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Appearance Form For Chicago Divorce Lawyers Filing In Cook County

When To File The Appearance

If you have been served with a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, you or your attorney that you hire will need to file an appearance with the Clerk of Court.  This appearance (shown below) is the Respondent’s admission to the contest.  If no appearance is filed, then the Petitioner can proceed to a Judgment by default.  In that circumstance, the Petitioner will be granted the relief requested in the pleading or petition.

Appearance Filing Fee

When the appearance is filed, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County is going to assess a filing fee of $237.00.  The appearance will be filed electronically and served upon opposing counsel or the Petition directly if he or she is filing pro se.  The appearance fee is essentially the admission fee to defend the case.

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