Modifications

Illinois dropped the newspaper publication rule for adult name changes and cut the residency requirement to three months. Here is how it works now, and the free shortcut if you are in the middle of a divorce.

A clear outline of what judges actually look at when it comes to awarding parenting time and decision making.

Illinois just lowered the shared-parenting threshold from 146 overnights to 110 and replaced the all-or-nothing cliff with graduated adjustments. The new law also counts daytime parenting, changes the rules for low-income and incarcerated parents, and requires annual income disclosure. Here's what changes January 1, 2027 — and why existing orders don't update automatically.

Most school-year parenting problems are visible in July — they just don't get handled until they're urgent. Here's what Illinois co-parents should review before the first day of school: whether the parenting plan matches reality, exchange logistics, school records access, extracurricular decisions and costs, and when it's time to modify the order instead of fighting it all year.

Is Illinois a no-fault state? How is child support calculated? Who gets the house? A Chicago family law attorney answers the Illinois family law questions we hear most.

Your court order was written for a moment in time. If that moment has passed — new job, new city, new circumstances — Illinois law may allow you to modify it.