Free Click here to download - Illinois

Answer Form
This supplement includes a forms guide as well as forms. The forms guide is for use only in filling out the forms. For more information about what these forms mean or are used for, consult the appropriate Self Help packet. ©Board of Trustees, Southern Illinois University

FORMS GUIDE

ALL FORMS: At the top of each form is the "caption". It is completed as follows:

STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE (number of circuit) JUDICIAL CIRCUIT (name of county) COUNTY

(your name) Plaintiff, and (your spouse's name) Defendant.

) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

No. (get from Clerk at the time you file)

Determine the number of the "Circuit" according to the chart on the next page. If your county does not appear in the chart, call the Circuit Clerk in the county in which you will be filing your case and ask for the number of the Circuit.

Circuit Courts in Illinois
Cook County is its own judicial circuit. The rest of the counties in Illinois fall into one of 21 circuits. First Circuit The counties of Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Pope, Johnson, Union, Jackson, Williamson and Saline. The counties of Hardin, Gallatin, White, Hamilton, Franklin, Wabash, Edwards, Wayne, Jefferson, Richland, Lawrence and Crawford. The counties of Madison and Bond. The counties of Clinton, Marion, Clay, Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Montgomery, Shelby and Christian. The counties of Vermilion, Edgar, Clark, Cumberland and Coles. The counties of Champaign, Douglas, Moultrie, Macon, DeWitt and Piatt. The counties of Sangamon, Macoupin, Morgan, Scott, Greene and Jersey. The counties of Adams, Schuyler, Mason, Cass, Brown, Pike, Calhoun and Menard. The counties of Knox, Warren, Henderson, Hancock, McDonough and Fulton. The counties of Peoria, Marshall, Putnam, Stark and Tazewell. The counties of McLean, Livingston, Logan, Ford and Woodford. The county of Will. The counties of Bureau, LaSalle and Grundy. The counties of Rock Island, Mercer, Whiteside and Henry. The counties of JoDaviess, Stephenson, Carroll, Ogle and Lee. The counties of Kane, DeKalb and Kendall. The counties of Winnebago and Boone. The county of DuPage. The county of Lake The counties of Randolph, Monroe, St. Clair, Washington and Perry. The counties of Iroquois and Kankakee. The County of McHenry

Second Circuit -

Third Circuit Fourth Circuit -

Fifth Circuit Sixth Circuit Seventh Circuit Eighth Circuit Ninth Circuit Tenth Circuit Eleventh Circuit Twelfth Circuit Thirteenth Circuit Fourteenth Circuit Fifteenth Circuit Sixteenth Circuit Seventeenth Circuit Eighteenth Circuit Nineteenth Circuit Twentieth Circuit Twenty-first Circuit Twenty-second Circuit-

Instructions for Individual Forms FORM: Answer Introduction: Your name. Remaining Paragraphs: When completing the Answer Form, you will need to refer back to the allegations in the complaint/petition you were served. For each fact or allegation, decide if it was true or false. Number your answers the same as the numbered paragraphs in the complaint/petition. If the allegations are true in a paragraph, write: 1. Respondent admits the allegations contained in paragraph 1 of the Petition. If the allegations are not true, write: 2. Respondent denies the allegations contained in paragraph 2 of the Petition. If the paragraph contains some things that are true and others that are not, specify in your answer which parts are true and which are not. For example: 3. Respondent admits (or denies) the allegations contained in the first sentence of paragraph 3 of the Petition, but denies (or admits) the allegations contained in the second sentence of paragraph 3. CAUTION: According to 735 ILCS 5/2-610, each of your answers must explicitly admit or deny each allegation. If you do not specifically deny an allegation, the judge will assume you admitted it. For example, a statement that a party "neither admits nor denies an allegation" will be deemed to be an admission. Read the allegations in the petition carefully to be sure that you appropriately address each part of each allegation in your response and to be sure that you do not inadvertently admit more of any allegation than you intend to admit. It is important to keep in mind that untruthful denials may lead to sanctions. If you do not have sufficient knowledge to respond to an allegation, you must state that you have no knowledge sufficient to form a belief as to that allegation, and you must support your response by an affidavit (which may be found in the "Individual Forms" section at www.law.siu.edu/selfhelp). Sign and date the bottom of the form.

STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE _____________ JUDICIAL CIRCUIT ________________________ COUNTY ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ANSWER I, ______________________________, answer the Complaint/Petition filed against me as follows: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________ PLAINTIFF and _____________________________ DEFENDANT

NO. ______________

_________________________________ DATE

_______________________________________ SIGNATURE