Cook County adoption cases are heard in the County Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County which is located on the 17th floor of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602.
Adoption files are maintained by the Clerk of the Court in Room 1202 of the Daley Center.
Adoption Law and Process
An adoption is an important court proceeding that terminates the rights of a person's biological parents and creates one or two new legal parents.
In Cook County, Illinois, the adoption process is governed by Illinois law and the Rules of the Circuit Court of Cook County, which require the use of certain forms and procedures.
The laws and rules regulating adoptions are as follows:
- Illinois Adoption Act: governs all adoption proceedings in Illinois courts.
- Case law: including decisions from the United States Supreme Court and lower federal courts, as well as from the Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Appellate Courts on adoption issues, which is available in the Cook County Law Library located in the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, on the 29th Floor, 312.603.5423.
- Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 USC§1901 et seq: a federal law to which certain adoptions of Native American children are subject. See, Haaland v. Brackeen, 143 S. Ct. 1609 (2023).
Additional Information
For additional information, including links to additional resources and ways ot connect with the Adoption courtrooms, click on the tabs below.
For inquiries regarding the Adoptions within the County Division, including the filing of new cases or checking the status of a pending adoption, please contact:
The Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court
Richard J. Daley Center, Rm. 1202
(312) 603-6441
OR
Gloria Contreras – Adoption Coordinator, County Division
cjcal3@cookcountyil.gov
(312) 603-2492
The following four judges hear adoption matters:
- Honorable Araceli R. De La Cruz - Calendar 11, Monday
- Honorable Maureen Ward Kirby - Calendar 3, Tuesday
- Honorable Mary Trew - Calendar 12, Wednesday
- Honorable Viviana Martinez - Calendar 10, Thursday
Family Court Services is typically appointed in all private, unrelated adoptions where there is no agency home study. Visit the Cook County FCS website learn more.
Guardian ad Litem are appointed by the court to represent the interests of a ward of the court. Additional information about GAL for Cook County Adoption cases is linked below:
Illinois Legal Aid Online 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. Court forms for certain types of adoptions can be downloaded from their website.
Requirements for Termination of Parental Rights by Default
Adoption Records
Adoption files are confidential court files and are not available to the public. A court order is required to review an adoption file or to obtain copies of any document it contains. Click on the link below to learn more.
In general, a person must demonstrate good cause to a judge why he or she should be granted access to an adoption file in order to obtain release of information contained within it. However, adoptive parents may obtain a court order for certified copies of the final adoption order without stating any reason. Adopted persons also do not need to state a reason to obtain a court order to obtain certified copies of the final adoption order; however, all information identifying the birth parents will be redacted or removed.
A voluntary registry is maintained by the Illinois Department of Public Health for adopted persons and their biological relatives called the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange. Persons wanting information about or seeking contact with biological relatives may register for no cost. Persons who do not want any contact with biological relatives may also register. Registration forms can be downloaded from the IDPH website.
Persons wanting information about or seeking contact with biological relatives may also petition the court to appoint a confidential intermediary to review the adoption file and conduct an investigation; the confidential intermediary may be able to arrange contact if all parties consent. Information about the confidential intermediary process can be obtained by contacting the Midwest Adoption Center at (847) 298-9096 or www.macadopt.org.
Individuals may request a non-certified copy of their birth certificate by contacting the Illinois Department of Human Services. Additional information regarding Cook County adoption records is available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Frequently Asked Questions
An adoption is an important court proceeding that terminates the rights of a person's biological parents and creates one or two new legal parents.
In Cook County, Illinois, the adoption process is governed by Illinois law and the Rules of the Circuit Court of Cook County, which require the use of certain forms and procedures
The laws and rules regulating adoptions are as follows:
- Illinois Adoption Act: governs all adoption proceedings in Illinois courts.
- Case law: including decisions from the United States Supreme Court and lower federal courts, as well as from the Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Appellate Courts on adoption issues, which is available in the Cook County Law Library located in the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, on the 29th Floor, 312.603.5423.
- The Rules of the Circuit Court of Cook County: outlines procedures to be followed in the Circuit Court of Cook County.
- Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 USC§1901 et seq: a federal law to which certain adoptions of Native American children are subject.
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.
Prospective adoptive parents are not required to hire an attorney to represent them in court; however, legal assistance is strongly recommended. See Adoption Resources and Help for attorney referral services.
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.
No.There are four types of adoption proceedings, each requiring different procedures, court forms and documents. The four types are as follows:
- Related - Either or both of the adopting parents are related to the child in any of the following ways: biologically, through adoption, or by marriage. The relationship must be any of the following: biological parent, stepparent, grandparent stepgrandparent, sibling, stepsibling, uncle, aunt, great uncle, great aunt or first cousin.
- Agency - The adopting parents received the child from a placement made by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services or a private licensed adoption agency.
- Private - The adopting parents received the child directly from the biological parents.
- Adult - The person to be adopted is 18 years of age or older and is either related to the adopting parents or has lived with them for at least 2 years. The biological parents of the adult being adopted do not have to consent to or receive notice of this type of adoption.
In addition, adoption proceedings are impacted by whether the child to be adopted was born or resided in another country, or a state other than Illinois. Adoptions proceedings can also be impacted if the adoptive parents move out of state or to another country
Forms for certain types of adoptions can be completed or downloaded at www.illinoislegalaid.org.
No, adoption files are confidential court files and are not available to the public. A court order is required to review an adoption file or to obtain copies of any document it contains.
In general, a person must demonstrate good cause to a judge why he or she should be granted access to an adoption file in order to obtain release of information contained within it. However, adoptive parents may obtain a court order for certified copies of the final adoption order without stating any reason. Adopted persons also do not need to state a reason to obtain a court order to obtain certified copies of the final adoption order; however, all information identifying the birth parents will be redacted or removed.
As the legal parent, you may have the right to a court-appointed attorney if you cannot afford to hire one. YOU MUST GO TO COURT AT THE TIME AND PLACE SHOWN ON THE NOTICE AND ASK THE JUDGE TO APPOINT AN ATTORNEY. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN OR WHERE TO GO, CALL 312.603.5536 FOR INFORMATION.