Illinois Statutes Chapter 750. Families § 5/411. Commencement of Action

(a) Actions for dissolution of marriage or legal separation shall be commenced as in other civil cases or, at the option of petitioner, by filing a praecipe for summons with the clerk of the court and paying the regular filing fees, in which latter case, a petition shall be filed within 6 months thereafter, or any extension for good cause shown granted by the court.

(b) When a praecipe for summons is filed without the petition, the summons shall recite that petitioner has commenced suit for dissolution of marriage or legal separation and shall require the respondent to file his or her appearance not later than 30 days from the day the summons is served and to plead to the petitioner's petition within 30 days from the day the petition is filed.

Until a petition has been filed, the court, pursuant to subsections (c) and (d) herein, may dismiss the suit, order the filing of a petition, or grant leave to the respondent to file a petition in the nature of a counter petition.

After the filing of the petition, the party filing the same shall, within 2 days, serve a copy thereof upon the other party, in the manner provided by rule of the Supreme Court for service of notices in other civil cases.

(c) Unless a respondent voluntarily files an appearance, a praecipe for summons filed without the petition shall be served on the respondent not later than 30 days after its issuance, and upon failure to obtain service upon the respondent within the 30 day period, or any extension for good cause shown granted by the court, the court shall dismiss the suit.

(d) An action for dissolution of marriage or legal separation commenced by the filing a praecipe for summons without the petition may be dismissed if a petition for dissolution of marriage or legal separation has not been filed within 6 months after the commencement of the action or within the extension granted under subsection (a) of this Section.

(e) The filing of a praecipe for summons under this Section constitutes the commencement of an action that serves as grounds for involuntary dismissal under subdivision (a)(3) of Section 2-619 of the Code of Civil Procedure of a subsequently filed petition for dissolution of marriage or legal separation in another county.