A parent has dementia
You need authority over care, residence, bills, property, or benefits because no adequate POA is available.
Review adult guardianshipIllinois Adult Guardianship Lawyer
Clear, fixed-fee representation when a parent, spouse, adult child, or other loved one can no longer safely make personal or financial decisions.
Need authority now?
Tell us what is happening—not which legal form you think you need.
We will screen for an existing POA, immediate danger, family objections, the physician's report, and whether temporary guardianship may be justified.
Start with your situation
Which description sounds most like your family?
A stroke or injury changed everything
A spouse or family member suddenly cannot make or communicate responsible personal or financial decisions.
See the standard serviceAn adult child is turning 18
Your child has a significant disability and may need continued decision-making support after becoming a legal adult.
Plan the transitionImmediate harm cannot wait
There is an urgent medical, placement, safety, exploitation, or asset-protection issue requiring temporary court authority.
Request urgent reviewConcrete pricing
Choose the level of court intervention the facts require
Every flat-fee guardianship package includes all court filing fees. Bond premiums and court-appointed guardian ad litem fees are separate third-party charges and are not included.
Full Adult Guardianship
$5,000
One flat attorney fee. All court filing fees included.
- Petition for adjudication of disability and appointment of guardian
- All court filing fees
- Physician-report coordination
- Personal-service and notice coordination
- Guardian ad litem coordination
- Hearing preparation and representation
- Inventory and surety-bond coordination when estate guardianship is required
- Attorney consultations within the written scope
Not included: surety-bond premiums and court-appointed GAL fees.
Review the $5,000 serviceEmergency + Full Adult Guardianship
$10,000
$5,000 full case + $5,000 emergency add-on. All court filing fees included.
- Everything included in the full adult-guardianship package
- Priority preparation of the temporary petition and proposed order
- One temporary-guardianship hearing
- Notice and supporting-document coordination
- Continued representation through the uncontested permanent-guardianship hearing
Not included: surety-bond premiums and court-appointed GAL fees. The court controls the hearing date and whether temporary authority is granted.
Request urgent case reviewIf the matter becomes contested
Both contested probate and contested guardianship have a $5,000 base fee for opening, ordinary administration and closing, plus specifically approved litigation fees. A standard will contest adds $50,000 (total $55,000); standard contested guardianship adds $25,000 (total $30,000). The base is not an offset. Attorney screening and a written scope are required. Complex cases receive one higher fixed quote upfront. Ordinary subpoenas, discovery, motions, mediation and trial are included in the retained litigation package, without stacked fees, extra trial-day charges or hourly conversion. Existing signed engagements and previously included expenses are honored.
What “emergency guardianship” means in Illinois
Illinois law calls this a temporary guardianship. The court may grant specifically limited powers when immediate welfare or estate protection requires action before the full guardianship can be decided.
The temporary petition must accompany or follow the full guardianship petition. Notice is generally required at least three days before the hearing unless the court finds good cause to waive it. A temporary appointment ordinarily expires within 60 days or when the regular guardian is appointed, whichever comes first.
Examples that may require urgent review
- Unsafe discharge or immediate placement decision
- Urgent medical decision without effective authority
- Active financial exploitation or rapidly disappearing assets
- Immediate risk of eviction, foreclosure, utility shutoff, or loss of benefits
- A current guardian has died, resigned, or become unable to serve
Your guardianship attorneyMeet the legal team
Meet Anna M. Rafanelli
Anna focuses on probate and elder law, particularly adult guardianships. Her civil-litigation background helps families navigate evidentiary issues, court procedure, and the sensitive conflicts that can arise when a loved one's safety and autonomy are both at stake.
Licensed in Illinois and Indiana
Admitted in the Northern District of Illinois
Adult guardianship and elder-law focus
Civil-litigation experience
Referring a patient, resident, client, or family?
Hospital teams, geriatric care managers, social workers, disability-transition professionals, memory-care communities, and financial professionals can use our guardianship referral pathway to give families a clear next step.
Professional referral resourcesHelpful information to send with a referral
- The immediate decision or risk requiring authority
- Any existing POA, trust, or health-care directive
- The person’s current location and county of residence
- Whether a physician can provide a current report
- Known family objections, exploitation concerns, or court dates
Illinois Adult Guardianship — Frequently Asked Questions
Get the right authority—not more court involvement than necessary
Tell us what decisions must be made, what documents already exist, and whether anything is urgent. We will identify the appropriate next step.