In Illinois, individuals can petition the Court for three common protective orders: Order of Protection, Stalking No Contact Order and Civil No Contact Order. If you are unsure which order is appropriate for your circumstance, the Protective Orders Comparison Chart from the Illinois Attorney General explains the different legal remedies available.
Domestic Violence advocacy organizations may be of assistance to those seeking or responding to Orders of Protection. Advocates may be immediately available at the courthouse; however, they may also be busy assisting others. If you would like to speak to a Domestic Violence advocate, you can call the Illinois Domestic Violence Help Line at (877) 863-6339. This is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual 24-hour information service staffed by trained personnel. They can answer any question that you may have as well as refer you to advocates who may be able to provide you with additional help.
If you are a seeking a protective order, you may obtain assistance in two ways:
You can find online resources about protective orders at Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO), including an online program to assist with preparing an Order of Protection before you come to court.
You can also access the necessary court paperwork online and fill it out before bringing it to the courthouse. Paperwork is available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
There may be assistance available for you at the courthouse. Services are provided at each Domestic Violence Division site, go to the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office and tell the clerk you want to file a protective order. If you require assistance in filling it out, the clerk will direct you to the appropriate resources within the building. Otherwise, the clerk will give you the required paperwork and you can fill it out by yourself. After the paperwork is completed, it must be returned to the clerk’s office for filing. The clerk will then direct you to the courtroom where your case will be called.
You can find online resources about protective orders at Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO), including an online program to assist with preparing an Order of Protection before you come to court.
You can also access the necessary court paperwork online and fill it out before bringing it to the courthouse. Paperwork is available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
There may be assistance available for you at the courthouse. Services are provided at each Domestic Violence Division site, go to the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office and tell the clerk you want to file a protective order. If you require assistance in filling it out, the clerk will direct you to the appropriate resources within the building. Otherwise, the clerk will give you the required paperwork and you can fill it out by yourself. After the paperwork is completed, it must be returned to the clerk’s office for filing. The clerk will then direct you to the courtroom where your case will be called.