State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_HB0132eng

      750 ILCS 5/403            from Ch. 40, par. 403
          Amends the Marriage  and  Dissolution  of  Marriage  Act.
      Provides  that  legal  disability, insanity, and incompetence
      are not defenses to an action for dissolution of marriage  or
      legal separation that is brought on grounds of irreconcilable
      differences.   Provides  that, if the requirements of the Act
      are  met,  a  spouse  may  maintain  an  action   seeking   a
      dissolution  of marriage or legal separation from a spouse on
      grounds of irreconcilable differences regardless  of  whether
      the  spouse  from whom the dissolution or legal separation is
      sought is under a legal disability. Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9001041WHmg
HB0132 Engrossed                               LRB9001041WHmg
 1        AN ACT to amend the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution  of
 2    Marriage Act by changing Section 403.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.  The  Illinois  Marriage  and  Dissolution  of
 6    Marriage Act is amended by changing Section 403 as follows:
 7        (750 ILCS 5/403) (from Ch. 40, par. 403)
 8        Sec. 403.  Pleadings; Commencement; Abolition of Existing
 9    Defenses;  Procedure.)  (a)  The  petition for dissolution of
10    marriage or legal separation  shall  be  verified  and  shall
11    minimally set forth:
12        (1)  the  age, occupation and residence of each party and
13    his length of residence in this State;
14        (2)  the date of the marriage and the place at  which  it
15    was registered;
16        (3)  that  the  jurisdictional requirements of subsection
17    (a) of Section 401 have been met and that there exist grounds
18    for  dissolution  of  marriage  or  legal   separation.   The
19    petitioner  need  only  allege  the  name  of  the particular
20    grounds  relied  upon,  which  shall  constitute  a   legally
21    sufficient  allegation  of  the  grounds;  and the respondent
22    shall be entitled to demand a bill of  particulars  prior  to
23    trial setting forth the facts constituting the grounds, if he
24    so chooses. The petition must also contain:
25        (4)  the names, ages and addresses of all living children
26    of the marriage and whether the wife is pregnant;
27        (5)  any   arrangements   as   to  support,  custody  and
28    visitation of the children and maintenance of a spouse; and
29        (6)  the relief sought.
30        (b)  Either or both parties to the marriage may  initiate
31    the proceeding.
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 1        (c)  The  previously existing defense of recrimination is
 2    abolished. The defense of condonation is abolished only as to
 3    condonations occurring after a  proceeding   is  filed  under
 4    this  Act  and after the court has acquired jurisdiction over
 5    the respondent.
 6        (c-1)  The following shall not constitute  a  defense  to
 7    the  grounds  of  irreconcilable  differences  alleged  in  a
 8    petition  for  dissolution  of  marriage or legal separation:
 9    that the respondent has been found to be  disabled,  pursuant
10    to  the  Probate  Act  of  1975; that the respondent has been
11    found to be insane or mentally ill, pursuant to the  Criminal
12    Code  of 1961; that the respondent has been found to be unfit
13    to stand trial pursuant to the Code of Criminal Procedure  of
14    1963;  that  the  respondent  has  been  found to be mentally
15    disabled pursuant to  the  Mental  Health  and  Developmental
16    Disabilities  Code;  or  that  the  respondent has been found
17    eligible  to  receive  any  private  or  government  pension,
18    allowance, or benefit  based  upon  the  respondent's  mental
19    condition.
20        (d)  The  court may join additional parties necessary and
21    proper for the exercise of its authority under this Act.
22        (e)  Contested trials shall be on a bifurcated basis with
23    the grounds being tried first.  Upon  the  court  determining
24    that  the  grounds exist, the court may allow additional time
25    for the parties  to  settle  amicably  the  remaining  issues
26    before  resuming  the  trial,  or  may proceed immediately to
27    trial on the remaining issues.  In cases  where  the  grounds
28    are  uncontested and proved as in cases of default, the trial
29    on all other remaining issues shall proceed  immediately,  if
30    so ordered by the court or if the parties so stipulate, issue
31    on the pleadings notwithstanding.
32        (f)  Even if no bill of particulars shall have been filed
33    demanding   the   specification   of   the  particular  facts
34    underlying the allegation of the  grounds,  the  court  shall
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 1    nonetheless  require  proper  and  sufficient  proof  of  the
 2    existence of the grounds.
 3    (Source: P.A. 85-754.)
 4        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 5    becoming law.

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