Disposition Hearings: Overview

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• At the Dispositional Hearing, the court determines whether it is in the best interest of the child to be made a ward of the court, pursuant to 705 ILCS 405/2-22.
• The court also determines who (whether an agency, parent, or guardian) should have custody and/or guardianship of the child.
• To do this, the court must make determinations about parents’ fitness, ability, and willingness to care for the child.
• This phase is a “fast forward” to the present, as the court is looking to all the circumstances from adjudication to the date of this hearing to make the above determination.
• By statute, this hearing should be held within 30 days of Adjudication.