Joliet sits in Will County, the third-most populous county in Illinois, and every divorce filed by a Joliet resident moves through the Will County Courthouse in the heart of downtown. Whether you live near the Rialto Square Theatre, in Cathedral Area, on the west side off Jefferson Street, or out toward Plainfield Road, your case lands with the same office: the Will County Circuit Clerk. This page explains where you physically file, what it costs in 2026, how long it takes, and how Illinois law (the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, 750 ILCS 5) decides property, support, and parenting.
Key Facts: Divorce in Joliet, Illinois (2026)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County | Will County |
| Filing court | Will County Circuit Court (12th Judicial Circuit), Clerk Andrea Lynn Chasteen |
| Court address | 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432 |
| Filing fee range | ~$250-$388 petitioner; ~$218-$251 responding spouse appearance fee |
| Residency requirement | 90 days in Illinois before the final judgment (750 ILCS 5/401) |
| Waiting period | No mandatory separation; courts typically allow ~30+ days to judgment |
| Property model | Equitable distribution (not 50/50), 750 ILCS 5/503 |
How do I file for divorce in Joliet, Illinois?
To file for divorce in Joliet, you prepare a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and submit it to the Will County Circuit Clerk, either through the eFileIL system or in person at 100 West Jefferson Street. Illinois requires attorneys to e-file, and self-represented spouses may e-file or file at the clerk's counter, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
The process follows a predictable sequence in Will County. You file the petition and pay the fee, the clerk dockets the case and issues a case number, then your spouse is served and files an appearance (paying their own appearance fee). Illinois is a pure no-fault state, so you cite irreconcilable differences under 750 ILCS 5/401 rather than blaming anyone. Uncontested cases where both spouses agree on property, support, and parenting move fastest, often reaching a prove-up hearing within a few months.
Where do I file for divorce in Joliet? (which courthouse)
Joliet residents file at the Will County Courthouse, 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432, with the Circuit Clerk, not the County Clerk. The County Clerk's separate office at 302 N. Chicago Street does not handle divorce cases and will direct you to the Circuit Clerk. The courthouse anchors downtown Joliet at Jefferson and Ottawa Streets.
This distinction trips up many filers. The Will County Clerk handles marriage licenses, elections, and vital records, while the Circuit Clerk handles court matters: divorce, child support, orders of protection, adoptions, and probate. If you walk into the wrong building you will lose a trip. For phone confirmation of forms and current fees, the Circuit Clerk's office can be reached at 815-727-8592, and online resources, fee schedules, and forms live at circuitclerkofwillcounty.com.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in Joliet?
A divorce lawyer in Joliet typically charges $250 to $400 per hour, with uncontested flat-fee divorces often running $1,500 to $3,500 and contested cases reaching $7,000 to $15,000 or more. That sits on top of the Will County court filing fee of roughly $250 to $388 for the petitioner. Costs climb with custody disputes, business valuations, or contested support.
Several factors drive the final number for Joliet residents. An uncontested divorce with a signed marital settlement agreement and no minor children is the cheapest path, and some Will County attorneys quote a single flat fee. Contested matters that require depositions, financial discovery, a guardian ad litem for the children, or expert appraisers run substantially higher because they consume attorney hours. If money is the obstacle to filing at all, Illinois offers a court-fee waiver.
What if I cannot afford the Will County filing fee?
If you cannot afford the filing fee, Illinois lets you request a waiver under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 298 by filing an Application for Waiver of Court Fees (Civil). You generally qualify if you receive means-tested public benefits or your household income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. A judge reviews the application and may grant a full or partial waiver.
The civil fee-waiver forms are standardized statewide and free at ilcourts.info/forms or through Illinois Legal Aid Online. You can e-file the application, mail it, or file it at the Will County Circuit Clerk's counter; it does not have to be filed in person. For free help completing the forms, Illinois Court Help is available at 833-411-1121. Note that the statewide civil waiver, not any criminal-case packet, is the correct form for a Joliet divorce.
How long does a divorce take in Joliet?
An uncontested divorce in Joliet often finalizes in about 45 to 90 days once both spouses sign a settlement agreement, while contested cases commonly take 6 to 18 months. Illinois has no mandatory separation period, but the 90-day residency requirement under 750 ILCS 5/401 must be satisfied before a judge enters the final judgment of dissolution.
Two timelines matter in Will County. The residency clock (90 days for one spouse, measured to the date of judgment) sets the earliest possible finish. The dispute clock is driven by how much the spouses disagree. Cases involving the allocation of parental responsibilities trigger a parenting-plan deadline: under 750 ILCS 5/602.10, each parent must file a proposed parenting plan within 120 days of the petition, and the court generally orders mediation when parents cannot agree.
What are the residency requirements to file in Will County?
To finalize a divorce in Will County, at least one spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90 continuous days before the court enters the final judgment under 750 ILCS 5/401. There is no separate Will County residency rule, and only one spouse needs to meet the 90-day standard, even if the other spouse lives in another state.
A practical point for Joliet filers: you do not have to wait 90 days to file. You may file the petition as soon as you establish Illinois residency; the 90-day period simply must be met by the date the judge signs off. Military members stationed in Illinois who maintain 90 consecutive days of presence in the state also satisfy the requirement. Property is then divided by equitable distribution under 750 ILCS 5/503, and maintenance is calculated under the guideline formula in 750 ILCS 5/504 when combined income is under $500,000.
How does Illinois divide property and decide parenting?
Illinois divides marital property by equitable distribution under 750 ILCS 5/503, meaning a fair (not automatically equal) split of assets acquired during the marriage, decided without regard to marital misconduct. Parenting is governed by 750 ILCS 5/602.5 (decision-making) and 750 ILCS 5/602.7 (parenting time), both decided on the child's best interests.
Illinois retired the word custody in 2016. Today courts allocate significant decision-making responsibility for education, health, religion, and extracurriculars under 750 ILCS 5/602.5, and they allocate parenting time under 750 ILCS 5/602.7 using 17 best-interest factors, including each parent's caretaking history over the prior 24 months. On maintenance, a 2025 amendment to 750 ILCS 5/504 confirmed that support continues to accrue during a payer's imprisonment. Run rough numbers before you meet a lawyer using a child support or maintenance estimator.