Examining the impact of divorce law reform on divorce processes and parenting arrangements in Illinois

Abstract Objective This study evaluated the 2015 Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA) amendment to determine whether it achieved its legislative goals of reducing adversarial divorce processes and promoting equitable outcomes for divorcing parents. Background Divorce law reforms aim to reflect societal changes and improve family outcomes. The IMDMA amendment updated outdated provisions to reflect societal changes, promote fairness, streamline proceedings, and encourage shared parental responsibilities, consistent with contemporary divorce law trends nationwide. Method Using a pre–post design, the study analyzed 240 divorce cases filed in a large Illinois county: 120 cases before the amendment (2009–2013) and 120 after the amendment (2016–2019). Indicators of adversarial processes (i.e., divorce length, postdissolution filings) and equitable outcomes (i.e., shared decision‐making, parenting time) were compared. Results The amendment did not significantly reduce divorce length or postdissolution filings. However, shared decision‐making increased significantly postamendment, suggesting partial success in achieving equitable parenting outcomes. Conclusions The IMDMA amendment demonstrated its effectiveness in more equitable outcomes but did not significantly reduce adversariness for divorcing parents. Implications This study underscores the importance of evaluating legal reforms to guide future legislation and improve divorce outcomes for families. The findings offer insights for states considering similar changes to divorce laws.