In plain English: a divorce where the spouses disagree on one or more issues — children, finances, property, or support — and the court must step in to resolve them.
What this means for you: Contested divorces are the most common type. They can take longer and require more paperwork than an uncontested divorce, but Illinois has a clear, structured process to guide a case from start to finish. Being “contested” does not mean you can’t reach an agreement along the way — many cases settle before trial.
Common things people contest: who the child spends holidays with, how much maintenance is fair, who keeps the house, and how a business is valued. The court resolves these by applying statutory factors, not by “splitting everything down the middle” automatically.
Watch out for: a case that starts contested is not stuck that way. Motions, discovery, and settlement conferences often narrow the disputes. The later you reach agreement, the more attorney fees you’ve usually spent — so early, good-faith negotiation protects both your wallet and your stress level.
