What if I am unable to afford an attorney?
If prospective adoptive parents believe that they cannot afford to hire an attorney, they can contact CARPLS (Coordinated Advice and Referral Program for Legal Services) as follows:

CARPLS Hotline: 312.738.9200 or http://www.carpls.org

CARPLS attorneys provide legal advice as well as information and self-help materials on adoptions. CARPLS also will refer those who are eligible for free legal services to an appropriate legal aid program.

Also, Illinois Legal Aid Online, www.illinoislegalaid.org, is a free, user-friendly website with information on Illinois law. Answers to common adoption questions and step-by-step guidelines on how to handle different types of adoptions are presented, as well as actual court forms that can be downloaded and used in court.