Filing for divorce often follows a similar procedure no matter where you’re living, but there are a few things you should be aware of in the Chicago area. If you are thinking about filing for divorce against your spouse, there are certain ways to get started that can make the process simple and easy to understand. Finding divorce lawyers in Chicago as well as all of Cook County is a feasible and advisable action to streamline the plan even further. Follow the guide below for the best advice on how to file for divorce in Chicago and its surrounding areas.
Find Your Reasons for Divorce
There are many reasons why couples choose to get divorced, but on a legal basis, there are two types of divorce: no-fault, and fault. Pursuing a no-fault divorce may perhaps be the easier of the two solutions, although there are still some ground rules:
- You and your spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90 days or more
- You must have been separated from each other for a certain length of time, typically six months
After the terms are established, you can move on to preparing the forms.
Form Preparation
There are several forms you will need to fill out with Cook County for the divorce to be processed and eventually finalized. The city of Chicago requires the following forms to be filled out:
- Petition for Dissolution of Marriage
- Summons
- Domestic Relations Cover Sheet
- Affidavit of Service
- Certificate of Dissolution
- Optional: Joint Parenting Agreement (if there are minor children involved)
- Optional: Visitation Form
- Optional: Uniform Order of Support (for child support)
Once these forms are filled out, they must be filed with a county clerk. You can visit the Chicago courthouse to easily file these forms.
Being Served
You can choose to serve the forms to your spouse or be served by the forms they fill out. This means that each spouse has copies of the same forms, and that they both sign them and file them with a court. Again, having the help of a divorce lawyer can make this process far less confusing.
Get Ahold of Your Best Resouces
Divorce lawyers in Chicago and surrounding areas can get you the help that you need. At Divorce Lawyers Chicago, we can provide the tools and materials necessary to get you started with the divorce process in Cook County. As long as you maintain a record of the correct files, and understand how to denote the reasons for your divorce, you can manage the rest of the process seamlessly.
