Title: In re S.L.
Citation: 2014 IL 115424
Docket Number: 115424
State: Illinois
Issuer: Illinois Supreme Court
Date: January 24, 2014

2014 IL 115424 
 
IN THE 
SUPREME COURT 
OF 
THE STATE OF ILLINOIS 
 
 
(Docket No. 115424) 
In re S.L., a Minor (The People of the State of Illinois, Appellant, v. Julia F., 
 Appellee). 
 
Opinion filed January 24, 2014. 
 
 
JUSTICE THEIS delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion. 
 
Chief Justice Garman and Justices Freeman, Thomas, Kilbride, Karmeier, and 
Burke concurred in the judgment and opinion. 
 
OPINION 
 
¶ 1 
 
This case comes to us from an order of the circuit court of Marion County finding, 
in pertinent part, respondent, Julia F., unfit under section 1(D)(m)(iii) of the Adoption 
Act (750 ILCS 50/1(D)(m)(iii) (West 2010)) and terminating her parental rights to 
S.L., a minor child, because she failed to make reasonable progress towards the return 
of S.L. during any nine-month period after the end of the initial nine-month period 
following the adjudication of neglect. The appellate court reversed this finding of 
unfitness after agreeing with Julia’s contention, raised for the first time on appeal, that 
the State did not comply with section 1(D)(m)(iii) in that it did not file a separate notice 
specifying the particular nine-month period or periods upon which it was relying. 2012 
IL App (5th) 120271, ¶ 44. For the reasons that follow, we reverse that portion of the 
appellate court’s judgment and affirm the circuit’s court finding of unfitness under 
section 1(D)(m)(iii).  
 
 
 
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¶ 2 
 
 
 
 
 
BACKGROUND 
¶ 3 
 
S.L., the daughter of Julia F. and Bruce V., was born on May 3, 2002.1 She was 
adjudicated abused or neglected on November 29, 2007, and was made a ward of the 
court on January 3, 2008. The State alleged in its petition for the adjudication of 
wardship that S.L. was a neglected minor pursuant to section 2-3(1)(b) of the Juvenile 
Court Act of 1987 (705 ILCS 405/2-3(1)(b) (West 2006)) in that she was in an 
environment injurious to her welfare because Julia was not safeguarding her physical 
welfare. The conditions that gave rise to the removal of S.L. were insect bites, apparent 
dog bites, substantial bruising to her shoulder and groin, and unclean living conditions. 
At each of the five subsequent permanency hearings, the goal was for S.L. to return to 
Julia within 12 months, while custody and guardianship of the minor remained with the 
Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). On July 21, 2010, the goal was 
changed to one of substitute care pending court determination of termination of 
parental rights. Julia was continuously represented by counsel throughout the 
proceedings.  
¶ 4 
 
On November 30, 2011, the State filed an amended petition for the termination of 
parental rights. Paragraph 9 alleged that Julia was unfit to have a child based on one or 
more of the following grounds:  
“A. She has failed to make reasonable efforts to correct the conditions that were 
the basis for the removal of the minor from her care, as defined by 750 ILCS 
50/1(D)(m)(i).  
B. She has failed to make reasonable progress toward the return of the child to 
her within nine months after an adjudication of neglect under Section 2-3 of the 
Juvenile Court Act of 1987, being the period of November 29, 2007 to August 
29, 2008, as defined by 750 ILCS 50/1(D)(m)(ii).  
C. She has failed to make reasonable progress toward the return of the minor to 
her during any nine month period after the end of the initial nine month period 
following the adjudication of neglect, as defined by 750 ILCS 50/1(D)(m)(iii).  
D. She is unable to discharge parental responsibilities as supported by 
competent evidence from a licensed clinical psychologist of mental 
impairment, and there is sufficient justification to believe that the inability to 
                                                 
 
 
1Bruce did not appear or participate in the proceedings below and is not a party to this appeal.  
 
 
 
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discharge parental responsibilities shall extend beyond a reasonable time 
period.”  
The State concedes that it did not file a separate notice, as specified under section 
1(D)(m)(iii) of the Adoption Act (750 ILCS 50/1(D)(m)(iii) (West 2010)), identifying 
which nine-month period or periods were the subject of the termination proceeding.  
¶ 5 
 
On February 24, 2012, the trial court conducted a fitness hearing. During the 
hearing, the State recognized, consistent with the amended petition to terminate 
parental rights, that the initial nine-month period after the adjudication of neglect began 
on November 29, 2007, and thus would have ended on August 29, 2008.2  
¶ 6 
 
Relevant to the allegation contained in paragraph 9(C) of the amended petition, the 
State presented the testimony of Danya McDaniel, Julia’s caseworker from June 2008 
until April 2010. McDaniel testified that when she drafted the permanency report in 
September 2008, Julia’s overall rating was unsatisfactory. McDaniel testified that 
although Julia had engaged in services, she lacked the ‘‘ability to internalize and 
demonstrate the learning of whatever the services were.’’ McDaniel explained that 
there were several incidents throughout the case that indicated a lack of stability, 
including Julia’s choice to move multiple times. According to McDaniel, Julia 
showed a lack of good judgment because she chose boyfriends who were physically 
abusive and she associated with people who were not appropriate due to their 
criminal behavior or sex offender status. McDaniel also rated Julia as unsatisfactory 
on the requirement of obtaining and maintaining appropriate and safe housing because 
her home was unclean, had rodents and cockroaches, and was too small for the 
number of people living there.  
¶ 7 
 
McDaniel further testified that Julia had supervised visits with S.L. every week, 
which McDaniel occasionally observed. She tried to help Julia initiate appropriate 
interaction with S.L. during these visits. Julia’s behavior towards S.L., however, was 
sometimes not age appropriate and she would use inappropriate language. Julia had 
been allowed unsupervised visits with S.L. for a short period of time, but due to the 
unsanitary condition of her residence and Julia’s questionable boyfriends, the 
unsupervised visits were suspended. In March 2009, McDaniel completed another 
service plan review. She again gave Julia an overall progress rating of unsatisfactory 
                                                 
 
2Consequently, there were four consecutive nine-month periods running from the end of the initial 
period to the date of the fitness hearing. These four periods spanned from August 29, 2008 to August 29, 
2011. 
 
 
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because of “poor judgment, lack of stability, [and] situations that would put a child 
[S.L.’s] age at risk, [including] *** bouncing from man to man [and] bouncing from 
home to home.” 
¶ 8 
 
During McDaniel’s oversight of Julia’s case, which spanned almost two years, she 
found Julia’s progress unsatisfactory and believed that she had not made sufficient 
progress toward correcting the conditions that led to S.L.’s removal. McDaniel testified 
that Julia was willing to do what was asked of her, but she did not make demonstrable 
improvement in her decision-making regarding her choice of boyfriends and 
roommates or in the way she interacted with S.L. 
¶ 9 
 
Rachel Kissner, Julia’s caseworker from March 2011 until the fitness hearing, 
testified that she prepared a service plan review and evaluation of Julia in September 
2011. Kissner supervised the visits between Julia and S.L. and rated Julia’s 
interaction with the child as unsatisfactory because Julia struggled to engage in age 
appropriate interactions with S.L. Kissner observed a lack of interaction during visits 
and would have to direct Julia to engage S.L. in activities. Kissner testified that Julia 
was not firm enough in disciplining S.L., that she looked to Kissner to tell her what to 
do, and that S.L. was very confused about her situation. Kissner testified that during 
the period of time she had the case, she could not say that she had seen improvement 
in the way Julia interacted with S.L. 
¶ 10 
 
After the State rested, Julia’s attorney moved for a directed verdict on all counts 
of the amended petition except paragraph 9(C). The trial court denied the motion as to 
paragraph 9(D) and took the motion under advisement as to the other two counts. 
During Julia’s subsequent testimony, her counsel elicited answers on points that 
encompassed all four nine-month periods following the adjudication of neglect. She 
testified regarding her service plans throughout the time that S.L. had been in the 
custody of DCFS and since the beginning of her case. She testified that throughout 
the whole time period she maintained contact with caseworkers and ‘‘completed 
everything that they [had] wanted [her] to complete’’ with the exception of certain 
counseling. She further testified regarding specific activities and services which 
encompassed each of the time periods.  
¶ 11 
 
Following the fitness hearing, the trial court entered an order finding Julia and 
Bruce unfit. Concerning Julia, the trial court found that the State proved by clear and 
convincing evidence that she met the definition of an unfit parent as alleged in 
paragraphs 9(C) and 9(D) of the amended petition. The trial court granted Julia’s 
motion for a directed finding on the remaining two allegations. On June 11, 2012, after 
 
 
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a best interest hearing, the trial court entered an order terminating Julia and Bruce’s 
parental rights to S.L. and authorized DCFS to consent to S.L.’s adoption.  
¶ 12 
 
On appeal, Julia raised for the first time that the finding of unfitness based upon 
paragraph 9(C) of the amended petition must be reversed because the State failed to file 
a separate pleading, pursuant to section 1(D)(m)(iii) of the Adoption Act, notifying her 
which nine-month period or periods it was relying upon. 2012 IL App (5th) 120271, 
¶¶36, 37. In reversing the trial court’s finding of unfitness based upon paragraph 9(C), 
the appellate court rejected the State’s forfeiture argument and concluded that, 
because the State did not comply with the Adoption Act’s notice pleading provision, 
the trial court could not terminate Julia’s parental rights based on an allegation that 
was not in conformity with the statute. Id. ¶ 44. The appellate court found that the 
portion of the statute requiring the notice pleading is as much a part of the allegation of 
unfitness as the basic provision that the parent had failed to make reasonable progress 
toward the return of the child. Id. ¶ 39. Consequently, the appellate court held that the 
State’s duty to comply with that portion of the statute may not be forfeited by the 
failure of a parent to raise the issue in the trial court. Id. The appellate court also 
reversed the trial court’s finding of unfitness due to mental impairment as alleged in 
paragraph 9(D) of the amended petition after concluding that it was against the 
manifest weight of the evidence. Id. ¶ 59. 
¶ 13 
 
This court allowed the State’s petition for leave to appeal. Ill. S. Ct. R. 315 (eff. 
Feb. 26, 2010).  
¶ 14 
 
 
 
 
 
ANALYSIS 
¶ 15 
 
As it did before the appellate court, the State contends that Julia forfeited her claim 
that it failed to comply with the statutory notice requirement contained in section 
1(D)(m)(iii) because she failed to raise the issue during the trial court proceedings, 
thereby denying the State the opportunity to remedy what was a pleading defect. Julia 
asserts that the forfeiture rule is inapplicable because the State must disclose the 
specific nine-month period or periods at issue in order to state a cause of action under 
section 1(D)(m)(iii).  
¶ 16 
 
In reviewing a statute, our framework is a familiar one. Our objective “is to 
ascertain and give effect to the intent of the legislature.” Gaffney v. Board of Trustees of 
the Orland Fire Protection District, 2012 IL 110012, ¶ 56. The most reliable indicator 
of legislative intent is the statutory language, given its plain and ordinary meaning. Id. 
We will not depart from the plain statutory language by reading into it exceptions, 
 
 
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limitations, or conditions that conflict with the expressed intent of the legislature. Id. 
We review de novo questions of statutory construction. In re D.D., 196 Ill. 2d 405, 418 
(2001). Similarly, when a challenge is raised to the sufficiency of a pleading, we apply 
de novo review. In re Kenneth J., 352 Ill. App. 3d 967, 973 (2004).  
¶ 17 
 
Although termination of parental rights proceedings involve fundamental liberty 
interests, they are civil in nature and governed by the Code of Civil Procedure (Code). 
See, e.g., In re J.R., 342 Ill. App. 3d 310, 315-16 (2003). Section 2-612(c) of the Code 
provides that “[a]ll defects in pleadings, either in form or substance, not objected to in 
the trial court are waived.” 735 ILCS 5/2-612(c) (West 2010). The waiver or forfeiture 
rule does not do away, however, with the necessity of stating a cause of action in any 
case. Adcock v. Brakegate, Ltd., 164 Ill. 2d 54, 61-62 (1994). Specifically, courts in this 
state recognize that the forfeiture rule is relaxed when the State’s termination petition 
fails to state a cause of action. See, e.g., Kenneth J., 352 Ill. App. 3d at 973. In 
connection with petitions for termination, the requirement of pleading with specificity 
simply requires an allegation that the parent is unfit, and identification of the specific 
statutory grounds on which the charge of unfitness is based. In re D.C., 209 Ill. 2d 287, 
295 (2004); accord In re Gwynne P., 215 Ill. 2d 340, 349 (2005). The question then in 
this case is whether the State’s defective notice resulted in the failure to state a cause of 
action.  
 
¶ 18 
 
Section 1(D)(m)(iii) of the Adoption Act sets forth the following relevant basis for 
the termination of parental rights:  
 
“ D. ‘Unfit person’ means any person whom the court shall find to be unfit 
to have a child, without regard to the likelihood that the child will be placed for 
adoption. The grounds of unfitness are any one or more of the following ***: 
* * * 
 
(m) Failure by a parent *** (iii) to make reasonable progress toward 
the return of the child to the parent during any 9-month period after the end 
of the initial 9-month period following the adjudication of neglected or 
abused minor under Section 2-3 of the Juvenile Court Act ***.” 750 ILCS 
50/1(D)(m)(iii) (West 2010). 
¶ 19 
 
In 2006, pertinent to the issue before us, the legislature added the following 
language to the above provision: 
 
 
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“Notwithstanding any other provision, when a petition or motion seeks to 
terminate parental rights on the basis of item (iii) of this subsection (m), the 
petitioner shall file with the court and serve on the parties a pleading that 
specifies the 9-month period or periods relied on. The pleading shall be filed 
and served on the parties no later than 3 weeks before the date set by the court 
for closure of discovery, and the allegations in the pleading shall be treated as 
incorporated into the petition or motion. Failure of a respondent to file a written 
denial of the allegations in the pleading shall not be treated as an admission that 
the allegations are true.” Id.  
¶ 20 
 
We find the allegations in the amended petition in this case sufficient to state a 
cause of action under section 1(D)(m)(iii) and to inform Julia as to the nature of the 
neglect charge. The amended petition alleged that Julia was unfit because she “failed to 
make reasonable progress toward the return of the minor to her during any 9 month 
period after the end of the initial nine month period [being the period of November 29, 
2007 to August 29, 2008] following the adjudication of neglect, as defined by 750 
ILCS 50/1(D)(m)(iii).” The State thus set forth the specific statutory ground upon 
which it based its allegation of unfitness, and apprised Julia that it sought to terminate 
her parental rights, in part, based on her failure to make reasonable progress toward 
S.L.’s return during any nine-month period from August 29, 2008, forward. The 
amended petition therefore met the criteria previously set forth by this court for a 
sufficient pleading in a termination case. D.C., 209 Ill. 2d at 295; Gwynne P., 215 Ill. 
2d at 349; see also In re J.R., 342 III. App. 3d 310, 316 (2003) (petition did not fail to 
state cause of action where it sought to terminate parental rights citing section 1(D)(q) 
of the Adoption Act for finding mother unfit, but failed to specify mother could 
“permanently” lose her parental rights as required by statute); cf. In re Rauch, 45 Ill. 
App. 3d 784, 787-89 (1977) (the State’s termination petition failed to state a cause of 
action when the petition failed to allege that the mother was an unfit parent, and did not 
set forth an alleged ground for unfitness).  
¶ 21 
 
The State’s pleading error in not providing notice to Julia under section 
1(D)(m)(iii) does not change our determination. This provision does not require the 
State to specify the nine-month period or periods at issue in the termination petition 
itself but, rather, provides that the State shall file with the court and serve on the parties 
a notice pleading stating the time period or periods at issue at least three weeks before 
discovery closes. While this provision states that the “allegations in the [notice] 
pleading shall be treated as incorporated into the petition or motion” (750 ILCS 
50/1(D)(m)(iii) (West 2010)), we do not interpret this language, as Julia suggests, to 
 
 
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mean that when the State does not file a notice specifying the period, it fails to state a 
cause action. If we were to interpret the statute as Julia urges, a petition alleging 
unfitness pursuant to section 1(D)(m)(iii) would not state a cause of action when the 
petition itself was filed, but only later if the notice is served on the parties and filed with 
the court before the close of discovery. We find such an interpretation illogical and 
unworkable.  
¶ 22 
 
We are also not persuaded by Julia’s claim that the notice provision is part of the 
cause of action because the legislature specified that a parent’s failure to file a written 
denial of the allegations “shall not be treated as an admission that the allegations are 
true.” Id. The State is not claiming that her failure to file a written denial of the 
allegations should somehow affect the outcome of this case, or be treated as an 
admission. We fail to see how the relied upon language informs our interpretation of 
the statute, or changes our determination that a defective notice does not result in the 
failure to state a claim.  
¶ 23 
 
Additionally, under Julia’s suggested interpretation, there would be no incentive 
for a parent to object to a defective notice in the trial court. On the contrary, a parent 
who did not receive notice, and was ultimately found unfit, could raise the issue for the 
first time on appeal, thereby receiving a second opportunity to defend against the 
allegations if the State chose to proceed on remand. Such a delay would be detrimental 
to the welfare of the child whose future is at stake because it would prevent him or her 
from obtaining a prompt, just, and final resolution of his or her status. As this court has 
previously emphasized, it is not in a child’s best interest for his or her status to remain 
in limbo for extended periods of time. See In re D.S., 198 Ill. 2d 309, 328 (2001); see 
also Ill. S. Ct. R. 311(a)(5) (eff. Feb. 26, 2010).  
¶ 24 
 
The parties do not dispute that the legislature added the notice pleading provision to 
the statute, because in a case such as this, where there is more than one possible 
nine-month period from which the State could seek to prove unfitness, such 
notification of the time period allows a parent to better prepare a defense. We recognize 
in the instant case that while the State did not specify in a separate notice, or at the 
hearing, which period or periods formed the basis for its allegation of unfitness, it is 
apparent from the record that the parties proceeded as though all four nine-month 
periods were relevant.  
¶ 25 
 
The two caseworkers, McDaniel and Kissner, provided testimony covering all four 
periods regarding their respective conclusions that Julia’s progress was unsatisfactory. 
 
 
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McDaniel was Julia’s caseworker during the first three nine-month periods at issue, 
while Kissner was her caseworker during the fourth nine-month period. Similarly, Julia 
defended against all four time periods. Specifically, she testified regarding the service 
plans during the entire time that S.L. had been in the custody of DCFS. She further 
testified that throughout the whole time period she maintained contact with her 
caseworkers and completed everything that they had wanted her to complete with the 
exception of some counseling. 
¶ 26 
 
Julia has not indicated any specific harm or prejudice to her as a result of the State’s 
error. She does not claim the lack of notice caused surprise or hindered the preparation 
of a proper defense. Instead, Julia requests that we find, in essence, an implied harm 
when the State fails to provide proper notice because of the fundamental rights at stake 
in a termination case and the overall importance of the statutory notice provision. 
Julia’s argument finds no support in our caselaw and would be detrimental to the 
welfare of S.L. by unnecessarily delaying resolution of her permanent placement.  
¶ 27 
 
For all these reasons, we conclude that the State’s failure to file a separate notice 
pleading identifying the nine-month period or periods at issue constitutes a pleading 
defect, not a failure to state a cause of action, which under section 2-612(c) of the Code 
was forfeited by Julia because she failed to raise the issue in the trial court when it still 
could be remedied. 
¶ 28 
 
 
 
 
 
CONCLUSION 
¶ 29 
 
 
We reverse the portion of the appellate court’s judgment which reversed the 
circuit court’s order finding Julia unfit under section 1(D)(m)(iii) of the Adoption Act. 
We do not disturb that portion of the appellate court’s holding which reversed the 
circuit court’s finding of unfitness due to mental impairment as alleged in paragraph 
9(D) of the amended petition as it was not an issue presented by the State for our 
review.  
 
¶ 30 
 
Appellate court judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part. 
¶ 31 
  
Circuit court judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part.