Parentage cases are situations when the parties have children together but have never been married. In a Parentage case, the court will deal with children’s issues only. Children’s issues relevant to a Parentage matter are child support, and the division of parenting time and parenting responsibilities.
A Parentage Court will not deal with issues of property division. Property division issues include maintenance, also referred to as spousal support, division of personal property and/or real estate, and the division of financial accounts. Individuals who have never been married do not have the right to receive maintenance nor are property rights established in the Parentage law. Parties may have property rights under other areas of Illinois law, however the Parentage statute does not convey property rights on co-parents.