The Illinois Petition for Order of Protection is the sworn court document an abuse victim files under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act to ask a circuit court judge to order an abuser to stop the abuse, stay away, surrender firearms, and follow other safety remedies. Any person abused by a family or household member, any high‑risk adult with disabilities, and any minor child of an abused parent may file the petition for free in the Circuit Clerk’s office of the county where the petitioner lives, where the respondent lives, or where the abuse happened.
Filing the right petition the right way is the difference between leaving the courthouse with a 21‑day Emergency Order in hand and leaving with nothing. According to the Illinois Courts 2024 Annual Statistical Summary, Illinois circuit courts processed more than 75,000 Order of Protection petitions in a single year, and clerks report that roughly 1 in 5 pro se petitions is delayed at intake because of missing relationship details, blank remedy boxes, or unsworn signatures.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📝 How to fill out every line of the official AOIC Petition for Order of Protection (Form OP‑P 101) without a lawyer
- ⏱️ How to get an Emergency Order of Protection the same day you file
- 🔫 How to use the firearms and FOID surrender remedy under 430 ILCS 65
- 🏛️ How to e‑file in Cook County through Odyssey eFileIL and how to file in person in any of the other 101 counties
- 🚨 How to avoid the 10 most common mistakes that get petitions denied, dismissed, or sent back at intake
What the Petition for Order of Protection Is and Who Must File It
The Petition for Order of Protection is a verified civil pleading authorized by the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, 750 ILCS 60. It opens a civil case in the circuit court and asks the judge to enter one of three orders: an Emergency Order of Protection (EOP) that lasts 14 to 21 days, an Interim Order of Protection that bridges the gap until a full hearing, or a Plenary Order of Protection that lasts up to two years and may be renewed. The form most pro se filers use is the statewide AOIC Form OP‑P 101, last revised in 2023, and you should confirm the revision date printed in the lower‑left corner before you start writing.
You may file this petition if you are a family or household member of the abuser as that term is defined in 750 ILCS 60/103. That definition includes spouses, former spouses, parents, children, stepchildren, people who share or formerly shared a home, people who share a child in common, people related by blood or marriage, and people in a current or former dating or engagement relationship. People who are only co‑workers, neighbors, or strangers do not qualify; they should instead file a Stalking No Contact Order under 740 ILCS 21 or a Civil No Contact Order under 740 ILCS 22.
A parent, adult household member, caregiver, or guardian may file on behalf of a minor child or a high‑risk adult with disabilities. An attorney, a domestic violence advocate from an Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence member program, or a state’s attorney may also assist. Filing is free, the clerk cannot charge a fee under 750 ILCS 60/202(b), and service of process by the sheriff is also free.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Walking into the clerk’s office without your documents is the single biggest reason petitions stall. Spend 30 minutes gathering the items below before you open the form, because the judge needs a clear factual picture and the sheriff needs a clean address to serve the respondent.
- Your full legal name, current address, and a safe mailing address. You may keep your home address confidential by listing it on the Confidential Information Sheet instead of the petition. Without a safe address, the abuser will see where you live in the public file.
- The respondent’s full legal name, date of birth, address, and physical description. The sheriff cannot serve a respondent the deputy cannot find. A missing address means no service, no service means no Plenary Order.
- Names, ages, and dates of birth of all minor children involved. The judge needs ages to enter custody and parenting time remedies under 750 ILCS 60/214(b)(5).
- A written timeline of abuse incidents with dates, locations, and what happened. Vague entries like “he was mean” get petitions denied; specific entries like “on March 14, 2026, at 2715 W. Diversey, he punched me in the jaw” get Emergency Orders.
- Police report numbers, hospital records, and photographs. These are not required, but they corroborate your sworn statement and help the judge make the abuse finding required by 750 ILCS 60/214(a).
- The respondent’s FOID card number and a list of any firearms you know he owns. The judge can order surrender under 750 ILCS 60/214(b)(14.5) only if you ask.
- The case number of any pending divorce, paternity, or criminal case between you and the respondent. The Order of Protection may be filed inside that existing case instead of as a new case.
- A government photo ID for yourself, plus the names of any witnesses who saw the abuse and are willing to testify at the Plenary hearing.
If you cannot safely gather any of these items, call the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at 1‑877‑863‑6338 before going to court; an advocate can help you assemble the file from a safe location.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official statewide petition is published by the Illinois Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) and posted on the Illinois Courts standardized forms page. You can download Form OP‑P 101 as a fillable PDF, type your answers directly into the boxes, and print the petition double‑sided. You can also pick up a paper copy at any Circuit Clerk’s office, at most domestic violence shelters, and at courthouse self‑help centers.
Cook County uses a county‑specific cover sheet branded CCDV 0.4 that mirrors the statewide content; you can download it from the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County forms page. DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, and Madison counties post their own intake packets with identical legal content but slightly different cover pages. Always use the version posted by the county where you are filing, because clerks reject mismatched cover sheets at intake.
Illinois Legal Aid Online hosts a free guided interview called Easy Form that fills out the petition for you based on plain‑English questions and produces a court‑ready PDF. The interview takes about 45 minutes and is the recommended path for most pro se filers because it prevents the most common drafting errors. After the interview, you still print, sign, and file the document with the clerk — Easy Form is not an e‑filing service.
If you are filing after hours, on a weekend, or on a holiday, you can request an Emergency Order of Protection at any Illinois police station under 750 ILCS 60/217. The on‑duty officer contacts a judge by phone and the order is entered without you setting foot in the courthouse.
Step‑by‑Step: How to Fill Out Form OP‑P 101 Line by Line
The petition is organized into a caption, ten numbered paragraphs, a remedies checklist with 17 numbered remedies, and a verification block. Work through it in order, do not skip boxes, and do not write “N/A” inside an abuse description box.
Caption: County, Case Number, and Court Division
The caption sits at the very top of page 1 and tells the clerk which court is hearing the case.
The field asks for the county, the judicial circuit number, the case number, and the division (Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, Civil, or Criminal). Write the county where you are filing in all caps, leave the case number blank because the clerk stamps it at intake, and check the division box that matches your situation. For example, Maria Lopez writes COOK in the county box, leaves the 2026‑OP‑ number blank, and checks “Domestic Violence Division” because she is filing a stand‑alone case in Chicago.
If you already have a pending divorce in the same county, write that case number in the caption and check the matching division so the order is entered in the existing file instead of opening a new one. The most common mistake here is writing your own guess at a case number; the consequence is a rejected filing because the clerk’s docketing system will refuse a duplicate. A frequent misconception is that the “circuit number” is your address ZIP code — it is not; Cook is the First Judicial Circuit’s sister, and Cook County is its own standalone circuit.
Paragraph 1: Petitioner Information
This block asks who you are and how the court should reach you safely.
Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your photo ID, your date of birth in MM/DD/YYYY format, your address, and a phone number where the court can reach you. If your home address is a secret you need to keep from the respondent, write the words “Address withheld — see Confidential Information Sheet” on the address line and complete the separate Confidential Information Sheet. For example, Janet Reed writes Janet Marie Reed, 04/12/1978, “Address withheld — see CIS,” and (312) 555‑0144.
A nuance most filers miss: if you are filing on behalf of a minor child, you are the petitioner and the child is listed in Paragraph 4, not here. The most common mistake is writing the abuser’s address in your address box because that’s where you used to live; the consequence is the sheriff serving you instead of the respondent. A widespread misconception is that withholding your address means the judge cannot see it — the judge sees it on the sealed CIS, only the public file hides it.
Paragraph 2: Respondent Information
This block tells the sheriff exactly who to serve and where to find them.
Enter the respondent’s full legal name, date of birth, sex, race, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and home and work addresses. The physical description matters because deputies use it to confirm identity at the door. For example, Carlos Ruiz writes the respondent’s information as “David A. Brown, 09/22/1980, M, Black, 6‘1”, 215 lb, black hair, brown eyes, 1422 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60623, works at AB Logistics, 4500 W. 47th St.”
The nuance here involves nicknames; always use the legal name and put nicknames in parentheses, like “David A. Brown (a/k/a ‘Big D’)”. The most common mistake is leaving the work address blank when home service has failed; the consequence is the Plenary hearing being continued for weeks while the sheriff makes another attempt. A common misconception is that the sheriff will “find” the respondent based on a name alone — Illinois sheriffs require a service address, period.
Paragraph 3: Relationship to Respondent
This is the jurisdictional gateway. If you cannot check a box here, the judge has no power to enter an Order of Protection.
Check the single box that best describes your relationship: spouse, former spouse, parent, child, stepchild, person who shares or shared a home, person with a child in common, blood or marriage relative, or person in a current or former dating or engagement relationship. Check only one primary box, but check all secondary boxes that also apply. For example, Aisha Bennett checks “former spouse” and also “parent of a child in common” because she divorced the respondent in 2023 and they share a 6‑year‑old.
The nuance is dating relationships; casual fraternization in business or social settings does not count under 750 ILCS 60/103(6), but a romantic dating relationship does even without cohabitation. The most common mistake is checking “household member” for a neighbor; the consequence is dismissal for lack of standing and the petitioner has to refile under the Stalking No Contact Order Act. A misconception is that you must be married — you do not, and you do not need to live together either.
Paragraph 4: Minor Children and Other Protected Parties
This block lists every additional person you want the order to protect.
List each minor child or high‑risk adult by full name, date of birth, sex, and current address. Mark whether each child is a child of the petitioner, of the respondent, or of both. For example, Janet writes “Liam Reed, 06/03/2019, M, lives with petitioner, child of both parties” and “Sophia Reed, 11/14/2021, F, lives with petitioner, child of both parties”.
The nuance is that the Order of Protection is the fastest civil tool to obtain temporary custody under 750 ILCS 60/214(b)(5), but you must list the children here and check Remedy 5 to get it. The most common mistake is listing children who are not yours and not the respondent’s; the consequence is the judge striking those names and the order not protecting them. A misconception is that adult children are automatically protected — they are not unless they qualify on their own under Paragraph 3.
Paragraph 5: Other Pending Cases
This block prevents conflicting orders.
List every pending or recent case between you and the respondent: divorce, paternity, allocation of parental responsibilities, child support, criminal, juvenile, and any prior Orders of Protection in any state. Include the court, county, case number, and current status. For example, Maria writes “Cook County, 2025 D 7714, Dissolution of Marriage, pending; status hearing 06/10/2026”.
The nuance is that an existing divorce judge can hear your Order of Protection inside the divorce file, which is often faster than opening a new case. The most common mistake is hiding a prior denied petition; the consequence is the respondent’s lawyer raising it at the Plenary hearing and the judge questioning your credibility. A misconception is that out‑of‑state orders do not count — they do under the federal Violence Against Women Act full faith and credit provision.
Paragraph 6: Statement of Abuse
This is the heart of the petition and the part judges read most carefully.
Describe each incident of abuse in chronological order using complete sentences with dates, locations, and exact actions. “Abuse” under 750 ILCS 60/103(1) includes physical abuse, harassment, intimidation of a dependent, interference with personal liberty, and willful deprivation. Use the form’s continuation pages if you need more room. For example, Aisha writes: “On 04/02/2026 at approximately 9:15 p.m., at 1422 S. Pulaski, respondent grabbed me by the throat, pushed me against the kitchen wall, and said, ‘I’ll kill you if you leave.’ I called 911. CPD Report #JE‑221408.”
The nuance is that emotional abuse alone is not enough; you must tie it to one of the statutory categories. The most common mistake is writing conclusions like “he abused me for years” with no specific incidents; the consequence is the judge denying the Emergency Order for lack of factual basis. A misconception is that older incidents do not matter — a long pattern strengthens the petition as long as you also describe a recent triggering event.
Paragraph 7: Risk of Abuse
This block asks why you need protection right now.
Explain why the abuse is likely to continue and why an emergency, ex parte order is necessary. Reference threats, weapons, escalation, recent contact, and any statements the respondent made about hurting you, the children, or himself. For example, Carlos writes: “Respondent owns a 9mm Glock and a valid FOID card. On 05/18/2026 he texted me, ‘I’m coming for you.’ Screenshot attached as Exhibit A.”
The nuance is that the Emergency Order standard under 750 ILCS 60/217 requires “good cause” and a showing that prior notice would risk further harm. The most common mistake is leaving this paragraph blank because Paragraph 6 already described abuse; the consequence is the judge converting your Emergency request into a regular notice hearing two weeks out. A misconception is that you must already be physically injured — credible threats, stalking, and weapon access are enough.
Paragraph 8: Firearms and FOID
This block triggers the firearms surrender remedy.
State whether the respondent owns, possesses, or has access to firearms or a FOID card or Concealed Carry License. List each firearm by type, caliber, and location if known. For example, Janet writes: “Respondent owns one 12‑gauge Mossberg shotgun stored in the bedroom closet at 2715 W. Diversey. FOID #12345678.”
The nuance is that under 430 ILCS 65/8.2, an Order of Protection automatically suspends the respondent’s FOID and CCL while the order is active. The most common mistake is checking “unknown” when you actually know; the consequence is the judge declining to order surrender and the respondent keeping the gun. A misconception is that the police seize firearms automatically — they do not unless the judge checks Remedy 14.5 in the order.
Paragraph 9: Remedies Requested (the 17 Boxes)
This is the shopping list of what you want the judge to do. Check every box that applies; unchecked remedies are not granted.
The 17 statutory remedies under 750 ILCS 60/214(b) include prohibition of abuse (Remedy 1), grant of exclusive possession of the home (Remedy 2), stay‑away (Remedy 3), counseling (Remedy 4), temporary allocation of parental responsibilities (Remedy 5), no removal of children (Remedy 6), parenting time (Remedy 7), no concealment of children (Remedy 8), order to appear (Remedy 9), possession of personal property (Remedy 10), protection of property (Remedy 11), order for payment of support (Remedy 12), reimbursement (Remedy 13), prohibition of access to records (Remedy 14), firearms remedies (Remedy 14.5), injunctive relief (Remedy 15), and other (Remedy 16). For example, Maria checks Remedies 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 14.5.
The nuance is that you should over‑check rather than under‑check; the judge can decline a remedy at hearing, but cannot grant a remedy you did not request. The most common mistake is leaving Remedy 14.5 unchecked when the respondent owns guns; the consequence is the respondent legally keeping the firearms throughout the 21‑day Emergency period. A misconception is that asking for child support here replaces a separate child support case — it does not, but it does give you immediate temporary support.
Paragraph 10: Verification and Signature
This converts your petition into sworn testimony under penalty of perjury.
Sign your full legal name on the signature line, print your name, and date the document. The verification language above the signature block — required by 735 ILCS 5/1‑109 — states that the contents are true and correct under penalty of perjury. You do not need a notary in Illinois; the 1‑109 verification replaces notarization. For example, Aisha signs “Aisha N. Bennett,” prints “AISHA N. BENNETT,” and dates “05/21/2026.”
The nuance is that an electronic signature in eFileIL is treated the same as an ink signature under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9. The most common mistake is leaving the date blank; the consequence is the clerk rejecting the petition at intake because an undated verification is invalid. A misconception is that the petition needs a notary — Illinois eliminated that requirement when 1‑109 was enacted, and a notary block is unnecessary.
Three Filled‑Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
The three scenarios below show how three different filers complete Form OP‑P 101 from caption to signature.
Scenario 1 — Maria Lopez, Spouse with Two Children, Cook County
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption | COOK County, Domestic Violence Division, case number left blank |
| Paragraph 1 — Petitioner | Maria E. Lopez, 03/14/1985, address withheld — see CIS, (312) 555‑0144 |
| Paragraph 2 — Respondent | Jorge A. Lopez, 07/22/1982, M, Hispanic, 5‘10”, 190 lb, 4421 W. Belmont, Chicago, IL 60641 |
| Paragraph 3 — Relationship | Spouse, parent of child in common |
| Paragraph 4 — Children | Liam Lopez, 06/03/2019; Sophia Lopez, 11/14/2021; both children of both parties |
| Paragraph 5 — Other Cases | Cook County 2025 D 7714, Dissolution of Marriage, pending |
| Paragraph 6 — Abuse | 03/14/2026: respondent struck petitioner in face. 05/18/2026: respondent threatened to kill petitioner. CPD #JE‑221408. |
| Paragraph 8 — Firearms | Respondent owns 9mm Glock; FOID #12345678 |
| Paragraph 9 — Remedies | Boxes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14.5 |
| Paragraph 10 — Signature | Maria E. Lopez, 05/21/2026 |
Scenario 2 — Carlos Ruiz, Adult Son Filing for Elderly Father, DuPage County
| Form Section | What Carlos Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption | DUPAGE County, Civil Division |
| Paragraph 1 — Petitioner | Carlos R. Ruiz on behalf of Roberto Ruiz, 02/08/1948 (high‑risk adult), 808 Roosevelt Rd., Wheaton, IL 60187 |
| Paragraph 2 — Respondent | Linda K. Hayes, 01/30/1972, F, White, 5‘5”, 160 lb, in‑home caregiver, 808 Roosevelt Rd., Wheaton |
| Paragraph 3 — Relationship | Person who shares a home (caregiver in protected person’s residence) |
| Paragraph 4 — Protected | Roberto Ruiz, 02/08/1948, high‑risk adult with dementia |
| Paragraph 5 — Other Cases | None |
| Paragraph 6 — Abuse | 04/22/2026: respondent withheld father’s blood pressure medication for 3 days; 05/01/2026 respondent slapped father, bruise photographed. |
| Paragraph 8 — Firearms | Unknown |
| Paragraph 9 — Remedies | Boxes 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 14, 15 |
| Paragraph 10 — Signature | Carlos R. Ruiz, 05/21/2026 |
Scenario 3 — Aisha Bennett, Dating Partner, Lake County
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption | LAKE County, Civil Division |
| Paragraph 1 — Petitioner | Aisha N. Bennett, 09/19/1994, address withheld, (847) 555‑0177 |
| Paragraph 2 — Respondent | David A. Brown, 09/22/1980, M, Black, 6‘1”, 215 lb, 1422 S. Sheridan, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Paragraph 3 — Relationship | Former dating relationship, parent of child in common |
| Paragraph 4 — Children | Noah Bennett‑Brown, 02/12/2022 |
| Paragraph 5 — Other Cases | None |
| Paragraph 6 — Abuse | 04/02/2026 respondent grabbed petitioner by throat; 05/19/2026 respondent followed petitioner to work and texted “I’m coming for you.” |
| Paragraph 8 — Firearms | Respondent owns one Glock 19, FOID #87654321 |
| Paragraph 9 — Remedies | Boxes 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 14.5 |
| Paragraph 10 — Signature | Aisha N. Bennett, 05/21/2026 |
How to File the Completed Form
You may file the petition through four channels, and every channel is free of charge under 750 ILCS 60/202(b).
E‑filing. Most Illinois counties — including Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry, Madison, and St. Clair — require electronic filing through eFileIL on the Odyssey portal. Pro se filers are exempt from the e‑filing requirement under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(6), but many still choose to e‑file. Acceptable payment for the (waived) filing fee is none; processing time is same‑day for OP cases; keep the email confirmation and the file‑stamped PDF as your proof of filing.
In person at the Circuit Clerk. Walk into the Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the abuse happened. Hand the clerk three copies of the petition: one for the court, one for the respondent (the sheriff serves it), and one stamped copy you keep. Processing is same‑day; you will see a judge that morning or afternoon for the Emergency hearing.
Inside an existing case. If you already have a divorce, paternity, or allocation case open, file the petition as a motion within that case using the existing case number. The judge assigned to the case hears the OP, which usually means a faster Plenary date.
At a police station after hours. If court is closed, go to any Illinois police station and ask for an Emergency Order of Protection. Under 750 ILCS 60/217 the on‑duty officer contacts a circuit judge by phone, who can enter an EOP that lasts until you can get to court the next business day. Keep the signed EOP and the police report as proof; you must still file Form OP‑P 101 in court the following business day.
What Happens After You File
Once the clerk stamps your petition, your case enters a three‑order timeline. The same morning, the clerk sends you to a judge for an ex parte Emergency Order hearing; you testify under oath, the judge enters or denies the EOP, and the EOP — if granted — lasts 14 to 21 days under 750 ILCS 60/220(a)(1). The clerk transmits the order to the Illinois State Police LEADS database so any officer in the state can confirm it.
Within those 21 days, the sheriff personally serves the respondent with the petition, the EOP, and a summons for the Plenary hearing. At the Plenary hearing both sides testify, the judge applies the preponderance of the evidence standard, and the judge enters a Plenary Order that lasts up to two years under 750 ILCS 60/220(b)(0.05). If the sheriff fails to serve the respondent in time, the judge can extend the EOP through an Interim Order so you are never left unprotected.
Plenary Orders may be renewed by filing a Motion to Extend before the order expires. Violation of any Order of Protection is a Class A misdemeanor on the first offense and a Class 4 felony on the second under 720 ILCS 5/12‑3.4.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
These ten errors cause the majority of pro se denials and intake rejections.
- Leaving Paragraph 3 (Relationship) blank or vague. The judge dismisses for lack of jurisdiction.
- Writing conclusions instead of incidents in Paragraph 6. “He abused me” without dates and actions gets the EOP denied.
- Forgetting to check Remedy 14.5 when the respondent has guns. The respondent legally keeps the firearms.
- Listing your home address publicly when you need it confidential. The respondent reads it in the public file.
- Leaving the respondent’s date of birth and physical description blank. The sheriff cannot serve and the Plenary hearing is continued.
- Failing to list a pending divorce in Paragraph 5. The judge later strikes the OP for being filed in the wrong case.
- Forgetting to sign and date Paragraph 10. The clerk rejects the petition at intake as unverified.
- Asking only for “stay away” and forgetting child custody (Remedy 5). You leave court without temporary parenting orders.
- Filing in the wrong county. Petitions filed outside the petitioner’s residence, the respondent’s residence, or the abuse location are dismissed for venue.
- Using the federal definition of “domestic violence” instead of the Illinois statutory definition. The judge applies 750 ILCS 60/103, not state X’s definition or pop‑culture usage.
Do’s and Don’ts
A few habits separate clean filings from rejected ones.
- Do use specific dates, places, and quoted threats in Paragraph 6 because judges credit specificity.
- Do check every remedy box you might want, because the judge can deny but cannot add.
- Do ask for the Confidential Information Sheet so your address stays sealed.
- Do bring your photo ID and any police reports, photos, or texts, because corroboration helps.
- Do call the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at 1‑877‑863‑6338 for free advocate help.
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Do keep a stamped copy of every page so you can prove what you filed.
-
Don’t sign the petition before you finish writing it; an unverified draft can be used against you.
- Don’t lie or exaggerate, because perjury under 735 ILCS 5/1‑109 is a Class 3 felony.
- Don’t contact the respondent yourself to “warn” them; let the sheriff serve.
- Don’t miss your Plenary hearing date, because the case will be dismissed for want of prosecution.
- Don’t assume an out‑of‑state order is enforceable without filing it in Illinois under the VAWA full‑faith‑and‑credit procedures.
- Don’t pay anyone who asks for a filing fee; the clerk cannot charge you.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Filing pro se is fast and free, but a domestic violence advocate or attorney can sharpen the petition.
Pros of filing pro se:
- You file the same day you decide to act, which matters when the abuse just happened.
- The petition is free either way, so pro se saves nothing in fees but saves time.
- You control the language describing the abuse, which can feel empowering.
- The court provides judicial assistants and self‑help centers that walk you through intake.
- Illinois Legal Aid Online’s Easy Form drafts a court‑ready petition for free in 45 minutes.
Cons of filing pro se:
- You may under‑request remedies because you do not know all 17 boxes apply to your facts.
- You may write conclusions instead of incidents in Paragraph 6, weakening the EOP application.
- You face the respondent’s lawyer alone at the Plenary hearing if the respondent hires one.
- You handle service issues, address confidentiality, and firearms surrender on your own.
- You miss strategic options like consolidating the OP with a divorce or paternity case for stronger long‑term relief.
Order of Protection vs. Stalking No Contact Order vs. Civil No Contact Order
| Feature | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Order of Protection — covered abuse | Physical abuse, harassment, intimidation, interference with liberty, willful deprivation under 750 ILCS 60 |
| Order of Protection — relationship | Family or household member, dating partner, co‑parent |
| Stalking No Contact Order — covered conduct | Course of conduct causing fear or distress under 740 ILCS 21, no relationship required |
| Civil No Contact Order — covered conduct | Non‑consensual sexual conduct or penetration under 740 ILCS 22, no relationship required |
| Filing fee | None for any of the three |
| Maximum length | 2 years for plenary OP and SNCO; 2 years for plenary CNCO, renewable |
FAQs
Do I have to pay a filing fee?
No. The clerk cannot charge a fee for a Petition for Order of Protection, the summons, the certified copies, or sheriff service under 750 ILCS 60/202(b).
Can I file if I am not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. Immigration status is irrelevant; the Illinois Domestic Violence Act protects every petitioner regardless of citizenship, and the court will not report you to immigration.
Do I write my maiden name or married name in Paragraph 1?
Yes, write the name on your current government photo ID and add your maiden name as “a/k/a” in parentheses so the court has both names on file.
Do I need a notary to sign Paragraph 10?
No. Illinois replaces notarization with a verification under 735 ILCS 5/1‑109; your signature alone, with the date, is enough.
Can I file at the police station instead of court?
Yes, but only for an Emergency Order after court hours; you still must file Form OP‑P 101 with the clerk on the next business day.
Do I have to list the respondent’s address if I do not know it?
No, but if you leave it blank the sheriff cannot serve, and your Plenary hearing will be continued until service is completed.
Can the order include my children even if I share custody?
Yes. Remedy 5 of Paragraph 9 lets the judge enter temporary allocation of parental responsibilities under 750 ILCS 60/214(b)(5) for the duration of the order.
Do I have to check every remedy box in Paragraph 9?
No, but check every box you might want, because the judge can deny a requested remedy but cannot grant one you did not check.
Can I file an Order of Protection inside my divorce case?
Yes. File the petition as a motion under your existing divorce case number and the same judge will hear it, often faster than a new filing.
Does the order take the respondent’s gun away automatically?
No. The judge must check Remedy 14.5 and order surrender; without that box, the FOID suspension under 430 ILCS 65/8.2 is still automatic, but actual firearm surrender is not.
Can my address stay secret from the respondent?
Yes. Write “Address withheld — see Confidential Information Sheet” in Paragraph 1 and complete the CIS; only the judge and clerk see your home address.
How long does an Emergency Order last?
Yes, the EOP is short — it lasts 14 to 21 days under 750 ILCS 60/220(a)(1), then a Plenary Order of up to two years can replace it after the noticed hearing.
Can I drop the order later if I change my mind?
Yes. File a motion to vacate; the judge interviews you privately to confirm the request is voluntary before vacating the order.
What if the respondent violates the order?
Yes, call 911 immediately; violation is a Class A misdemeanor on the first offense and a Class 4 felony on the second under 720 ILCS 5/12‑3.4.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out Illinois Emergency Order of Protection + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois Petition for Civil No Contact Order + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois Petition for Stalking No Contact Order + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois Plenary Order of Protection (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Georgia Petition for Family Violence Protective Order + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form DV-100 (w/Examples) + FAQs