DuPage County Circuit Court initiates dedicated Pro Se courtroom

Chief Judge Kathryn E. Creswell has announced that as of March 2, 2015, the 18th Judicial Circuit Court in DuPage County has dedicated Courtroom 3005 as a full time Pro Se (self-represented) courtroom for Domestic Relations matters. Judge Elizabeth Sexton will be presiding. The Pro Se Courtroom will focus on families of married or previously married couples. The Hon. Blanche Hill Fawell, Presiding Judge of Domestic Relations states "This program fits seamlessly with the Illinois Supreme Court mandate for access to justice for self-represented litigants."

The courtroom staff will be working in conjunction with the DuPage County Agreed Support and Parenting Time Program (ASAP). This program provides services to enroll in the program and receive child support services through the State of Illinois. Families can address paternity, child support and parenting time in a single visit to the DuPage Family Center and avoid lengthy litigation and multiple trips to the courthouse. ASAP is open to all families regardless of income. ASAP is staffed by representatives of the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, the DuPage County Family Center and the Illinois Department of Heathcare and Family Services.

"The pairing of our groundbreaking Agreed Support and Parenting Time initiative with the pro-se courtroom, gives parents the opportunity to resolve their differences without resorting to potentially lenghthy and costly litigation," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said. "Our program stresses the need to keep the best interests of the children in mind in these matters. We are dedicated to the speedy and amicable resolution of support and parenting time issues, often-times with agreements reached in a single afternoon."

For more information or to schedule an appointment for ASAP, call the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office at 630-407-8005.