Section 7-101 – Residence Requirement

    If the grounds for the divorce occurred outside this State, a party may not apply for a divorce unless one of the parties has resided in this State for at least 6 months before the application is filed.

Section 7-102 – Limited Divorce

    (a)    The court may decree a limited divorce on the following grounds:         (1)    cruelty of treatment of the complaining party or of a minor child of the complaining party;         (2)    excessively vicious conduct to the complaining party or to a minor child of the complaining party;         (3)    desertion; or         (4)    separation, if the parties are living separate and apart without […]

Section 7-103 – Absolute Divorce

    (a)    The court may decree an absolute divorce on the following grounds:         (1)    adultery;         (2)    desertion, if:             (i)    the desertion has continued for 12 months without interruption before the filing of the application for divorce;             (ii)    the desertion is deliberate and final; and             (iii)    there is no reasonable expectation of reconciliation;         (3)    conviction of a felony or misdemeanor in any state or […]

Section 7-103.2 – Child Support and Custody Educational Seminar

    (a)    This section applies to an action for divorce in which issues of child support, custody, or visitation are raised.     (b)    Prior to granting a decree of divorce, the court may require all parties to participate in an educational seminar that is designed to educate parents about the effects, and to minimize the disruption, of a divorce […]

Section 7-104 – Offer or Refusal of Reconciliation

    (a)    In and of itself neither of the following is a defense to or a bar to a divorce:         (1)    an unaccepted offer of reconciliation by a spouse; or         (2)    a rejected attempt at reconciliation by a spouse.     (b)    In and of itself neither of the following is a defense to, a bar to, or a ground for a […]

Section 7-105 – Restoration of Former Name

    (a)    In granting a decree of absolute divorce or on motion of a party filed within 18 months after a final decree of absolute divorce is entered, the court shall change the name of the requesting party to either the name given the party at birth or any other former name the party wishes to use […]

Section 7-106 – Record of Divorce Decrees

    The clerk of the circuit court for each county shall record all final decrees in proceedings for divorce in that county and keep the record readily accessible in some permanent form.

Section 7-107 – Award of Reasonable and Necessary Expenses

    (a)    In this section, “reasonable and necessary expense” includes:         (1)    suit money;         (2)    counsel fees; and         (3)    costs.     (b)    At any point in a proceeding under this title, the court may order either party to pay to the other party an amount for the reasonable and necessary expense of prosecuting or defending the proceeding.     (c)    Before ordering the payment, the court […]