People v. Delores W.

Chief Justice Thomas and Justices Freeman, Fitzgerald, Kilbride, Carman, and Karmeier concurred in the judgment and opinion.

OPINION

At issue in this appeal is whether the circuit court of Cook County erred during a hearing on termination of parental rights when it appointed a guardian ad litem for a mentally disabled mother who already had a plenary guardian of the person. The appellate court concluded that the appointment of the guardian ad litem rendered the termination proceeding “fundamentally flawed” and reversed the judgment of the circuit court terminating the mother’s parental rights.…