Ford County Dissolution of Marriage Records
Ford County dissolution of marriage records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk office in Paxton, Illinois. The 6th Judicial Circuit handles all family law cases for Ford County, including dissolution filings, judgments, and court orders. If you need to search for a dissolution case or obtain copies of records in Ford County, the Circuit Clerk in Paxton is where you start. This page covers how to access dissolution of marriage records in Ford County, what the process involves under Illinois law, and where to find help.
Ford County Quick Facts
Ford County Circuit Clerk Office
Clerk Kasi Schwarz oversees the Ford County Circuit Clerk office at 200 West State Street in Paxton. This office stores and processes all dissolution of marriage filings made in the 6th Judicial Circuit for Ford County. Staff can search cases by name or case number. Copies of court documents, including petitions, orders, and final judgments, are available during regular business hours.
The Ford County clerk handles dissolution records from initial filing through post-decree matters. If modifications to child support, custody, or maintenance were ordered after the original judgment, those documents are also part of the case file. Anyone can request public records from the clerk. Call 217/379-9420 to ask about a specific case or to confirm hours before you drive to Paxton. The Illinois Courts clerk directory lists current contact information for Ford County and all other Illinois counties.
| Circuit Clerk | Kasi Schwarz |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 West State Paxton, IL 60957 |
| Phone | 217/379-9420 |
| Fax | 217/379-9429 |
| County Seat | Paxton |
| Judicial Circuit | 6th Circuit |
Search Ford County Dissolution Records Online
Judici.com provides online access to Ford County court records, including dissolution of marriage cases from the 6th Judicial Circuit. The site is free and allows searches by party name or case number. You can see the case status, parties involved, and upcoming hearing dates. Visit judici.com and filter by Ford County to search dissolution cases without making the trip to Paxton.
Judici does not provide document images for download. To get actual copies of dissolution documents such as the judgment or settlement agreement, you must contact the Ford County clerk directly. Call 217/379-9420 to ask about availability, copying fees, and how to receive the documents, whether by mail or in person at the Paxton courthouse.
Judici.com covers Ford County dissolution of marriage cases and provides free public access to case information from the 6th Judicial Circuit in Paxton.
Dissolution Record Fees in Ford County
Copy fees for dissolution of marriage records in Ford County are set by state law under 705 ILCS 105, the Illinois Clerks of Courts Act. The first page of any copy costs $2.00. Pages two through twenty cost $0.50 each. Pages beyond twenty cost $0.25 each. Certified copies include an additional certification fee on top of the per-page rate. Confirm the exact total with the clerk at 217/379-9420 before sending payment by mail for any Ford County dissolution record request.
New dissolution of marriage filings in Ford County require payment of a filing fee at the time you submit the petition. The amount depends on whether children are involved and what additional motions are included. Ask the clerk for the current fee schedule before you file. If the cost is a hardship, the clerk can give you an indigency affidavit to complete. Submit it with your petition and the judge will decide whether to reduce or eliminate the fees.
Illinois Dissolution Law and Ford County
Ford County dissolution of marriage cases fall under 750 ILCS 5, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. The 6th Judicial Circuit applies this law to every dissolution case filed in Paxton. Illinois uses a no-fault standard. There is only one ground for dissolution in Illinois: irreconcilable differences. No spouse has to prove the other did something wrong. The court only needs to find that the marriage has permanently broken down.
Under 750 ILCS 5/401, one spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90 days before the petition can be filed. You file in the county where you or your spouse lives at the time of filing. Ford County residents file at the Paxton courthouse. After filing, the other spouse is served with the petition. Both parties provide financial disclosures. If children are part of the case, the court requires a parenting plan before a final order is entered. In Ford County, as elsewhere in Illinois, the court reviews all submitted documents and enters a final judgment of dissolution once all matters are resolved.
Property division follows 750 ILCS 5/503, which requires equitable distribution. This means property is divided fairly, not necessarily equally. Judges in the 6th Circuit look at the length of the marriage, each spouse's income and contribution, and other relevant factors. Child support is calculated under the income shares formula in 750 ILCS 5/505. The Joint Simplified Dissolution under 750 ILCS 5/452 is available for cases with no children, limited assets, a short marriage, and full agreement between both parties.
Note: Ford County is served by the 6th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Champaign, DeWitt, Vermilion, and several other counties in east-central Illinois.
What Ford County Dissolution Files Include
A dissolution of marriage file in Ford County contains all documents filed from start to finish. The petition opens the case and states the grounds. The other spouse may file a response. Both parties submit financial affidavits covering income, assets, and debts. If there are children, proposed parenting plans go into the file as well. Temporary orders for support or custody entered before the final judgment are also stored here.
The judgment of dissolution of marriage is the final order that ends the marriage. It resolves all outstanding issues: property and debt allocation, maintenance if applicable, the parenting schedule, and child support. This is the document most people need copies of after a dissolution. Certified copies are available from the Ford County Circuit Clerk in Paxton. Public records are accessible under 5 ILCS 140. Personal identifiers are removed from public copies under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138.
- Petition for dissolution of marriage
- Financial disclosure affidavits
- Temporary orders (support or custody)
- Parenting plan or custody agreement
- Marital settlement agreement
- Judgment of dissolution of marriage
- Post-decree modification orders
IDPH Dissolution of Marriage Verification
The Illinois Department of Public Health maintains a statewide index of dissolution records, covering Ford County cases from 1962 to the present. IDPH can confirm a dissolution took place and provide the date, county, and names involved. This is a verification only, not a certified copy of the court judgment. For certified copies of Ford County dissolution documents, contact the Circuit Clerk in Paxton.
To request IDPH verification, send $5.00 by check or money order made payable to "Illinois Department of Public Health." Requests take four to six weeks by mail. Do not send cash. Mail to 925 E. Ridgely Ave, Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Call (217) 782-6554 for questions. The current form and instructions are available on the IDPH dissolution of marriage records page.
The IDPH verification service covers Ford County dissolution of marriage records filed from 1962 forward and is useful when you only need to confirm that a dissolution occurred.
Legal Help for Ford County Residents
Ford County residents facing a dissolution of marriage can find free help at Illinois Legal Aid Online. The site at illinoislegalaid.org has plain-language guides covering every phase of dissolution, from filing to the final judgment. The Easy Form tool helps you complete Illinois dissolution forms correctly before filing at the Paxton courthouse. This can reduce the chance that the clerk sends your paperwork back for corrections.
Illinois Supreme Court standardized dissolution forms are available at the Illinois Courts forms page. These forms are accepted by the 6th Judicial Circuit in Ford County. Prairie State Legal Services serves east-central Illinois, including Ford County, and may assist with dissolution cases involving domestic violence or other hardship situations. Call their intake line to ask about eligibility. The Ford County clerk at 217/379-9420 can also tell you which forms your case requires and point you to the right resources.
Illinois Supreme Court approved forms are required for dissolution filings in Ford County. They are available for free download from the Illinois Courts website and are accepted by the 6th Judicial Circuit in Paxton.
Cities in Ford County
Ford County is a smaller county in east-central Illinois. All dissolution of marriage cases for Ford County residents file with the Circuit Clerk in Paxton. No city in Ford County meets the population threshold for its own page on this site.
Communities in Ford County include Paxton, Gibson City, Loda, Melvin, and Piper City. All residents file dissolution cases at the courthouse in Paxton.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Ford County in east-central Illinois. Each has its own circuit clerk office for dissolution of marriage filings. File your case in the county where you or your spouse currently lives.