SB 65

Abstract

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that a proceeding related to interim attorney's fees and costs in a pre-judgment dissolution proceeding (instead of interim attorney's fees) shall be nonevidentiary and summary in nature (instead of nonevidentiary, summary in nature, and expeditious). Provides that all hearings concerning interim attorney's fees and costs shall be scheduled expeditiously by the court. Provides that in dividing marital property, the court shall consider all relevant factors including each party's contribution to the marital or non-marital property including (i) any decrease in value attributable to an advance from the marital estate or (ii) the contribution of the spouse as a homemaker or to the family (instead of the contribution of the spouse as a homemaker or to the family). Provides that interim attorney's fees and costs may be awarded from the opposing party in a pre-judgment dissolution proceeding under the interim fees and costs provisions and in any other proceeding for attorney's fees and costs (instead of under the Code's interim fees and costs provisions). Provides that all petitions for or relating to interim fees and costs shall include an affidavit stating the factual basis for the requested relief and shall be expeditiously scheduled for hearing by the court. Provides that Code provisions concerning contribution to fees and costs apply to petitions for interim fees. Provides that deadlines for the filing of a praecipe or a petition for setting final fees and costs shall be tolled under specified conditions relating to an appeal or a post judgment motion. Makes other changes.