Source: Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO)
Jurisdiction: IL
Topic: divorce

Title: Getting a divorce (Illinois)
Heading: Overview of the process

Most divorces move through the same arc. You check that you meet the 90-day residency rule, then you prepare and file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and pay the filing fee, or ask the court to waive it. Next you formally notify ('serve') your spouse, and your spouse files an Appearance, a Response, or both. From there you work out the substance: property, support, and, if you have kids, parental responsibilities. The case ends when a judge enters a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage. ILAO publishes separate step-by-step instructions for cases with children and cases without, linked from the guide below.

Tags: process
overview
steps
start a divorce case
file for divorce
first step in a divorce
petition for dissolution
URL: https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/getting-divorce
Retrieved: 2026-06-03
License: Facts summarized in our own words from public Illinois divorce guidance; this is not ILAO's text. See the source URL for ILAO's full guide. Legal information, not legal advice, so verify against the official source before relying on it.