Family & Safety resources

Human Trafficking

The Illinois Trafficking Victims Protection Act

A blog about the Illinois Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

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Introduction to human trafficking

The basics of human trafficking, how to identify it, and what to do if you or someone you know is a victim.

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Department of Justice: human trafficking prosecution

A webpage from the US Department of Justice about human trafficking prosecutions, relevant case law, and resources.

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Immigration remedies for survivors of human trafficking

A video about human trafficking victims in the immigration system, including working with law enforcement and T-Visas.

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Divorce

This Easy Form helps you make the forms to get a divorce. You can use it if you and your spouse have children together or if you do not. It also works if you want to make forms to end a civil union.

Easy Form

Financial affidavit

This Easy Form helps you provide financial information and documents to the other party in family law cases. It makes the statewide Financial Affidavit (Family and Divorce Cases) forms.

Easy Form

Getting a divorce

Learn about what to expect in a divorce, who can start a case, how long it takes, and what’s decided in a divorce.

Guide

Legal separation

Learn about what a legal separation is, how it’s different from a divorce, and how to get one.

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Parental responsibilities (custody and visitation)

Parenting plan

This Easy Form will help you make a plan to set parental responsibilities (formerly "custody") and parenting time (formerly "visitation").

Easy Form

Am I responsible for my child after they turn 18?

Information about what a parent's duties are to their children after the age of 18 and what parents can do.

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Petition for allocation of parental responsibilities

Use this form to ask the judge to give you parental responsibilities for a child. This includes parenting time (visitation) and decision-making power (custody).

Form download

Starting a case to get parental responsibilities or custody

Learn more about the steps to get parental responsibilities (formerly known as custody) of a child.

How-To

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Child support and child care

Request to change child support

This Easy Form helps you make forms to ask the court to increase or decrease your current child support order. This is called child support modification.

Easy Form

Changing or ending child support payment common questions

Common questions that people may have on changing or ending their child support payments.

FAQ

Petition for rule to show cause - Family law cases

This program will create a Petition for Rule to Show Cause to help you enforce an earlier court order. Use it for Illinois family law orders, involving child support, divorce judgments, allocation of parental responsibilities, parenting plans, or joint parenting agreements (custody or visitation).

Easy Form

Starting a case to get child support

Steps to get child support from the forms you need to how the court hearing works.

How-To

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Elder abuse or neglect

Confidentiality for mental and developmental disabilities

Information about privacy and protection under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act.

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Protection from abuse and neglect for senior citizens

Explains laws that protect older people in Illinois from abuse. Includes how to get an Order of Protection ("restraining order").

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Self Neglect Program Basics

Self-Neglect" means a condition that is the result of an individual’s inability to perform essential self-care tasks that substantially threatens his/her own health.

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Protection from abuse

Protection from sexual assault basics

Learn more about what sexual assault is and the legal protections for survivors of sexual assault.

Guide

Order of Protection

This Easy Form helps you ask the court to order someone to stop harming or threatening you, your children, or other household members.

Easy Form

Emergency Order of Protection - Cook County

This Easy Form helps you ask the court to order someone to stop harming or threatening you, your children, or other household members. Email your forms to the court. For use only in Cook County.

Easy Form

Illinois protective and restraining orders common questions

Explore the different kinds of restraining orders and protective orders available in Illinois to keep you safe.

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Adoption

Learning more about a past adoption common questions

Learn more about options for obtaining information about a past adoption.

FAQ

Final and irrevocable consent to adoption

Use this form to give consent for your child to be adopted.

Form link

Certificate of adoption

Use this form to prove you adopted a child.

Form link

Adoption law

Adoption law in Illinois with guidance on unique situations like same-sex adopting parents, surrogacy and interracial adoption. 2024 Edition

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Child abuse or neglect

Can I leave my children alone at home after school?

Learn more about Illinois laws involved when leaving a child home by themselves.

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I was indicated by DCFS

Describes what to expect if you are indicated by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

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DCFS cases and child protection services

Describes how to get your children back and knowing your goals if your DCFS case goes to juvenile court.

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Guardian ad Litem (GAL) basics

Explains what a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is. Includes when they are appointed, how to interact with them, and how they’re different from other guardians.

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Paternity or parentage

Starting a case for parentage in court

Steps to establish parentage from the forms you need to the court hearing process.

How-To

Parentage and allocation petition for father

Use this form to ask a judge to establish parentage if you think you are the father of a child.

Form download

Voluntary acknowledgment of parentage or VAP basics

A VAP is a legal form that establishes a legal relationship between a parent and a child. Both parents must sign the form. Once it is signed, it is very hard to undo.

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Voluntary acknowledgment of paternity - VAP

A program to help you complete the forms to acknowledge that someone is the father of a child.

Easy Form

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Adult guardianship

Starting a case for guardianship of an adult

Steps to get guardianship of an adult from the forms you need to how the court hearing works.

How-To

Getting guardianship of an adult

Learn more about what guardianship of an adult is and the legal process involved in getting one.

Guide

Confidentiality for mental and developmental disabilities

Information about privacy and protection under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act.

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Community integrated living arrangements

Explains the Community Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure Act for adults with mental or developmental disabilities.

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Child guardianship

Getting guardianship of a child

Explains how to get the legal right to take care of a child if their parent cannot or will not take care of the child.

Guide

Guardian ad Litem (GAL) basics

Explains what a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is. Includes when they are appointed, how to interact with them, and how they’re different from other guardians.

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Short-term guardianship

A program to help you appoint a short-term guardian to be responsible your children for up to 1 year.

Easy Form

Starting a case for guardianship of a minor

Steps to get guardianship of a minor from the forms you need to how the court hearing works.

How-To

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Emancipation

Becoming emancipated

Explains how a child can become legally independent from their parents.

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Getting ready for emancipation

A guide for DCFS youth to make emancipation decisions and to step into independence and self-sufficiency.

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Children's law and Illinois Parentage Act

Gives information about Children's law and the Illinois Parentage Act.

Lawyer Manuals

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Adult name change

Adult name change basics

Learn more about adult name changes and reasons why adults may want to make this change.

Guide

Adult name change common questions

Learn answers to common questions you may have about the adult name change process in Illinois.

FAQ

Starting a case to change the name of an adult

This how-to explains the steps needed for an adult to legally change their name.

How-To

Rights of LGBTQIA+ people in Illinois

An overview of LGBTQIA+ rights in areas such as employment, housing, education, and family.

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Child name change

Name change for a child

A program to help you complete the forms you need to ask the court to change the name of minor children.

Easy Form

Changing a child's name

A court order is required to change a child's name from the name stated on their birth certificate. This article walks you through things to consider before starting this process.

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Starting a case to change a child's name

Steps and forms needed to start a case to change your child's name, what to do after the case has been filed, and what to do after the name change has been approved.

How-To

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Marriage or civil union

Getting married in the US if I am an undocumented immigrant

Learn about obtaining a marriage license and getting married as an undocumented person to a US citizen.

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Who can perform a wedding?

Information about who can perform a wedding and what happens if someone performs a wedding who is not qualified.

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Are common law marriages legal?

Common law marriages are not valid in Illinois, but a common law marriage from another state is recognized in Illinois.

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Is there any reason to get a civil union?

Two people may prefer a civil union over marriage for personal reasons, but there is no legal difference between the two.

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Other family and safety issues

Am I responsible for my child after they turn 18?

Information about what a parent's duties are to their children after the age of 18 and what parents can do.

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Financial affidavit

This Easy Form helps you provide financial information and documents to the other party in family law cases. It makes the statewide Financial Affidavit (Family and Divorce Cases) forms.

Easy Form

Legal separation

Learn about what a legal separation is, how it’s different from a divorce, and how to get one.

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Getting a copy of your birth certificate

What to do to get a copy of your birth certificate if you were born in Illinois or elsewhere.

FAQ

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