Divorce in Illinois Cost: Average Fees Explained

In Illinois, the headline number is lawyer time, and the court fee depends heavily on where you file. Cook County, which includes Chicago, charges more than a smaller county, and the second spouse pays an appearance fee on top of it. Hourly rates also reach their highest in the Chicago area.

Illinois uses the term dissolution of marriage in its statutes, and most people simply say divorce. This page lists published fees and estimates. Because every case differs, a licensed family law attorney in Illinois is the right person to ask what yours will cost.

The state range is $210 – $388, according to Hello Divorce, depending on the county. Two examples sit near the top. Marble lists $388 in Cook County, and Lake County is listed at $334.

Cook County also charges the responding spouse an appearance fee of $251. That means the court fees for a Cook County divorce can approach the cost of the filing fee twice over. Sheriff service in Cook County is listed at $60 – $95 per defendant.

Illinois courts offer fee waivers to people who qualify based on income. Look at your county circuit clerk's website for the form and the current fee list.

Cases split sharply into agreed and disputed. Gordon & Perlut lists an uncontested divorce in Chicago and Skokie at $2,500 – $5,000. A contested divorce is listed at $10,000 – $15,000.

Notice that the contested range tops out near the average attorney fee in the headline. That is because the headline averages many cases, including simple ones, while the contested range covers disputed cases only. The gap in outcomes is large: the same lawyer can handle an agreed case for a fraction of what a fight costs.

The statewide average is $343/hr, according to Marble. In the Chicago area, Gordon & Perlut lists $200 – $500/hr. A wider statewide span of $250 – $750/hr is given by Reidy Law Office, covering Cook County to Southern Illinois. Private mediators are listed at $150 – $400/hr.

The statewide span is wide enough that location and experience clearly matter. Asking for a fee agreement in writing, with the billing rate for each person who will work on your file, is a reasonable first step.

The base process is straightforward, but several parts add billable time.

• Parenting. Illinois courts review parenting plans, and parents are generally expected to complete a parenting education program. Confirm the requirement and the fee with your county.
• Financial disclosure. Each spouse completes financial affidavits, and lawyers bill for preparing and checking them.
• Property. Illinois divides marital property under an equitable rather than equal standard, which can leave room for argument.
• Support. Calculating maintenance or child support can require income documents and sometimes hearings.
• Waiting period. Illinois sets a period before a divorce can be finalized in certain situations. A licensed family law attorney can explain how it applies to you.

Court fees and hourly rates differ between Cook County, the collar counties, and the rest of the state. Cook and Lake counties lead the filing fee list above, and Chicago-area rates sit in the range given by the sources. Downstate counties may be lower, though the sources used here do not publish a downstate fee.

If you live outside the Chicago area, ask local lawyers for flat fees on an agreed case. A smaller-market firm may quote lower than a Chicago firm.

The two sources measure different things. Marble reports $11,000 – $14,000 as attorney fees on average. Gordon & Perlut reports $10,000 – $15,000 for a contested divorce. The ranges are close, but they are not the same measure: one averages attorney fees across cases, and the other describes a contested case specifically.

Neither figure includes court costs, which depend on the county. Add the filing, appearance, and service fees from above to get a closer total.

• Settle parenting and property issues before hiring a lawyer if you can
• Ask whether the firm offers a flat fee for an agreed divorce
• Gather tax returns and account statements before the first meeting
• Use mediation for narrow disputes
• Keep notes on your questions and send them together

Illinois quotes often leave out court costs, so ask what is included. Ask whether the fee covers the filing fee, the appearance fee for your spouse, and sheriff service. Ask for the hourly rate of each person who will work on your file, and how often you will receive a statement. If your case is agreed, ask about a flat fee and what would cause it to change. A written fee agreement lets you compare a Chicago-area firm with a downstate one on equal terms.