Source: Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) / Illinois Courts
Jurisdiction: IL
Topic: service

Title: Serving your spouse & procedural basics (Illinois)
Heading: Proof of service

Whoever does the serving fills out a proof of service, also called a return, that records when and how your spouse was served, and that gets filed with the court. The court won't move the case forward until it has that proof on file, and it needs it before it can enter a default if your spouse never responds.

Tags: service
proof of service
return
default
URL: https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/getting-divorce
Retrieved: 2026-06-03
License: Facts summarized in our own words; this is not ILAO's text. See the source URL for ILAO's full guidance. Exact deadlines and the publication notice period are county- and clerk-specific, so verify them before relying on them.