Updated: Oct 18, 2026
Orders of Protection in Cook County Illinois
If you or a loved one are experiencing threats, harassment or violence from a family or household member, an order of protection can be a critical step toward safety. This guide explains how to get an order of protection in Illinois under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 (750 ILCS 60), with filing details for Chicago, suburban Cook County and DuPage, Lake and Will Counties. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For help 24 hours a day, call or text the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at (877) 863-6338.
To speak with an experienced attorney regarding your order of protection matter, call Chicago Family Attorneys at 312-965-5618 or book a free consultation online. Take the first steps to hiring a family lawyer for your order of protection case.
How to get an order of protection in Illinois: the steps
Here is how to file an order of protection in Illinois, from the first decision to the plenary hearing.
- Check that you qualify. The Illinois Domestic Violence Act covers abuse by a family or household member. That includes a spouse or former spouse, a relative, someone you live or lived with, the other parent of your child, and a current or former dating partner. See our guide to the Illinois Domestic Violence Act.
- Pick the filing route. You can file an independent petition, or file under the same case number as a pending divorce, parentage or other family case (750 ILCS 60/202). In Cook County, a petition tied to a criminal case is filed by the State's Attorney (Circuit Court Rule 22.4(A)).
- Prepare the petition. Describe specific incidents with dates, list the protections you want from Section 214, and identify any children and pending cases.
- File it. There is no filing fee and no sheriff's fee for service (Section 202(b)). In Cook County you can e-file or file in person, as explained below.
- Attend the emergency hearing. The judge can enter an emergency order without notice to the respondent if Section 217 is met. It lasts 14 to 21 days (Section 220).
- Have the respondent served. The sheriff or another law enforcement officer serves the respondent with a summons, the petition and any emergency order (Section 210). While service is being completed, the judge can enter an interim order of up to 30 days (Section 218).
- Return for the plenary hearing. Both sides may present evidence. A plenary order generally lasts up to 2 years and can be extended (Section 219 and Section 220).
An emergency order cannot include counseling, legal custody, support or money payments (Section 217). Those remedies can come later, in an interim or plenary order after the respondent has notice; counseling, support and money payments also require personal service, an answer or a general appearance by the respondent (Sections 210(d) and 218). If you are the person served with a petition, read how to respond to an order of protection in Illinois.
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What is an Order of Protection?
An order of protection is a legal court order issued by the Circuit Court to prevent an abuser from continuing their harmful behavior towards the victim. In Illinois, this order can cover various forms of abuse, including physical, emotional, and verbal. It can also protect individuals from harassment, intimidation, and stalking. The order can require that the abuser cease contact, stay away from the victim’s home, work, or school, and in some cases, surrender firearms.
If alcohol use is part of the conduct, read alcohol, domestic violence and orders of protection in Illinois.
Types of Orders of Protection
There are three main types of orders of protection you can seek in Illinois:
Emergency Order of Protection (EOP): Section 217 permits emergency relief without prior service or notice when its requirements are met. A respondent who appears may file a general appearance and testify. Under Section 220(a), an emergency order lasts 14 to 21 days unless reopened, extended or superseded by a longer order.
Interim Order of Protection: Section 218 requires the applicable hearing notice, jurisdiction and remedy requirements, plus a general appearance, service, or diligent attempts to complete required service. Certain remedies require an appearance or personal service. Under Section 220(a), an interim order lasts up to 30 days unless reopened, extended or superseded.
Plenary Order of Protection: A plenary order of protection is a long-term order issued after a court hearing. A plenary order of protection can last up to two years and may be extended, which requires satisfying the requirements of 750 ILCS 60/217, 218 or 219 again.
What are the filing procedures in Cook County?
The correct filing route depends on the petition and related proceedings. Tell the Clerk and the court about any pending family or criminal case. Cook County Rule 22.4 addresses assignment and transfers. If you are unsure which petition applies, compare Orders of Protection, Stalking No Contact Orders and Civil No Contact Orders.
Filing an order of protection in Cook County is a vital step for those seeking safety and legal protection from abuse. The process can differ depending on whether the petition is filed within the Domestic Violence Division or the Domestic Relations Division.
Understanding the procedures and requirements in each division is crucial for effectively navigating the legal system and ensuring that your protection order is both timely and enforceable. That is why it is crucial to hire an attorney to advocate for you and your loved ones within your Order of Protection case.
Legal Requirements for Qualifying for an Order of Protection in Cook County
To qualify for an order of protection in Cook County, Illinois, you must meet the following legal requirements:
Family or Household Member: The petitioner (the person seeking protection) must be a family or household member of the respondent (the alleged abuser) as defined by Illinois law. This includes individuals related by blood, marriage, or who share or have shared a home, individuals in a dating or engagement relationship, and individuals with disabilities and their personal assistants.
Victim of Domestic Violence: The petitioner must have been a victim of domestic violence, which can include any of the behaviors listed under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, such as physical violence, harassment, intimidation, interference with personal liberty, or willful deprivation.
Filing a Petition: The petitioner must file a petition for an order of protection with the appropriate court, providing detailed information about the abuse, including specific incidents and the impact on the victim and any children involved.
Emergency Orders: For each requested emergency remedy, Section 217 requires jurisdiction under Section 208, satisfaction of Section 214, and the remedy-specific good-cause showing concerning prior service or notice.
Evidence of Abuse: The petitioner must be able to provide sufficient evidence to support the allegations of abuse, which can include witness statements, medical records, police reports, and other documentation.
It's important to note that the legal requirements for obtaining an order of protection can vary based on the specific circumstances of the case, and it is advisable to seek legal counsel for guidance.
At Chicago Family Attorneys, we understand the urgency and sensitivity of domestic violence cases. We are here to guide you through the process of obtaining an order of protection, ensuring that you receive the legal support necessary to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Filings in the Domestic Violence Division of Cook County
A person seeking an emergency Order of Protection should confirm the current filing and hearing instructions with the Clerk or assigned court. Filing a petition does not itself create an order or guarantee a same-day hearing or relief. If there is immediate danger, call 911.
Within each petition, you will need to outline the abuse that has occurred. During normal business hours, legal assistants and court staff are available to help you fill out the necessary paperwork.
Confirm whether the emergency hearing will be in person or remote and follow the current court instructions. The filing method, hearing availability and wait vary; do not rely on a general article for a guaranteed hearing time.
At your initial emergency hearing, the judge will review the Petition for an Order of Protection, and they may ask you a series of questions after you have sworn to the court to tell the truth. Based on the petition, the evidence, and the statements you make at the ex parte hearing, the court will determine whether an emergency order is necessary to protect those listed on the petition.
The court will then set a date called a "status" usually 21 days from the emergency hearing, to review whether the abuser, also known as the "Respondent", has been served by the sheriff's office.
The Domestic Violence Division at 555 W. Harrison handles domestic-violence matters under its current assignments. Emergency relief requires a judicial decision under the governing law; filing alone does not create protection. Chicago SNCO filings follow the separate Daley Center assignment effective September 21, 2026.
Where to file in Chicago, suburban Cook County and DuPage, Lake and Will Counties
In Cook County, the Circuit Court's order of protection page lists these options (checked October 18, 2026):
- E-filing: file the petition packet through Odyssey eFileIL before 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays. The Clerk then contacts you to schedule a same-day remote hearing by Zoom.
- In person in Chicago: the Domestic Violence Courthouse, 555 W. Harrison St., Chicago (First Municipal District), before 4:30 p.m. on court days. Check in at the help desk in Room 1400.
- In person in the suburbs: the Clerk's office in the courthouse for your suburban residential district, before 4:30 p.m. on court days:
- Second District: Skokie Courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Road, Skokie
- Third District: Rolling Meadows Courthouse, 2121 Euclid Avenue, Rolling Meadows
- Fourth District: Maywood Courthouse, 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood
- Fifth District: Bridgeview Courthouse, 10220 S. 76th Avenue, Bridgeview
- Sixth District: Markham Courthouse, 16501 S. Kedzie Parkway, Markham
- Nights and weekends: remote emergency hearings are available Monday through Friday from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., except holidays. You request the hearing through Illinois Legal Aid Online during those hours.
If a divorce or parentage case is already pending, you can also ask for protection in that case (Section 202(a)(2)); see the Domestic Relations Division section below and our Cook County Domestic Relations Division guide. In DuPage, Lake or Will County, file with the circuit court in that county and confirm its current hours and filing method with the circuit clerk. For after-hours help, see our page on an emergency order of protection after hours and our guide to getting an emergency order of protection on a weekend.
Immediate and Same-Day Filings
If you need emergency protection, confirm the correct filing location and current instructions for your petition and any related case. Do not assume that every protective-order matter is filed at 555 W. Harrison or that cases follow a universal first-come, first-served schedule.
During normal business hours, legal assistants and court staff are available to help you complete the necessary paperwork, ensuring that your petition is properly prepared for the judge’s review.
The Emergency Hearing Process
At the emergency hearing, the judge reviews the petition, evidence and sworn testimony. Follow the court’s instructions about attendance. For each requested emergency OP remedy, Section 217 requires jurisdiction under Section 208, satisfaction of Section 214, and the remedy-specific good-cause showing concerning prior service or notice.
If the judge grants the emergency order, it will take effect immediately, providing swift legal relief. This order can include various protective measures, such as prohibiting the abuser from contacting you, ordering the abuser to stay away from your home or workplace, and, in some cases, requiring the abuser to surrender firearms.
Status Review and Follow-Up Hearings
After an emergency order is issued, the court will typically schedule a status review hearing within 21 days. This follow-up hearing is crucial to ensure that the respondent (the person the order is against) has been properly notified and served by the sheriff's office. It is critical for petitioners to attend this hearing to maintain the protection order. During the status review, the court will decide whether the emergency order should be extended, modified, or converted into a more permanent plenary order of protection, which can last up to two years and is renewable.
Failure to attend the status review hearing could result in the dismissal of the order, leaving you without legal protection.
Coordination with Ongoing Family Law Cases
Tell the court about any related pending family-law case. Under Cook County Rule 22.4(C), an independent OP filed in the Domestic Violence Division with a related case pending in Domestic Relations is transferred by the assigned judge; that judge determines whether transfer occurs before or after an emergency hearing. The rule treats an OP filed before the related family case differently.
However, this consolidation will only occur after the initial hearing on the emergency order of protection. Until then, the order of protection remains a separate legal action.
Cook County Domestic Relations Division Filings
If there is an ongoing divorce, a case about the allocation of parental responsibilities or parenting time, or a prior case between the petitioner and the respondent, an emergency order of protection may be filed into the same court so long as the petitioner follows local court rules, general administrative orders, and the standing orders of the judge.
These rules, administrative orders and standing orders change over time. Two Cook County rules address where an order of protection is heard when a family case also exists: Circuit Court Rule 13.3(g), in the Domestic Relations rules (Part 13), and Rule 22.4(C), in the Domestic Violence Division rules (Part 22). Under them:
Related case already pending: Under Rule 22.4(C), when an independent OP is filed in the Domestic Violence Division and a related case is pending in Domestic Relations, the judge transfers the case and determines whether the transfer occurs before or after the emergency hearing. Under Rule 13.3(g), an OP filed in Chicago while a divorce or parentage case is pending in a suburban district, or the reverse, is consolidated with that case after the emergency hearing.
Related family case filed later: When an independent OP is filed in the Domestic Violence Division before the related Domestic Relations case, Rule 22.4(C) directs transfer after the emergency OP hearing. Rule 13.3(g) also lets the judge hearing the OP keep it until an interim or plenary order or a dismissal is entered, even if a family case is later filed in another district. Other district transfers must follow the applicable assignment procedures.
Assignment and transfer orders: Follow the judge’s transfer directions and the current local rules. A prior family case does not itself establish that every new protection petition stays in one courtroom until a plenary decision.
Emergency Orders: You always have the right to file a petition for an emergency order of protection under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, regardless of where your related family law case is being handled.
There are significant rules to follow when filing an order of protection in any division of Cook County. You do not need a lawyer to file: the clerk must provide simplified forms and clerical help to people without a lawyer (750 ILCS 60/202(d)). A lawyer can help with drafting the petition and affidavits, gathering evidence and presenting the case, especially when a family case is pending, parenting issues are contested or the respondent has a lawyer.
Merging Orders of Protection with Ongoing Family Law Cases
An Order of Protection can be sought in connection with a pending family-law matter when the applicable requirements are met. Identify existing orders and the specific protective relief requested. Assignment and transfer rules determine where the request is heard; filing it does not guarantee that every family-law issue will be decided at the same hearing.
An existing family case can affect assignment of an independent Order of Protection. Provide the case number, division and current orders, and follow the court’s transfer directions under Rule 22.4. Do not assume a transfer automatically changes parenting provisions or removes a hearing obligation.
Differing Standards Between Divisions
It is important to understand that the standards applied in the Domestic Relations Division differ from those in the Domestic Violence Division. While both divisions are committed to protecting victims of domestic violence, the Domestic Relations Division must also consider the broader context of ongoing family law matters, particularly when minor children are involved.
Section 217 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act sets the prerequisites for an emergency order of protection. Section 602.7 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act separately allocates parenting time according to the child's best interests.
Legal Framework and Court’s Discretion
Judges in the Domestic Relations Division have significant discretion in managing orders of protection, particularly when there are ongoing family law matters. Depending on the specifics of the case, the judge may decide to consolidate the order of protection with the existing family law case or handle it as a separate matter. This decision is influenced by various factors, including the severity of the abuse, the stage of the ongoing family law case, and any immediate risks to the petitioner.
Given the complexities of integrating an order of protection with an ongoing family law case, it is essential to be aware of the local rules, administrative orders, and standing orders of the presiding judge, as these can change over time and may impact how the case is handled. Understanding these procedural intricacies is crucial for ensuring that the order of protection is properly filed and enforced.
Under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act (IDVA), victims have the right to file for an emergency order of protection regardless of where their related family law case is being handled. This means that even if a divorce, parentage or parental responsibilities case is pending in the Domestic Relations Division, you can still seek immediate protection through an emergency order.
What changes on January 1, 2027
Public Act 104-754 amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act effective January 1, 2027. The main changes for people seeking an order of protection are:
- More conduct counts as harassment. The list of conduct presumed to cause emotional distress will include repeatedly contacting you electronically or through a third party, using electronic means to track or monitor your location, sharing or threatening to share fake images or audio that impersonate you, sharing or threatening to share private or altered sexual images of you, and publishing your personally identifiable information (750 ILCS 60/103).
- A new remedy. The court can order the respondent to remove or delete harassing materials and tracking or monitoring information, and to show that this was done (Section 214(b)(19)).
- Remote hearings. Every court must offer a remote hearing to a petitioner and must grant the request unless there is good cause to deny it (Section 212(d)). Today, courts in counties with more than 250,000 people, such as Cook, must offer the option, and the judge may grant or deny it.
- Extensions. A violation or a new incident of abuse is not required to extend an order. The court must extend a plenary order if Section 219 is met and there has been no material change in the relevant circumstances, and it may extend the order for any fixed period, or for more than 2 years on good cause (Section 220(e)).
Until January 1, 2027, the current text of each section applies.
The Importance of Hiring a Family Lawyer and Order of Protection Attorney
A lawyer is not required, but the process has deadlines, evidence rules and local procedures, and an order of protection can affect parenting time and a related divorce or parentage case. Chicago Family Attorneys can help you prepare the petition and supporting statements, organize evidence, request the remedies that fit your situation and represent you at the emergency, interim or plenary hearing. The firm handles family law only. A person charged with a crime needs a criminal defense lawyer, and criminal charges are handled by the State's Attorney.
There is no court filing fee for an order of protection. For limited-scope help, drafting starts at $500 and one hearing appearance starts at $1,200. Full representation is an initial payment of $1,500 to $2,500, then $500 to $650 per month beginning 30 days after the initial payment while representation remains active. See order of protection lawyer costs and do I need a lawyer for an order of protection.
Contact Chicago Family Attorneys for a free consultation by calling 312-965-5618 or book a free consultation online through our booking page.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQs About Orders of Protection in Cook County
What is an Order of Protection?
An Order of Protection is a legal court order issued to prevent an abuser from continuing their harmful behavior toward a victim. It can include provisions such as prohibiting contact, requiring the abuser to stay away from the victim’s home, workplace, or school, and in some cases, surrendering firearms.
Who can file for an Order of Protection in Cook County?
Eligibility depends on statutory abuse, a qualifying relationship or other protected category, and the requirements in Sections 103 and 201. A person may file on behalf of a minor or certain adults unable to file under the Act; a concerned relative cannot automatically petition for any competent adult merely because the relative disagrees with that adult’s choices.
How do I file for an Order of Protection in Cook County?
Confirm the filing location and hearing instructions with the Clerk for your OP petition and any related case. The Cook County protective-order page distinguishes the available proceedings. Chicago SNCO filings now go to Daley Center Room CL24; the September 2026 SNCO change does not alter OP, CNCO or criminal assignments.
What should I bring with me when filing for an Order of Protection?
When filing, you should bring any evidence that supports your case, such as police reports, medical records, photographs of injuries, or any other documentation that demonstrates the abuse. You will also need to provide detailed information about the incidents of abuse.
What happens during the emergency hearing for an Order of Protection?
During the emergency hearing, the judge will review your petition and any supporting evidence. The judge may ask you questions to clarify the situation. For each requested emergency remedy, Section 217 requires jurisdiction under Section 208, satisfaction of Section 214, and the remedy-specific good-cause showing concerning prior service or notice.
What is the difference between an Emergency Order of Protection and a Plenary Order of Protection?
Section 217 permits emergency relief without prior service or notice when its requirements are met. A respondent who appears may file a general appearance and testify. Under Section 220(a), an emergency order lasts 14 to 21 days unless reopened, extended or superseded by a longer order. A Plenary Order of Protection is issued after a court hearing where both parties have the opportunity to present their cases. A Plenary Order can last up to two years and can be renewed.
How can I find order of protection attorneys near me?
Chicago Family Attorneys is a family law firm at 53 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 752, in downtown Chicago, and it serves clients in Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will Counties. The firm can help you file for an order of protection and represent you at the hearings. Call 312-965-5618 or see our order of protection representation page.
Can I file an Order of Protection if I already have a pending family law case?
A protection request can be connected with a pending divorce or parenting case. Tell the court about the related case and follow the applicable assignment and transfer procedures. The judge addresses the properly presented relief; filing does not mean every issue will be decided simultaneously.
What happens if the respondent violates the Order of Protection?
If the respondent violates the Order of Protection, you should contact law enforcement immediately. Violating an Order of Protection is a serious offense and can result in criminal charges, including arrest and imprisonment.
How long does an Order of Protection last, and can it be renewed?
Under Section 220(a), emergency orders last 14 to 21 days and interim orders up to 30 days, unless reopened, extended or superseded by a longer order. Plenary Orders can be renewed if the court determines that continued protection is necessary.
Do I need a lawyer to file for an Order of Protection?
No. You can file on your own, and the clerk must provide simplified forms and clerical assistance (750 ILCS 60/202(d)). A lawyer can help you prepare the petition, present evidence and handle a contested plenary hearing or a related family case. See do I need a lawyer for an order of protection.
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