Domestic Violence Guidelines For Help
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY
DOROTHY BROWN
Domestic violence is a crime. No one should ever be hurt by someone they love. In order to become a survivor of domestic violence you need to get help from the court system, police, and community resources available to you. I encourage every victim of domestic violence to call the police.
My office wrote this guide for you. It answers many of the questions people have asked about domestic violence. This guide also tells you how you can get an Order of Protection and lists community services and courthouses near you.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to call my office at (312) 325-9467, (312) 325-9468, or (312) 325-9500.
We are here to help you.
WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? Domestic violence is any physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of a household or family member by another.
WHO CAN BE PROTECTED? The IDVA (Illinois Domestic Violence Act) defines household or family members who can be protected as follows: spouses, former spouses, parents, children, stepchildren and other persons related by blood or by present or prior marriage, persons who share or formerly shared a common dwelling, persons who have or allegedly have a child in common, persons who share or allegedly share a blood relationship through a child, persons who have or have had a dating or engagement relationship, persons with disabilities and their personal assistants, caregivers and high-risk adult with disabilities. 50 ILCS 60/201 and 750 ILCS 60/103(6)(8).
WHAT IS AN ORDER OF PROTECTION? An Order of Protection is a court order signed by a judge. It is designed to protect a petitioner (the person who has been hurt) from the respondent (the person who hurt the petitioner.)
WHERE CAN I GET AN ORDER OF PROTECTION? There are several options:
Criminal Court: if the person who has been hurt (the petitioner) signs a criminal complaint against the person who hurt him or her (the respondent). The State's Attorney's Office then prosecutes the respondent and helps the petitioner get an Order of Protection. The petitioner can only keep the Order if she, or he, follows through with the criminal case.
Civil Court: If the petitioner chooses NOT to press charges the Order of Protection can be granted by a judge in an independent action. In Civil Court, the petitioner can have his or her own attorney or can represent him or herself; this is called pro se.
Child Support Court, Divorce Court, Juvenile Court and Probate Court: A petitioner can also request an Order of Protection in other courts where they are parties to a pending action against the respondent.
The Order of Protection is the same, no matter which court grants it.
HOW MUCH DOES THE ORDER OF PROTECTION COST? The Order of Protection is free. There are no fees for filing the Order. The Sheriff's office serves the Order on the respondent without charge.
HOW DOES THE RESPONDENT LEARN ABOUT THE ORDER OF PROTECTION? Once a judge grants the Order, it is filed in the Clerk's Office. A copy is sent to the Sheriff's Office and a Sheriff's deputy can then serve a copy of the Order to the respondent (the person who hurt the petitioner).
CAN A MINOR GET AN ORDER OF PROTECTION? Anyone who is a protected party under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act is eligible for an Order of Protection. Minors, under the age of 18, (and some people with disabilities) need an adult to ask for the Order on behalf of the petitioner.
WHAT ARE REMEDIES? Remedies are actions the respondent must do or stop doing to the petitioner. For instance, the Order could make the respondent stay out of the shared home for a period of time; or stop harassing or abusing the petitioner; or pay costs if the petitioner had to run away to a safe place. There are 18 different remedies. The Order of Protection forms list each of them. DO I NEED A LAWYER TO GET AN ORDER OF PROTECTION? An Assistant State's Attorney is your attorney when you go to Criminal Court. In Civil Court, it is always a good idea to have an attorney in court with you. You may qualify for free legal assistance, depending on how much money you earn. If you need to hire an attorney, call the Chicago or Suburban Bar Associations for a referral. If you do not qualify for free legal assistance, and you cannot afford an attorney, you can act as your own attorney. You must bring the respondent's date of birth, social security number and address with you to complete the forms. The Clerk's Office in each court has the forms you need.
DISTRICT 1 COURTHOUSE LOCATIONS
District 1 Courthouses
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT FOR CHICAGO 555 West Harrison
Chicago, IL 60607-4313
(312) 325-9500 Both criminal and civil domestic violence cases are heard in this courthouse. If the petitioner presses charges against the respondent, the State’s attorney’s office assists the person in getting an order of protection. (312) 325-9220 If the petitioner does not press charges against the respondent, any attorney or a pro se petitioner can request an order of protection. (Pro se petitioners are individuals who act as their own attorneys.) (312)325-9460 or (312)325-9467 CRIMINAL COURTS BUILDING
(felony and stalking cases)
Criminal Courts Building 2600 South California, Room 526
Chicago, IL 60608 (773) 869-3140 TDD (773) 869-7711 If parties are divorced or involved in domestic relations proceeding:
Domestic Relations Divisions,
Richard J. Daley Center, Room 802
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-6352
If parties involved have a pending estate or guardianship case:
Probate Division
Richard J. Daley Center, Room 1202
50 West Washington
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-6441 TDD (312) 603-6888
If there is a pending case to establish guardian/parent-child relationship:
Child Support Division
28 North Clark, Room 200
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 345-4036 or (312) 345-4004
If there is a delinquency petition or a criminal prosecution of a juvenile:
Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Divisions
Juvenile Court Building
1100 South Hamilton
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 433-6872
SUBURBAN COURTHOUSE LOCATIONS District 2
5600 Old Orchard Road
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 470-7250 TDD (847) 470-7557 Deerfield l Des Plaines l Evanston l Glencoe l Glenview l Golf l Kenilworth l Lincolnwood l Morton Grove l Niles l Northbrook l Northfield l Park Ridge l Skokie l Wilmette l Winnetka
District 3
2121 Euclid Avenue
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
(847) 818-2719 TDD (847) 818-2076
Arlington Heights l Barrington l Barrington Hills l Bartlett l Buffalo Grove l Elgin l Elk Grove Village l Hanover Park l Harwood Heights l Hoffman Estates l Inverness l Mount Prospect l Norridge l Palatine l Prospect Heights l Rolling Meadows l Roselle l Rosemont l Schaumberg l South Barrington l Streamwood l Wheeling
District 4
1500 Maybrook Drive
Maywood, IL 60153
(708) 865-4937 TDD (708) 865-6056
Bellwood l Berkeley l Berwyn l Broadview l Brookfield l Cicero l Elmwood Park l Forest Park l Franklin Park l Hillside l La Grange Park l Maywood l Melrose Park l Northlake l North Riverside l Oak Park l River Forest l River Grove l Riverside l Schiller Park l Stone Park l Westchester
District 5
10220 South 76th Avenue
Bridgeview, IL 60425
(708) 974-6387 TDD (708) 974-6550
Alsip l Bedford Park l Bridgeview l Burbank l Burr Ridge l Chicago Ridge l Countryside l Evergreen Park l Forest View l Hickory Hills l Hinsdale l Hodgkins l Hometown l Indian Head Park l Justice l La Grange l Lemont l Lyons l McCook l Merrionette Park l Oak Lawn l Orland Hills l Orland Park l Palos Heights l Palos Hills l Palos Park l Stickney l Summit l Western Springs l Willow Springs l Worth
District 6
16501 South Kedzie Avenue
Markham, IL 60426
(708) 210-4217 TDD (708) 210-4272
Blue Island l Burnham l Calumet City l Calumet Park l Chicago Heights l Country Club Hills l Crestwood l Crete l Dixmoor l Dolton l East Hazelcrest l Flossmoor l Ford Heights l Glenwood l Harvey l Hazelcrest l Homewood l Lansing l Lynwood l Markham l Matteson l Midlothian l Oak Forest l Olympia Fields l Park Forest l Phoenix l Posen l Richton Park l Riverdale l Robbins l Sauk Village l South Chicago Heights l South Holland l Thornton l Tinley Park l Steger
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM SERVICES:
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTHOUSE FOR CHICAGO
555 West Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60607-4313
(312) 325-9500 or (312) 325-9467
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGAL CLINIC
Formerly known as Pro Bono Advocates
(312) 325-9155
Languages: English, Spanish
FAMILY RESCUE CIVIL COURT ADVOCACY
(312) 325-9300
Languages: English, Spanish, French, German
HULL HOUSE
(312) 325-9155
Languages: English, Spanish
Chicago, Loop
CHICAGO METRO. BATTERED WOMEN’S NETWORK
(877) 863-6338
TDD (877) 863-6339
Language: English
Office: (312) 360-1924
METROPOLITAN FAMILY SERVICES
(773) 884-2235
TDD (773) 884-0005
Languages: English, Spanish, Arabic
Locations: Multiple throughout Chicago
LIFESPAN
(312) 408-1210
Languages: English
Chicago, Near Westside
C.A.W.C.- GREENHOUSE
Cook County Hospital
(312) 433-2390
Language: English
CPD, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCACY PROJECT
(Offender must work for CPD)
(312) 742-5290
Languages: English
MUJERAS LATINAS EN ACCION
(312) 738-5358
TDD (312) 226-3350
Languages : English, Spanish, Portuguese
NEOPOLITAN LIGHTHOUSE
(773) 722 -0005
TDD (773) 826-2883
Languages: English
WHOLENESS & WELLNESS CENTER, INC.
(773) 638-0438
Languages: English
Chicago, Uptown
APNA-GHAR
(800) 717-0757
Languages: Hindi, Urdu, Swalhili, French, Spanish, Persian, Bangla, English
Chicago, North
C.A.W.C.- GREENHOUSE
(773) 278-4566
TDD (773) 278-4114
Languages: English, Spanish, Polish, German, French
JUST FRIENDS
(800) 603-4357
TDD (773) 274-6508
Languages: English
CENTER ON HALSTED
Formerly known as Horizons Anti-Violence Project
(773) 871-2273
TDD (773) 472-1277
Languages: English, Spanish
HOUSE OF GOOD SHEPHERD
(773) 935-3434
FAX (773)935-3523
Languages: English, Spanish
KOREAN WOMEN IN NEED (KAN-WIN)
(773) 583-0880
Languages: English, Korean
SHALVA
(773) 583-4673
Languages: English, Hebrew, Russian
WOMEN’S COUNSELING CENTER OF UPTOWN HULL HOUSE
(773) 561-6119
Languages: English, Spanish
Chicago, Southwest
CLARA’S HOUSE
(773) 778-8854
Languages: English
RAINBOW HOUSE
(773) 762-6611
TDD (773) 762-6802
Languages: English, Spanish
WELLSPRING CENTER FOR HOPE
(773) 723-2119
Languages: English, Spanish
VIOLENCE RECOVERY SERVICES
(773) 847-4417
Languages: English, Spanish
Southeast
FAMILY RESCUE SHELTER
(800) 360-6619
TDD (773) 375-8774
Languages: English, Spanish
Southern Suburbs
CRISIS CENTER FOR SO. SUBURBIA
(708) 429-7255
TDD (708) 42907284
Languages: English
SOUTH SUBURBAN FAMILY SHELTER
(877) 335-3020
TDD (708) 647-6843
Languages: English, Spanish
Western Suburbs
CONTANCE MORRIS HOUSE
(708) 485-5254
TTY (708) 485.-257
Languages: English, Spanish
SARAH’S INN
(708) 386-4225
TDD (708) 386-3687
Languages: English, Spanish
Northern Suburbs
LIFESPAN
(847) 824-4454
TDD (847) 824-0189
POLISH HOTLINE: (847) 824-1158
Languages: English, Spanish, Polish
YWCA OF NORTH SHORE
(877) 718-1868
Languages: English, Spanish
For additional agencies, see our Domestic Violence legal assistance page. |