How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree in Cook County

Decree, judgment and certificate: what you need

If you need a copy of a divorce decree in Cook County, it helps to know exactly which document to ask for. People often say "divorce decree," but in Illinois the court order that ends a marriage is a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage (or of a Civil Union). It usually includes or attaches the terms that matter later:

• A marital settlement agreement dividing property and debts and addressing maintenance.
• In cases with children, an allocation judgment and parenting plan covering decision-making and parenting time.
• An order for support, which may be a separate document.

When a lender, title company, retirement plan administrator or government office asks for your "divorce decree," ask whether it needs the full judgment with every attached agreement, or only certain pages. When in doubt, request the full judgment and all incorporated agreements.

The Certificate of Dissolution is different. Cook County's local rules require it to be filed when a divorce case starts (750 ILCS 5/707). The statewide instructions explain that the Illinois Department of Public Health uses it for statistical purposes and that it has nothing to do with whether the divorce is granted. It is not a copy of your judgment and usually will not satisfy a request for the decree.

A certified copy of a divorce judgment is a photocopy of the judgment with the Clerk's signed certification and seal stating that it is a true copy of the document in the court file. A plain, uncertified copy is for your own reference.

Requesting a certified copy from the Clerk of the Circuit Court

Copies of Cook County divorce judgments come from the Clerk of the Circuit Court, not from the judge. For a case heard at the Daley Center, contact the Clerk's Domestic Relations Division:

• Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Room 802, Chicago
• Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Phone: 312-603-6300
• Email: DomesticRelDivservices@cookcountycourt.com

If your case was heard in a suburban courthouse, the Clerk's court document request page lists these district numbers: Skokie 847-470-7250, Rolling Meadows 847-818-3000, Maywood 708-865-6040, Bridgeview 708-974-6500 and Markham 708-232-4551.

Before you contact the Clerk, gather:

1. The case number. Cook County Domestic Relations case numbers include the year and the letter D; the court's own FAQ uses examples such as "18 D 1."
2. The full names of both spouses as they appeared in the case, including any former names.
3. The approximate date of the judgment.
4. A list of the documents you need, and whether each must be certified.

Ask the Clerk what identification it needs, how it accepts payment and whether your request can be handled by email or mail. The Clerk charges separate fees for certification and for copies. Current amounts appear on the Clerk's miscellaneous fee schedule (form CCG 0140), so confirm them before you go.

If you do not have the case number, look at any court papers you kept or run a Cook County divorce case search on the Clerk's online case information. The Clerk notes that this online data is a summary of the docket, may take a few days to update and is not the official court record. It can help you find the number, but it does not replace a certified copy.

Searching older Cook County divorce records

Finding older Cook County divorce records takes a little more work. The Clerk began computerized indexing and docketing in the early 1980s. Older, pre-electronic records are handled by the Clerk's Archives Department:

• Richard J. Daley Center, Room 1113
• Phone: 312-603-6601

According to the Archives page, staff need a case number to locate a file. If you do not have one, staff search name indices organized by date and case type, and a search fee is charged for each year searched. Staff cannot run broad searches, so give the exact spellings of both names and the likely year. Archived files are stored off-site, and the Clerk suggests allowing 2 to 10 days for a file to be transferred for viewing.

If your divorce was granted in another Illinois county, request the judgment from that county's circuit clerk. A divorce from another state comes from that state's court.

Sealed and impounded files

Most divorce files are court records, but some information is protected. Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, financial account numbers and card numbers should not appear in filed documents except for the last four digits. When the full number is required, it goes on a separate notice that the Clerk impounds, meaning it is kept confidential. A judge can also order other information redacted or filed confidentially.

If a document you need has been impounded or sealed, the Clerk will tell you what is required to see it. Depending on the order, you may need permission from the judge. A lawyer can help you prepare a motion if that is necessary.

When you need the decree enforced or changed

Often the reason people look for their divorce judgment is that something has gone wrong or changed. Some examples:

• The other party is not following the judgment. Unpaid support, a refusal to transfer property or missed parenting time may call for a petition for rule to show cause or another enforcement request. See our family court order enforcement page and enforcement fees.
• Circumstances have changed. Child support may be modified after a substantial change in circumstances; see how to modify child support in Illinois.
• The parenting plan no longer fits. See when to modify a parenting plan.

In Cook County, post-decree motions generally go back to the calendar that entered the judgment. The rules require the person who files to bring the judgment, any agreement it references and the latest order to each court date, so having a complete copy matters. Our guide to post-decree motions in Illinois explains the options.

Tips and common mistakes

• Getting only the first and last pages. Agencies may reject a judgment without the attached agreement or parenting plan.
• Bringing the Certificate of Dissolution instead of the judgment. They are different documents.
• Relying on an online docket printout. It is not the official record.
• Misspelling names. Archive searches depend on exact names and dates.
• Waiting until a closing or deadline. Archived files can take days to arrive.

How Chicago Family Attorneys can help

Chicago Family Attorneys handles post-decree matters in Cook, DuPage, Will and Lake Counties. The firm can:

• Review your judgment and explain what it requires of each party.
• Prepare an enforcement petition or a motion to modify support or parenting time.
• Appear at a post-decree hearing under a limited scope arrangement or provide full representation.

Limited scope drafting starts at $500, and one hearing appearance starts at $1,200. Enforcement work is quoted separately; see the enforcement fee page linked above. Fees are confirmed in writing before you engage the firm, and no outcome can be promised. For related guides, see our Cook County Domestic Relations Division guide, the Illinois family law case process and our Cook County divorce lawyer page.