(750 ILCS 25/1) (from Ch. 40, par. 2701)

Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Expedited Child Support Act of 1990.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)

(750 ILCS 25/2) (from Ch. 40, par. 2702)

Sec. 2. Purpose. It is the express public policy of this State to ensure the expeditious establishment, enforcement and modification of child support orders and to ensure the expeditious establishment of parentage.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)

(750 ILCS 25/3) (from Ch. 40, par. 2703)

Sec. 3. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act, the following terms shall have the following meaning:

(a) "Administrative Hearing Officer" shall mean the person employed by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of each county establishing an Expedited Child Support System for the purpose of hearing child support and parentage matters and making recommendations.

(b) "Administrative expenses" shall mean, but not be limited to, the costs of personnel, travel, equipment, telecommunications, postage, space, contractual services, and other related costs necessary to implement the provisions of this Act.

(c) "Arrearage" shall mean the total amount of unpaid child support obligations.

(d) "Department" shall mean the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

(e) "Expedited child support hearing" shall mean a hearing before an Administrative Hearing Officer pursuant to this Act.

(f) "Federal time frames" shall mean the time frames established for the IV-D program in regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Enforcement, (codified at 45 C.F.R. 303), for the disposition of parentage and child support cases and shall, for purposes of this Act, apply to all parentage and child support matters, whether IV-D or non-IV-D.

(g) "System" shall mean the procedures and personnel created by this Act for the expedited establishment, modification, and enforcement of child support orders, and for the expedited establishment of parentage.

(h) "IV-D program" shall mean the Child Support Enforcement Program established pursuant to Title IV, Part D of the Social Security Act, (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) as administered by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

(i) "Medical support" shall mean support provided pursuant to Section 505.2 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.

(j) "Obligee" shall mean the individual to whom a duty of support is owed or that individual's legal representative.

(k) "Obligor" shall mean the individual who owes a duty to make payments under an order of support.

(l) "Plan" shall mean the plan submitted by the Chief Judge of a Judicial Circuit to the Supreme Court for the creation of an Expedited Child Support System in such circuit pursuant to this Act.

(m) "Pre-hearing motions" shall mean all motions, the disposition of which requires a court order, except motions for the ultimate relief requested in the petition to commence the action.

(n) "Recommendations" shall mean the Administrative Hearing Officer's proposed findings of fact, recommended orders and any other recommendations made by the Administrative Hearing Officer.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

(750 ILCS 25/4) (from Ch. 40, par. 2704)

Sec. 4. Establishment of the Expedited Child Support System.

(a) Creation of Expedited Child Support System.

(1) Beginning July 1, 1991, an Expedited Child Support System may be established in accordance with this Act in one or more counties for actions to establish parentage and to establish, modify, and enforce child support obligations. The System shall be available to all participants in the IV-D program, and may be made available to all persons, regardless of participation in the IV-D program, in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

(2) Implementation. To implement this System, the Chief Judge of any Circuit shall develop and submit to the Supreme Court a Plan for the creation of a System.

(3) The Plan. The Plan shall indicate whether the System is to be available to non-participants in the IV-D program; designate the number of Administrative Hearing Officers to be employed; describe the facilities to be made available for Expedited Child Support Hearings, including days and hours of availability; describe the procedure for presentation to a judge of contested pre-hearing motions that require a court order; describe the procedure for transmittal of recommendations to a judge; describe the procedure for action on recommendations by a judge; describe the procedure for transfer of matters from a judge to an Administrative Hearing Officer; and describe the procedure for referral of matters from an Administrative Hearing Officer to a judge. The Plan shall otherwise be in accordance with the provisions of this Act, with Supreme Court rules promulgated pursuant to this Act, and with the standards, policies and rules of the IV-D program to the extent federal reimbursement is sought. At the option of the Chief Judge, the Plan may create a circuit-wide System or may create a separate System for each county within the circuit. The Chief Judges of 2 or more contiguous judicial circuits may jointly submit a Plan that creates a single System for those judicial circuits.

(4) Supreme Court Review and Approval. The Supreme Court shall review and approve or modify any submitted Plan to assure that it is consistent with the standards, policies and rules of the Supreme Court, the provisions and policies of this Act, and with the standards, policies and rules of the IV-D program to the extent federal reimbursement is sought, but shall not require Department or county approval.

(5) Implementation. The System shall be administered by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court may delegate, to the Chief Judge of each Judicial Circuit, the day-to-day administration of the System in the county or counties in such circuit in a manner consistent with the standards, policies, and rules established by the Supreme Court. Day-to-day administration includes, but is not limited to, engagement and termination of services, and periodic evaluation and assessment of work performed by all Administrative Hearing Officers.

(6) Hearing officers. At a minimum, Administrative Hearing Officers must be licensed to practice law in Illinois and shall otherwise meet the qualifications established by the Supreme Court in rules promulgated pursuant to this Act.

(7) Reporting.

(A) The Supreme Court may promulgate rules for the collection and reporting of data with respect to compliance with the Federal time frames for all counties within the State. The reports shall be submitted at such intervals as the Supreme Court may prescribe and shall otherwise be in accordance with rules promulgated by the Supreme Court pursuant to this Act.

(B) Beginning in 1992, the Supreme Court shall file with the General Assembly a report no later than April 1, of each year, describing the implementation status of this Act, which shall include, but not be limited to, an assessment of the System's effectiveness in all implementing counties, data reported pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, and recommendations regarding continuation of the System in the implementing counties and expansion of the System into other counties.

(b) Demonstration Program. The Department may establish a demonstration program in one or more counties selected by the Department for the use of the Expedited Child Support System in IV-D cases beginning July 1, 1991, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The program shall remain operative until June 30, 1994; provided, that if funds become unavailable the program shall terminate. The portion of the administrative expenses for such program attributable to use by the IV-D program which is not funded by the federal government shall be paid out of funds in the Child Support Enforcement Trust Fund as established in Section 12-10.2 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

The Supreme Court shall notify the Chief Judge of each judicial circuit of the Department's intent to establish a demonstration program in one or more counties. Any Chief Judge may submit a demonstration Plan to the Supreme Court for its review; approval or modification pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section; and for potential submission to the Department. The demonstration Plan, in addition to the elements described in subsection (a) of this Section, shall include a projected budget for the operation of the System and may provide for participation in the System by parties who are not participants in the IV-D program provided that the portion of administrative expenses attributable to use by non-participants in the IV-D program has been appropriated by the respective county and the conditions of subsection (d) of this Section shall apply. The Department may select, after reviewing the submitted Plans, one or more counties to participate in a demonstration program and shall notify the Supreme Court of its decision.

The Department shall file, no later than April 1, 1993, an interim report assessing the effectiveness of the program in the demonstration county or counties, including specific data on the disposition of child support cases covered by this Act. The Department shall file no later than April 1, 1994, a final report updating the assessment and data provided in the interim report, making recommendations regarding continuation of the program in the participating county or counties and making recommendations regarding implementation in non-participating counties.

(c) Non-Demonstration Counties. Upon Supreme Court approval of a submitted Plan, any non-demonstration county, circuit or multi-circuit area may implement an Expedited Child Support System, provided that funding has been appropriated by the respective County Board or Boards for administrative expenses incurred in the establishment and maintenance of the non-IV-D portion of the System and the IV-D portion that is not subject to federal reimbursement and that a plan for cost sharing has been filed with and approved by the Department. The Chief Judge of each implementing circuit shall maintain records of the number of IV-D and non-IV-D cases pending and disposed of in the System. The administrative expenses that are subject to federal reimbursement shall be documented and recorded in such a fashion as to insure eligibility for federal reimbursement under the IV-D program. The Supreme Court shall co-operate with the Department in providing information necessary to obtain reimbursement from the federal government pursuant to the IV-D program.

(d) Use of the Expedited Child Support System when neither party is a IV-D participant. Any Plan submitted by the Chief Judge of a Judicial Circuit may provide, but may not require, that the Expedited Child Support System be available, on a case by case basis, when neither party is a participant in the IV-D program, provided that funding for administrative expenses relating to non-IV-D participants has been appropriated by the respective County Board or Boards and that a plan for cost sharing has been filed with and approved by the Department. Provided that, the petitioner may elect to file an action under this Act before the Administrative Hearing Officer; in such a case, the other party, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, on or before the hearing date, may elect to have the case transferred for judicial hearing.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)

(750 ILCS 25/5) (from Ch. 40, par. 2705)

Sec. 5. Actions subject to Expedited Child Support Hearings.

(a) The Chief Judge of each Judicial Circuit that establishes a System shall delegate to the Administrative Hearing Officer the authority to hear the following actions:

(1) Petitions for child support and for medical support, pursuant to Section 505.2 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, for post-judgment dissolution of marriage and post-judgment parentage actions where child support or medical support was reserved or could not be ordered at the time of entry of the judgment because the court lacked personal jurisdiction over the obligor.

(2) Petitions for modification of child support and medical support in post-judgment dissolution of marriage and post-judgment parentage actions.

(3) Parentage actions, including the establishment of child support orders after parentage has been acknowledged.

(4) Actions for the enforcement of any existing order for child support or medical support in post-judgment dissolution of marriage and post-judgment parentage actions.

(5) Actions for the establishment of child support and medical support orders involving parties who are married and living separately, pursuant to Section 402 of the Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.

(6) Temporary orders for support in any action in which the custodial parent is a participant in the IV-D program.

(7) Any other child support matter provided for in the Plan for the creation of the System approved by the Illinois Supreme Court.

(8) Actions brought pursuant to Article X of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section, if the custodial parent is not a participant in the IV-D program and maintenance is in issue, the case shall be presented directly to the court.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Plan may provide that the System be available in pre-judgment proceedings for dissolution of marriage, declaration of invalidity of marriage and legal separation.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)

(750 ILCS 25/6) (from Ch. 40, par. 2706)

Sec. 6. Authority of hearing officers.

(a) With the exception of judicial functions exclusively retained by the court in Section 8 of this Act and in accordance with Supreme Court rules promulgated pursuant to this Act, Administrative Hearing Officers shall be authorized to:

(1) Accept voluntary agreements reached by the parties setting the amount of child support to be paid and medical support liability and recommend the entry of orders incorporating such agreements.

(2) Accept voluntary acknowledgments of parentage and recommend entry of an order establishing parentage based on such acknowledgement. Prior to accepting such acknowledgment, the Administrative Hearing Officer shall advise the putative father of his rights and obligations in accordance with Supreme Court rules promulgated pursuant to this Act.

(3) Manage all stages of discovery, including setting deadlines by which discovery must be completed; and directing the parties to submit to appropriate tests pursuant to the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015.

(4) Cause notices to be issued requiring the Obligor to appear either before the Administrative Hearing Officer or in court.

(5) Administer the oath or affirmation and take testimony under oath or affirmation.

(6) Analyze the evidence and prepare written recommendations based on such evidence, including but not limited to: (i) proposed findings as to the amount of the Obligor's income; (ii) proposed findings as to the amount and nature of appropriate deductions from the Obligor's income to determine the Obligor's net income; (iii) proposed findings as to the existence of relevant factors as set forth in subsection (a)(2) of Section 505 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, which justify setting child support payment levels above or below the guidelines; (iv) recommended orders for temporary child support; (v) recommended orders setting the amount of current child support to be paid; (vi) proposed findings as to the existence and amount of any arrearages; (vii) recommended orders reducing any arrearages to judgement and for the payment of amounts towards such arrearages; (viii) proposed findings as to whether there has been a substantial change of circumstances since the entry of the last child support order, or other circumstances justifying a modification of the child support order; and (ix) proposed findings as to whether the Obligor is employed.

(7) With respect to any unemployed Obligor who is not making child support payments or is otherwise unable to provide support, recommend that the Obligor be ordered to seek employment and report periodically of his or her efforts in accordance with such order. Additionally, the Administrative Hearing Officer may recommend that the Obligor be ordered to report to the Department of Employment Security for job search services or to make application with the local Job Training Partnership Act provider for participation in job search, training or work programs and, where the duty of support is owed to a child receiving child support enforcement services under Article X of the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Administrative Hearing Officer may recommend that the Obligor be ordered to report to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for participation in the job search, training or work programs established under Section 9-6 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

(8) Recommend the registration of any foreign support judgments or orders as the judgments or orders of Illinois.

(b) In any case in which the Obligee is not participating in the IV-D program or has not applied to participate in the IV-D program, the Administrative Hearing Officer shall:

(1) inform the Obligee of the existence of the IV-D program and provide applications on request; and

(2) inform the Obligee and the Obligor of the option of requesting payment to be made through the Clerk of the Circuit Court.

If a request for payment through the Clerk is made, the Administrative Hearing Officer shall note this fact in the recommendations to the court.

(c) The Administrative Hearing Officer may make recommendations in addition to the proposed findings of fact and recommended order to which the parties have agreed.

(Source: P.A. 99-85, eff. 1-1-16.)

(750 ILCS 25/7) (from Ch. 40, par. 2707)

Sec. 7. Expedited Child Support Hearings.

(a) Service. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and in Section 11 of this Act, the service of notice to commence an action under this Act may be made by regular mail. The notice shall be sent to the last known address of the Obligor. Parentage actions, actions for the establishment of child support orders involving parties who are married and living separately, and any other proceedings in which no court has yet acquired jurisdiction over the subject matter shall be commenced as provided in the Code of Civil Procedure and Supreme Court Rules. The notice or summons shall indicate the date set for hearing.

(b) Rules of Evidence. Except as provided in this Section, the established rules of evidence shall be followed in all Expedited Child Support Hearings. A party may offer in evidence, without foundation or other proof:

(1) the Obligor's pay stubs or other employer-provided statement of gross income, deductions, and net income prepared by the employer in the usual course of business;

(2) documents provided by the Obligor's insurance company that describe the dependent care coverage available to the Obligor; and

(3) records kept by the Clerk of the Circuit Court as to payment of child support.

(c) Other domestic relations matters. Petitions for visitation, custody, distribution of property, petitions pursuant to Section 513 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, spousal maintenance as otherwise provided, and any domestic relations matters other than parentage and child support shall be transferred by the Administrative Hearing Officer for a judicial hearing as provided in the Plan. Transfer of such matters shall not delay the proceeding before the Administrative Hearing Officer relative to parentage or child support.

(d) Transfers for judicial hearings. All actions and matters requiring a judicial hearing, as provided for in this Act and in Supreme Court rules promulgated pursuant to this Act, shall be transferred to the court as provided in the Plan.

(e) All pre-hearing motions and other matters that require a court order, as defined in this Act and in the Supreme Court rules promulgated pursuant to this Act, shall be presented to the court for resolution and the court shall make every effort to dispose of the motion in an expeditious manner. However, if the parties are in agreement with respect to the pre-hearing motion or other matters, the Administrative Hearing Officer shall transmit a recommended order, signed by both parties, to the court.

(f) Notice to parties and transmittal of recommendations. The Administrative Hearing Officer shall provide each party with a copy of the recommendations, together with a notice informing the parties of their right to request a judicial hearing. The recommendations and notice shall be given to the parties at the time of the hearing. If either party is not present at the time of the hearing, either in person or through his or her attorney, the provisions of Section 10 of this Act shall apply. If both parties are present at the hearing and agree to the recommended order of the Administrative Hearing Officer, they shall sign the recommended order and the Administrative Hearing Officer shall transmit the recommendations to the Court as provided in the Plan.

(1) If either party does not agree to the recommended order or any part thereof, a judicial hearing shall immediately be scheduled as to those matters on which the parties disagree. The Administrative Hearing Officer shall record the date, time, and place of the judicial hearing on a notice and provide a copy of the notice to each party either in person at the time of the expedited hearing or by regular mail. The Administrative Hearing Officer shall transmit to the court a written statement indicating that the parties do not agree to all or part of the recommendations.

No part of the recommendations on which the parties disagree shall be made a part of the record in court unless both parties stipulate to its admission and the court so orders. However, those matters on which the parties agree may be made a part of the record in court.

(2) If either party does not agree to the Administrative Hearing Officer's recommendations and the case is transferred for a judicial hearing, neither the parties nor the court may compel the Administrative Hearing Officer to testify at the judicial hearing.

(g) Forms. The Supreme Court may develop and provide a standard form for proposed findings and recommended orders, and any other necessary standard forms, for use by Administrative Hearing Officers in Expedited Child Support Hearings.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)

(750 ILCS 25/8) (from Ch. 40, par. 2708)

Sec. 8. Authority retained by the court. The following shall be deemed judicial functions and shall only be performed by a judge or associate judge:

(a) review the recommendations of the Administrative Hearing Officer and enter such order as it deems appropriate;

(b) conduct judicial hearings on all pre-hearing motions and other matters that require a court order and enter such orders as it deems appropriate;

(c) conduct judicial hearings on all child support matters in which the parties disagree with the Administrative Hearing Officer's recommendations;

(d) conduct trials in contested parentage cases;

(e) issue body attachment orders and rules to show cause, conduct contempt proceedings, and impose such sanctions or relief as may be appropriate;

(f) conduct judicial hearings on visitation, custody, distribution of property, petitions pursuant to Section 513 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, spousal maintenance as otherwise provided, and any domestic relations matters other than parentage and child support;

(g) conduct judicial hearings on objections to the entry of orders pursuant to Section 10 of this Act, where the hearing has been requested by the absent party in a timely manner;

(h) conduct judicial hearings on such other matters as are provided in Supreme Court Rules promulgated pursuant to this Act; and

(i) impose sanctions pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 137.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)

(750 ILCS 25/9) (from Ch. 40, par. 2709)

Sec. 9. Judicial hearings.

(a) Upon receipt of any recommended order to which both parties agree, the court shall review the Administrative Hearing Officer's recommendations. The court may enter an order consistent with these recommendations, may refer the matter to the Administrative Hearing Officer for further proceedings, or may hold such additional hearing as it deems necessary.

(b) Upon receipt of a statement from the Administrative Hearing Officer indicating that the parties do not agree to the Administrative Hearing Officer's recommended order, or any part thereof, the court shall conduct a judicial hearing on those matters to which the parties do not agree and enter such orders following the hearing as it deems appropriate.

(c) A copy of all court orders shall be mailed to the parties within 5 days of entry, unless the parties were present in court at the time the order was entered, in which case the parties shall be given a copy of the order in open court. The specially certified copy of the order for withholding, if any, shall be mailed only to the Obligee or his or her attorney, and not the Obligor.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)

(750 ILCS 25/10) (from Ch. 40, par. 2710)

Sec. 10. Failure to appear. (a) In any case in which the responding party fails to appear at the hearing, the Administrative Hearing Officer shall proceed to hear the case based upon the testimony of the petitioning party and other evidence presented, and shall recommend that the court enter an appropriate order. If the petitioning party agrees to the Administrative Hearing Officer's recommended order, a copy of such order signed by the petitioning party and a notice advising the absent party of his or her right to object shall be served upon the absent party in the following manner:

(1) If service to commence the proceeding before the Administrative Hearing Officer was by regular mail, the notice and recommended order shall be served in the same manner as summonses are served in other civil proceedings, or, in lieu of personal service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, mailed to the absent party's last known address. If service is made by certified mail, the return receipt shall constitute proof of service.

(2) If service to commence the proceeding before the Administrative Hearing Officer was as provided in the Code of Civil Procedure and Supreme Court Rules, the notice and recommended order shall be served by regular mail to the absent party's last known address.

(b) At any time within 14 days after the recommended order has been mailed, the absent party may file a written objection with the court to the entry of the recommended order. The court shall hold a hearing on the objection and enter the appropriate orders. If the court determines that the recommended order not be entered, the court may refer the case back to the Administrative Hearing Officer for further proceedings or may conduct a judicial hearing.

(c) If the petitioning party does not agree to the recommended order or any part thereof, a judicial hearing shall immediately be scheduled. The Administrative Hearing Officer shall record the date, time and place of the judicial hearing on a notice and provide a copy of the notice to the petitioning party at the time of the expedited hearing and to the responding party by regular mail.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)

(750 ILCS 25/13) (from Ch. 40, par. 2713)

Sec. 13. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

(Source: P.A. 86-1401.)