Divorce Guide for Illinois Book

	Introduction	xi
1	Can You Do Your Own Divorce?	1
1.	Do You Need a Divorce Attorney?	1
2.	Are You Sure You Want a Divorce?	3
3.	How This Book Can Help You	3
4.	What You Should Know about Representing Yourself	4
2	What You Should Know before You Begin	7
1.	Legal Separation	7
1.1	The difference between legal separation and living apart	7
1.2	What legal separation can do	8
1.3	What legal separation cannot do	8
1.4	Financial and practical consequences	9
1.5	The separation process	9
2.	Annulment	10
3.	Premarital Agreements	10
4.	Marital Property	11
4.1	Dividing the property	13
4.2	A warning	14
5.	Child Custody	14
5.1	Types of custody	14
5.2	Best interest of the child	15
5.3	Joint custody	15
5.4	Visitation	16
5.5	Modifications to the custody arrangement	17
6.	Child Support	17
6.1	Best interest	18
6.2	Modifications	19
6.3	Payment through the courts	19
6.4	Nonpayment of child support	20
7.	Maintenance	20
7.1	Types and amount of maintenance	20
7.2	Payment of maintenance	21
7.3	A word on property versus maintenance	22
8.	Temporary Relief and Injunctions	22
9.	Pets	22
10.	If Your Spouse Is in the Military	23
11.	Taxes and Divorce	23
12.	Your Will	24
3	Getting Started	27
1.	Grounds for Divorce	27
1.1	Fault	27
1.2	Irreconcilable differences	28
1.3	Deciding what grounds to use	28
2.	Mediation	30
3.	Where to File Your Divorce Forms	30
4.	How to File Your Forms	32
4	Simplified Divorce Process	35
1.	Can You Use the Simplified Divorce Process?	35
2.	How to File for a Simplified Divorce	36
5	Regular Divorce Process	43
1.	The Initial Filing	43
1.1	Petition for Dissolution	43
1.2	Certificate of Dissolution	44
1.3	Domestic Relations Cover Sheet	44
1.4	Summons and Notice	45
1.5	Entry of Appearance, Consent, and Waiver	45
1.6	Suburban District Stipulation (Cook County only)	45
1.7	Prepare the documents for filing	46
1.8	Fees	46
2.	Serving Notice	46
2.1	If your spouse lives outside Illinois	47
2.2	If you don't know where your spouse is	47
3.	Other Forms to File	48
3.1	Financial Affidavit	48
3.2	Marital Settlement Agreement	49
3.3	Waiver of the two-year waiting period	50
4.	Setting a Hearing Date	50
4.1	If you have served a Summons	50
4.2	If you have not served a Summons	51
4.3	Setting a date	51
5.	The Hearing	52
5.1	What to bring to the hearing	52
5.2	The hearing procedure	52
5.3	Finalizing your divorce	53
6	Special Circumstances--Getting Help	93
1.	If You Are Being Abused	93
2.	If You Need Financial Help	94
2.1	Waiver of fees	94
2.2	Legal aid	94
	Appendix	101
	Glossary	119
	Samples
1	Waiver of Rights Under Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act	25
2	Cover Sheet (Cook County)	31
3	Divorce Form Heading	33
4	Joint Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage	37
5	Petition for Dissolution	55
6	Certificate of Dissolution	58
7	Summons	59
8	Entry of Appearance, Consent, and Waiver	61
9	Stipulation and Request to Hear Uncontested Cause in Suburban Municipal District	63
10	Affidavit for Service by Publication	64
11	Notice of Publication	65
12	Cover Letter for Notice	66
13	Financial Affidavit	67
14	Marital Settlement Agreement	70
15	Petition for Dissolution Incorporating Financial Affidavits and Marital Settlement Agreement	75
16	Affidavit of Waiver and Two-Year Waiting Period	77
17	Certificate and Motion for Default	78
18	Affidavit As to Military Service	79
19	Notice of Hearing	80
20	Proof of Service	81
21	Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage	82
22	Notice to Withhold Income for Support	83
23	Uniform Order for Support	87
24	Order of Protection	95
25	Application to Sue as an Indigent	98