Illinois How to Get a Divorce (No Children) is a process that requires certain steps to be followed in order to legally end a marriage. In Illinois, if both parties agree to the divorce, it is known as an uncontested divorce. If the parties do not agree on certain issues, it is known as a contested divorce. The first step in the process is filing an Illinois divorce petition with the court. The petition must include certain information, such as the length of the marriage, the grounds for the divorce, and any agreements that have been made regarding the division of property and other issues. Once the petition is filed, the other spouse must be served with a copy of the petition. The other spouse must then file an answer with the court, or a default judgment can be entered if the other spouse does not respond. Once the answer has been filed or the default judgment entered, the couple must attend a mandatory divorce settlement conference. This is an opportunity for the couple to resolve any outstanding issues without going to trial. If an agreement is not reached at the settlement conference, the case will go to trial. The court will then decide any unresolved issues and issue a final judgment. The final judgment will include all the terms of the divorce, such as division of property, spousal maintenance, and other issues. Once the final judgment is entered, the divorce is final and the parties are no longer legally married.