Office of the Public Guardian Who, What, When, Where, How, Why
• Guardian of last resort of disabled adults with estates greater than $25,000 • Attorney and guardian ad litem of children in cases in the child protection division • Child’s representative in domestic relations/ parentage • Other cool stuff
Former Cook County Public Guardians Mary Bartelme
Patrick T. Murphy
Robert F. Harris Public Guradian
• Juvenile Court
• 69 W Washington
• mental deterioration or physical incapacity/not fully able to manage person or estate, or • mental illness or developmental disability /not fully able to manage his or her person or estate,or •
gambling, idleness, debauchery or excessive use of intoxicants/ so spends or wastes his or her estate/expose person with disability or dependents to want or suffering
• diagnosed with FAS • 755 ILCS 5/11a-2
Disabled Adults
• Public Guardian ▫ Guardian of last resort for disabled adults with estates greater than $25,000 ▫ State guardian handles those with estates with less than $25, 000
▫ 755 ILCS 13-5 ▫ 20 ILCS 3955/30
Some numbers • 800 wards • 80 intake investigations per month/33% involve financial exploitation-recovered $33 million in 8 years
▫ 70% over the age of 65 ▫ 49% dementia, Alzheimer 's disease or other mental (organic) degenerative disease ▫ 31% severe mental illness ▫ 12% developmental disabilities ▫ 3% traumatic brain injury; ▫ 6% stroke-related brain damage, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, Asperger syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other disabling conditions
Domestic Relations • Attorney • GAL • Child’s Rep • Intake: ▫ One party represented by counsel ▫ Mediation failed ▫ Cook County
▫ 750 ILCS 5/506
Appeals/Impact
Juvenile • Appointed attorney and guardian ad litem in almost all abuse, neglect dependant cases in Cook County-over 6000 cases • Guardian ad litem in some delinquency cases-around 30
▫ 705 ILCS 405/1-5;2-17;5-610
Decision making • Know your role • Know your client and the situation • Know the law
• NACC Recommendations • ABA Standards • Illinois Supreme Court Rule 900 et seq
• • • • •
Carol Casey Attorney supervisor Juvenile Division 312-433-5124
[email protected]
• publicguardian.org
