2) Any order granting visitation privileges with the | ||||||
19 | child to a
grandparent or great-grandparent who is related | ||||||
20 | to the child through the
non-custodial parent shall contain | ||||||
21 | the following provision:
| ||||||
22 | "If the (grandparent or great-grandparent, whichever | ||||||
23 | is applicable) who has
been granted visitation privileges | ||||||
24 | under this order uses the visitation
privileges to | ||||||
25 | facilitate contact between the child and the child's
| ||||||
26 | non-custodial parent, the visitation privileges granted | ||||||
27 | under this order shall
be permanently revoked."
| ||||||
28 | (e) No parent, not granted custody of the child, or | ||||||
29 | grandparent, or
great-grandparent, or stepparent, or sibling | ||||||
30 | of any minor child, convicted
of any offense
involving an | ||||||
31 | illegal sex act perpetrated upon a victim less than 18 years of
| ||||||
32 | age including but not limited to offenses for violations of | ||||||
33 | Article 12 of the
Criminal Code of 1961, is entitled to | ||||||
34 | visitation rights while incarcerated
or while on parole, | ||||||
35 | probation, conditional discharge, periodic
imprisonment, or
| ||||||
36 | mandatory supervised release for that offense, and upon |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | discharge from
incarceration for a misdemeanor offense or upon | ||||||
2 | discharge from parole,
probation, conditional discharge, | ||||||
3 | periodic imprisonment,
or mandatory supervised release for a | ||||||
4 | felony offense, visitation shall be
denied until the person | ||||||
5 | successfully completes a treatment program approved
by the | ||||||
6 | court.
| ||||||
7 | (f) Unless the court determines, after considering all | ||||||
8 | relevant factors,
including but not limited to those set forth | ||||||
9 | in Section 602(a), that it would
be in the best interests of | ||||||
10 | the child to allow visitation, the court shall not
enter an | ||||||
11 | order providing visitation rights and pursuant to a motion to | ||||||
12 | modify
visitation shall revoke visitation rights previously | ||||||
13 | granted to any
person who would otherwise be entitled to | ||||||
14 | petition for visitation rights under
this Section who has been | ||||||
15 | convicted of first degree murder of the parent,
grandparent, | ||||||
16 | great-grandparent, or sibling of the child who is the subject | ||||||
17 | of
the order. Until an order is entered pursuant to this | ||||||
18 | subsection, no person
shall visit, with
the child present, a | ||||||
19 | person who has been convicted of first degree murder of
the | ||||||
20 | parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling of the | ||||||
21 | child
without the consent of the child's parent, other than a | ||||||
22 | parent convicted of
first degree murder as set forth herein, or | ||||||
23 | legal
guardian.
| ||||||
24 | (g) If an order has been entered limiting, for cause, a | ||||||
25 | minor child's
contact or
visitation with a grandparent, | ||||||
26 | great-grandparent, or sibling on the grounds
that it was in the | ||||||
27 | best interest of the child to do so, that order may be
modified | ||||||
28 | only upon a showing of a substantial change in circumstances | ||||||
29 | occurring
subsequent to the entry of the order with proof by | ||||||
30 | clear and convincing
evidence that modification is in the best | ||||||
31 | interest of the minor child.
| ||||||
32 | (Source: P.A. 93-911, eff. 1-1-05.)
| ||||||
33 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
34 | becoming law.
|