Family Law Attorney Serving Joliet, Illinois

If you live in Joliet and your case is a divorce, a parenting dispute, or an order of protection, it will almost certainly be heard at the Will County Courthouse at 100 W Jefferson St, in the heart of downtown Joliet. Jeff McCarthy's office sits in Lockport, about 15 minutes up the road. He has practiced law in Illinois for more than 30 years, most of it in the Will County courts, and he handles every case personally. When you hire Jeff, the attorney you meet on day one is the attorney standing next to you in Joliet.

Why Joliet families hire a Lockport attorney

Joliet is Will County's largest city, but the county seat draws lawyers from all over Chicagoland who appear here occasionally. Jeff is different in a simple way: this is his home courthouse. Thirty years in the same circuit means he knows the local procedures, the standing orders, and the rhythms of the family courtrooms, and he does not bill you for a long drive in from the city. His office at 136 E 9th St in Lockport is a short trip from anywhere in Joliet, and a short trip from the courthouse where your case will be decided.

What Jeff handles for Joliet families

Family law is the core of the practice. For Joliet clients that means divorce and legal separation, allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, property division, and post-decree modifications and enforcement. When safety is the issue, Jeff helps clients petition for orders of protection and responds quickly when one has been filed against a client.

Because life rarely stays in one legal lane, Jeff also handles the matters that often travel with a family case. He prepares and reviews deeds when a home changes hands after a divorce, represents buyers and sellers at real estate closings, and defends DUI and traffic charges that put a license, a job, or a parenting schedule at risk. One attorney, one file, no handoffs.

Practical notes on the Will County Courthouse

The current courthouse opened in October 2020 at 100 W Jefferson St, Joliet, IL 60432, at the corner of Jefferson and Ottawa. It is a ten story building with 38 courtrooms, and it houses the circuit court's civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic divisions, so family law matters for Joliet residents are heard in this building. The courthouse is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays. If you need an order of protection, the courthouse has an order of protection office on the first floor, in Room 120 next to the Circuit Clerk's payment window, and you do not need a police report to ask for one. Plan for security screening at the entrance and give yourself time to park downtown. Jeff will tell you exactly where to be and when, and in many routine traffic matters he can appear for you.

When to get help

Call early. In a divorce, decisions made in the first weeks, about the house, the accounts, and the parenting schedule, shape everything that follows. If you have been served with papers, deadlines are already running. If you are worried about safety, an emergency order of protection can often be requested the same day. And if the issue is a DUI or a ticket, acting before the court date protects options that disappear once a conviction is entered.

The first conversation is straightforward. Jeff listens, explains where your case would stand under Illinois law, and lays out the next steps in plain language. Call (815) 838-5297 to schedule a confidential consultation.

Joliet FAQs

Where will my divorce case be heard if I live in Joliet?

At the Will County Courthouse, 100 W Jefferson St in downtown Joliet, which houses the circuit court's family division. Divorce, parenting, and support cases for Joliet residents are filed with the Circuit Clerk of Will County and heard in that building. Jeff appears there regularly and can walk you through what to expect. Call (815) 838-5297 to talk it through.

Do you meet with clients from Joliet?

Yes. Jeff's office at 136 E 9th St in Lockport is about 15 minutes from most of Joliet, and initial conversations can happen by phone if that is easier. You always deal with Jeff directly, not an intake team. Call to set a time that works.

How fast can you file my case?

Once Jeff has your information, a petition can usually be prepared and filed with the Circuit Clerk of Will County promptly. There is no waiting period to file a divorce in Illinois, though a judgment requires that one spouse has lived in Illinois for 90 days. If your matter is urgent, say so when you call and it will be treated that way.