In Illinois, per Supreme Court Rule 924, all divorcing parents are required to take a parenting education class before their divorce can be finalized by the judge. The class will cover the subjects of visitation and custody and the impact that divorce has on children. The name of the class and the specific requirements vary from county to county.
In Cook County, per Local Rule 13.4(f), there are two classes which have been approved: one online and one in-person. If custody or visitation is disputed in your case, the judge will order you to attend the in-person class. If you and your spouse can agree on how to resolve custody and visitation, you have the option of taking the online class.
FOCUS on Children — In-person Class
You must be ordered by the judge to attend FOCUS before you can sign up. The class costs $25, and lasts 4 hours. The class is offered at three locations: Chicago, Skokie and Bridgeview. You can call (312) 603-1550 for more information regarding days and times that the class is offered.
Children In Between Online (CIBO) — Online Class
You do not need a court order before signing up to take CIBO, but you should check with your attorney first to make sure that you should take CIBO and that you won’t be required to complete FOCUS. CIBO costs $40, and takes about 4-5 hours to complete.
The address for Child In Between Online is: http://online.divorce-education.com/
Click here to download a copy of the official instruction sheet found in all Cook County courtrooms.