The Office of the Cook County Public Guardian is a governmental office in the
U.S.
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
state of
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
set up to act as the
legal guardian
A legal guardian is a person who has been appointed by a court or otherwise has the legal authority (and the corresponding duty) to make decisions relevant to the personal and property interests of another person who is deemed incompetent, ca ...
when needed of disabled adults, as well as to act as attorneys and guardian ''ad litem'' for abused and neglected children in
Cook County
Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40 percent of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. ...
. The Public Guardian's Office employs around 400 personnel, including approximately 150 lawyers, and has an annual operating budget of approximately $21.9 million. Presently, Charles P. Golbert serves as the Cook County Public Guardian.
Divisions
The Public Guardian's Office has a number of divisions. The largest division, the Juvenile Division, represents some 10,000 children in abuse and neglect proceedings in Juvenile Court. The Adult Guardianship Division serves as guardian for approximately 900 adults with disabilities. The Adult Guardianship Division also manages about $100 million in estate assets and recovers stolen assets for clients.
The Domestic Relations Division represents children in the most contentious custody battles in divorce cases. The Appellate Division brings appeals designed to expand the rights of children and the disabled. The
Impact Litigation Division engages in institutional reform class action cases and prosecutes money damages lawsuits and civil rights actions on behalf of children harmed by the foster care system.
See also
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Mary Bartelme
Mary Margaret Bartelme (July 24, 1866 – July 25, 1954) was an American judge and lawyer, who was a pioneer in the area of juvenile justice. She was first appointed Cook County Public Guardian in 1897, where she worked to find suitable homes f ...
References
External links
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{{Cook County, Illinois government
Government of Cook County, Illinois