Cook County Changes Prove Up Procedures in Response to Social Distancing Guidelines

 Posted on April 06, 2020 in Divorce

Social distancing guidelines have been in place for weeks in an effort to slow the rapidly spreading coronavirus. Nearly every aspect of our lives has been affected by this situation, including governmental and legal matters. In Cook County, the circuit court has changed some of its guidelines as to how court functions will take place during this pandemic. One of the changes includes how prove ups for a divorce are permitted to take place during this time. At Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, we have already utilized these new guidelines to conduct prove ups since the courts have been closed. This has resulted in successful outcomes for our clients in their divorce cases. 

What Is a Prove Up?

When a couple has an uncontested divorce, they must take steps to finalize their divorce and make it official. To do this, they are required to attend a hearing before a judge, allowing the judge to review their agreements and ensure that the agreements are fair and in the best interest of any minor children involved in the divorce. Once the judge signs the divorce agreement, the divorce is final. This chain of events is commonly referred to as a prove up. Prove ups are typically required to be in person, with everything in writing, though such circumstances have temporarily changed due to the reduction in court operations.

Requirements for Oral Prove Ups

The Cook County circuit court has put measures into place to allow couples to finalize their divorce remotely. If a couple wishes to have their prove up conducted remotely, they must sign a document stating they agree to do so. The agreement, as well as all required documents, must be submitted to the court via email. The agreement must contain a requested date, time and method of communication, such as Skype or a conference call. The court will then respond with a confirmation of your chosen date and time or a new date and time for the prove up.

It is important to note that couples who have minor children are required to complete their mandatory parenting classes prior to the prove up. The certificate of completion of this requirement is one of the documents that is required to finalize your divorce. Other documents include:

• The petition for divorce
• The proposed judgment
• The marital settlement agreement
• The agreement concerning parental responsibilities and parenting plan
• Your child support agreement

A Cook County Divorce Lawyer Can Assist You Throughout Your Divorce

At Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC, our team has a strong track record in family law cases. Our firm recently was able to successfully finalize two divorce cases using the oral guidelines set forth by the Cook County circuit court. Our knowledgeable Illinois divorce attorneys can help you through your divorce, from beginning to end, during this unprecedented time. To schedule a consultation, call our office today at 312-605-4041.

Sources:

http://www.cookcountycourt.org/Portals/0/Domestic%20Relations%20Division/General%20Administrative%20Orders/General%20Order%202020%20D%2010.pdf

http://www.cookcountycourt.org/Portals/0/Domestic%20Relations%20Division/DRfiles/FINAL%20Prove-Up%20Checklists%20with%20Judge's%20Feedback.pdf