How Do I File for a Divorce in Illinois? – Odyssey File and Serve Cloud

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Option 1: Go to the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts' forms website for divorce, child support, and maintenance forms to fill out and e-file. After you fill out your documents, save them and follow the instructions in Step 2 to e-file.
Option 2: Visit Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) to find free, online, guided interviews called "Easy Forms" that help you fill out forms. Use the Divorce Easy Form to fill out the documents you need. ILAO has other family law information, including blank forms. After you fill out your documents, save them and follow the instructions in Step 2 to e-file.
Option 3: Visit the Illinois Guide & File site to use a free, online, guided interview for Petition for Dissolution of Marriage or Civil Union (Divorce) where no minor children are involved. For some courts, you can e-file directly at the end of the interview. If you can't e-file at the end of the interview, save your documents and follow the instructions in Step 2 to e-file.
Option 4: Contact your local court to see if they have forms for you to fill out and file.

- To learn how to file a new case, read how or watch a video.
- To learn how to file a new case in Cook County: Click here to watch a Video.Visit the eFileIL site to e-file. If you made an account on the Illinois Guide & File site, you can use the same login on eFileIL.
- To learn how to file into a case that has already been started, read how or watch a video.
- To learn how to file into an existing case in Cook County: Click here to watch a Video.
Read e-filing basics from Illinois Legal Aid Online.
Make sure your documents are PDF files. If you used a fill-in PDF form that lets you type in answers, you may need to do a "Print to PDF" before you can e-file your forms. Click here to learn how to turn documents into PDFs or do a "Print to PDF."

Legal information:
- To see the overall process of getting a divorce in Illinois when you have children, please click here.
- For information on courts and hearings (in English, Spanish, and Polish) from Illinois Legal Aid Online, click here.
- To find a self-help center in your county, click here and scroll down to the “Find a self-help center” section.
- For Illinois laws and court rules, see the Illinois Compiled Statutes and the Illinois Supreme Court Rules.
- You can also call the Court Information Helpline at (872) 529-1093, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Case information: For circuit court cases, contact your local Circuit Court Clerk.
Free or low-cost legal advice (you must qualify for help):
- Chicago and Cook County: CARPLS at (312) 738-9200, Legal Aid Chicago, Greater Chicago Legal Clinic, Justice Entrepreneurs Project
- Northern Illinois (outside Cook County): Prairie State Legal Services
- Southern Illinois: Land of Lincoln Legal Aid at (618) 394-7300 or toll free at (877) 342-7891
- Free legal answers
Find a lawyer to hire:
- Chicago and Cook County: Chicago Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service or Limited Scope Referral Panels
- Statewide: Illinois State Bar Association Lawyer Finder