Modifying a Legal Separation Agreement

Definitions

Civil Union License

A civil union license, otherwise known as a civil union certificate, is a document that confirms that both partners have entered into a legally recognized civil union. In order to enter into a civil union in the state of Illinois, both parties must sign the civil union license, and pay a $60 USD filing fee. If you cannot pay the fee, you may be a

Driver's License Suspension

If you have failed to make child support payments on time, your driver's license can be suspended as part of a child support enforcement penalty. IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT A DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION: If you believe that you have not fallen behind on your child support payments, you may be able to contest the suspension If you cannot work

Judicial Child Support Order

A judicial child support order is a legally-binding child support order that is entered by a judge in court. This means that in order to modify, enforce, or terminate a judicial child support order, you will need to file a notice motion to the other parent and have your case heard by a judge.If you have a copy of your child support order, you can t

Modifying Parenting Time

A parenting plan (visitation schedule) can be modified to increase or decrease the amount of parenting time a caregiver has with the child(s).A modification may be granted if you can show to the judge that there has been a change in either caregivers capacity to care for the child(s) since the original parenting plan was ordered.Additional reasons

Temporary Maintenance (Alimony)

Temporary maintenance (alimony) refers to payments made to your spouse or partner while the two of you are getting or currently are legally separated, OR are in the process of getting a divorce or dissolving your civil union.

Respondent

The respondent to a civil court case is the person who first received a notice of summons and therefore is required to file their appearance in order to schedule their first court date. The person who originally filed the summons and the original petition is called the petitioner to the case. The petitioner and respondent to a case will continue t

(Marital) Settlement Agreement

A (marital) settlement agreement is a legally-binding court order made between two spouses when getting a divorce or two partners when dissolving a civil union. Settlement agreement can order one or both parties to make certain payments to the other, or to divide certain assets, including: alimony payments child support payments for minor children

Legal Separation

Legal separation is the process through which a judge orders that two spouses in a marriage or two partners in a civil union are required to live separately from one another. However, this DOES NOT mean the two spouses or partners have divorced or have had their civil union dissolved.When two people are legally separated, one or both parties may re

Unallocated Child Support

Unallocated child support is a type of child support payment one can be ordered to pay or receive through a legally-binding child support order. If you are ordered to pay unallocated child support by a judge in court, all of your payments are tax-deductible.All other kinds of child support payments are NOT tax-deductible for the paying parent, nor

Parenting Plan

A parenting plan is a legally-binding document that orders the allocation of parental responsibilities (custody arrangement), parenting time (visitation rights), or both.The content of a parenting plan may include, but is not limited to the following information:which parent(s) has primary custody of the child(s)how much parenting time (visitation

Temporary Custody

Temporary custody is a temporary allocation of parental responsibilities (custody) to you, your spouse or partner, or both. This temporary allocation can only be made while the two of you are legally separated, and/or are currently in the process of divorcing or dissolving your civil union.If temporary custody is ordered, one parent will become the

Court Order

A court order is a written document issued by a judge in court. Court orders are given to both parties to a court case – called the petitioner and the respondent – each time your case is heard in front of a judge in court. The court order describes what events took place in court on the date it is issued, and it typically requires one or both par

Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)

A Qualified (Illinois) Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is a court order issued during a divorce, dissolution of civil union, or legal separation case. QDROs decide how a couple's retirement savings will be divided among each other after they separate. If a couple does not have any retirement savings, a QDRO will not be ordered.

Child Support Order

A child support order is a legally-binding court order requiring a legal parent of a child, typically the child's non-custodial parent, to make a certain amount of child support payments on a regular basis. There are two types of child support orders: judicial child support orders, and administrative child support orders. The main difference betw

Fee Waiver

A fee waiver is an application open to those who cannot afford to pay court fees or any related legal fees, such as filing a petition or filing an appearance. You will need to have the following information to apply for a fee waiver: the public benefits you receive, such as LINK/SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or SSI the amount income you earned last month,

Contempt of Court

Being held in contempt of court is typically the result of a failure to follow the directions of a court order. It may also be the result of child support enforcement. If you are held in contempt or court, you may be subject to certain penalties, such as a fine or a short period of incarceration.

Gestational Surrogacy Agreement

Gestational surrogacy is the process through which a woman carries and gives birth to a child that was conceived through in vitro fertilization, with the intent to place said child in the care of another parent, referred to as the intended parent. In order to have a valid gestational surrogacy agreement, the intended parent must have made a geneti

Terminating a Child Support Order

Terminating a child support order is the process through which a child support order is declared null and void. Once a child support order is terminated, no future child support payments are owed for the child(s) on the order.Generally speaking, there are two valid reasons to terminate a child support order:the child(s) on the order is over the age

Appealing or Modifying a Divorce Judgement

The process of getting a divorce will likely involve many hearings in court and the issuing of many different court orders. Some of the court orders or "judgements" made throughout a divorce case can be appealed or changed (modify) depending on the situation. Examples of court orders and judgements that can be appealed or modified may include:

Modifying a Child Support Order

Modifying a child support order is the process through which certain aspects of a previously issued child support order are changed, and a new child support order is created. There are two main reasons for modifying a child support order:1. Modifying the $ amount of child support owed (including alimony and cash-medical support)Depending on the cir

Modifying a Custody Arrangement

A parenting plan (custody order) can be modified to change which caretaker has custody of a child(s), but only within TWO (2) YEARS of its originally being ordered. Additionally, a modification will only be approved if you can show to a judge in court that doing so would be in the best interest of the child(s).Modifying a parenting plan may result

Docket Number

In Illinois, every civil court case is filed with a unique docket number. Your cases's docket number will be written on every court order you receive. Additionally, each time you file a notice of motion, you will have to include the docket number for the case. For family law cases (Domestic Relations cases), every docket number will contain the

E-Filing Exemption

A Certification for Exemption from E-Filing, if approved by the courts, allows you to file a petition or notice of motion on paper rather than doing so online (e-filing).You may qualify for an E-Filing exception if:You do NOT own or have access to a computer or a stable internet connectionYou have previously tried and were unable to e-file; orYou a

Interim Attorney's Fees

Interim attorney's fees refers to the costs associated with hiring and being represented by an attorney in court, to be assessed periodically throughout the duration of a legal separation, dissolution of marriage (divorce), or dissolution of civil union case. An award of interim attorney's fees may be based on, but is not limited to the followi

Modifying a (Marital) Settlement Agreement

Certain aspects of a (martial) settlement agreement may be modified, but ONLY IF it can be shown to a judge that doing so is in the best interests of both parties and/or their children.A substantial change in one's financial circumstances, such as a change in employment status or the added presence of a mental or physical disability, may warrant a

Declaring the Non-Existence of a Parent-Child Relationship

Declaring the non-existence of a parent-child relationship means that a child's legal parent is NO LONGER recognized as that child's legal parent. This can be made based on the results of DNA testing or by acquiring knowledge of the relevant facts of the situation, but ONLY IF it has been less than TWO (2) YEARS since the petitioner to the declarat

Temporary Child Support

Temporary child support refers to a type of child support payment to be made to your spouse or partner while the two of you are legally separated, and/or are currently in the process of dissolving your marriage (divorce) or dissolving your civil union.Generally speaking, a spouse or partner will only be ordered to pay temporary child support if bot

Marriage License

A marriage license is both the first step towards getting legally married in Illinois, as well as a document that confirms the legal marriage between two persons. In order to get married, you and your partner must first apply for a marriage license together at an approved location BEFORE solemnizing the marriage, which requires the following: pre

Petitioner

The petitioner to a civil court case is the person who first filed a petition and a notice of summons to start the court case. Similarly, the person to whom the petition and summons was addressed to is the respondent to the case. The petitioner and respondent to a case will continue to be the petitioner and respondent throughout the duration of th

Affidavit

An affidavit is a written document that alleges a set of factual statements, and may be submitted as evidence as part of a court case. In other words, an affidavit is the written version of testifying in court under oath, and requires signing by a licensed public notary.

Motion to Reconsider

A motion to reconsider is a notice of motion that can only be filed within 30 DAYS of receiving a court order you disagree with.For example, if you have been ordered to pay an amount in child support that you disagree with, you can file a motion to reconsider within 30 days of the order being entered. This will request that the court schedules a ne

Property Divisions

Property divisions refers to the process through which marital property or civil union property is distributed among both spouses or partners during a dissolution of marriage (divorce) or dissolution of civil union case.Dividing assets contained in a couple's shared retirement account requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO).Property di

Notice of Motion

A notice of motion is a written request to the courts that a issue a specific court order, or a judgement regarding a particular aspect of the case. Examples of common motions include: a motion to modify a child support order a motion to enforce parenting time (visitation rights); or a motion to appeal a divorce judgementIn order for a notice of

Adjudication of Parentage

An adjudication of parentage refers to a court order (or a legally equivalent administrative order) that establishes a parent-child relationship between the adjudicated parent and a child. A judge or the Department of Family Services (HFS) may adjudicate parentage on the basis of DNA testing, or because of the relevant facts of the situation. Pare

Show all related Definitions

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Definitions

Legal Separation

Appealing or Modifying a Divorce Judgement

Temporary Custody

Modifying a (Marital) Settlement Agreement

Interim Attorney's Fees

Child Support Order

Modifying Parenting Time

Marriage License

Petitioner

E-Filing Exemption

Contempt of Court

Fee Waiver

Docket Number

Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)

Modifying a Custody Arrangement

Motion to Reconsider

Court Order

Civil Union License

(Marital) Settlement Agreement

Modifying a Child Support Order

Adjudication of Parentage

Terminating a Child Support Order

Unallocated Child Support

Gestational Surrogacy Agreement

Notice of Motion

Affidavit

Temporary Maintenance (Alimony)

Property Divisions

Judicial Child Support Order

Parenting Plan

Declaring the Non-Existence of a Parent-Child Relationship

Temporary Child Support

Driver's License Suspension

Respondent

Hide all related Definitions

Modifying a Legal Separation Agreement

What Does it Mean?

Things You Should Know

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Definitions

Definitions

Articles

Articles

Modifying a Legal Separation Agreement

What Does it Mean?

Things You Should Know

See Related

Definitions

Civil Union License

Driver's License Suspension

Judicial Child Support Order

Modifying Parenting Time

Temporary Maintenance (Alimony)

Respondent

(Marital) Settlement Agreement

Legal Separation

Unallocated Child Support

Parenting Plan

Temporary Custody

Court Order

Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)

Child Support Order

Fee Waiver

Contempt of Court

Gestational Surrogacy Agreement

Terminating a Child Support Order

Appealing or Modifying a Divorce Judgement

Modifying a Child Support Order

Modifying a Custody Arrangement

Docket Number

E-Filing Exemption

Interim Attorney's Fees

Modifying a (Marital) Settlement Agreement

Declaring the Non-Existence of a Parent-Child Relationship

Temporary Child Support

Marriage License

Petitioner

Affidavit

Motion to Reconsider

Property Divisions

Notice of Motion

Adjudication of Parentage

Definitions

Legal Separation

Appealing or Modifying a Divorce Judgement

Temporary Custody

Modifying a (Marital) Settlement Agreement

Interim Attorney's Fees

Child Support Order

Modifying Parenting Time

Marriage License

Petitioner

E-Filing Exemption

Contempt of Court

Fee Waiver

Docket Number

Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)

Modifying a Custody Arrangement

Motion to Reconsider

Court Order

Civil Union License

(Marital) Settlement Agreement

Modifying a Child Support Order

Adjudication of Parentage

Terminating a Child Support Order

Unallocated Child Support

Gestational Surrogacy Agreement

Notice of Motion

Affidavit

Temporary Maintenance (Alimony)

Property Divisions

Judicial Child Support Order

Parenting Plan

Declaring the Non-Existence of a Parent-Child Relationship

Temporary Child Support

Driver's License Suspension

Respondent

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