Overview

In Illinois, the Civil No Contact Order (CNCO) is a civil remedy for survivors of nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration. There are two primary stages: the Emergency CNCO and the Plenary CNCO. An Emergency CNCO can be issued quickly—sometimes the same day—without prior notice to the respondent when immediate protection is necessary. It is short-term and functions as a bridge to the plenary stage. A Plenary CNCO follows a noticed hearing where both sides may be heard; if granted, it typically lasts longer (subject to statute and the court’s order) and can be extended or modified later. Understanding when and why to seek emergency relief versus moving directly toward a plenary order helps you map risk to enforceable boundaries (no-contact across channels and stay-away from specific places) with fewer delays. This article explains the fit for each stage and then walks through a detailed, step-by-step process grounded in the differences between emergency and plenary practice in Illinois.

Who Typically Benefits and Who Can Apply

People who benefit include survivors of sexual assault who need court-ordered boundaries to stop contact, prevent intimidation, and reduce the risk of escalation at home, work, school, or online. The petitioner may file for themselves; a parent or guardian can file for a minor; and appropriate representatives can file when a victim cannot safely or practicably do so. Additional family or household members exposed to risk due to the conduct can be included as protected persons when appropriate. Venue is flexible: file in the county where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the incident occurred—choose what best aligns with safety and logistics.

Benefits of Understanding Emergency vs. Plenary

Knowing the differences improves outcomes. The Emergency CNCO is fast and can be granted ex parte (without notifying the respondent first) based on a sworn petition that shows immediate need. It provides short-term no-contact and stay-away protections and sets a return date for the noticed plenary hearing. The Plenary CNCO is longer in duration, entered after notice and (if contested) evidence. It can be more granular—covering multiple entrances, specific parking areas, and online channels—and is the version most institutions (schools, employers, landlords) will rely on day-to-day after the emergency phase. Mastering both stages lets you tailor a protection timeline: urgent coverage now, and precise, durable coverage after the hearing.

Detailed 10-Step Process (Framed Around Emergency vs. Plenary)

Step 1: Decide Your Initial Posture—Emergency, Plenary, or Both

Begin by matching your risk window to the right stage: Emergency if you face immediate harm without swift relief, Plenary if you can safely wait for a noticed hearing. Emergency relief is often the best first move when there are recent threats, stalking behavior, escalating DMs, attempted confrontations at named entrances, or any pattern showing the need for urgent court intervention. An emergency order can be granted without notifying the respondent in advance and will set a short return date for the noticed plenary hearing, where the respondent can be heard. If your risk is lower or your evidence is already organized and service will likely be prompt, you can proceed directly to a plenary hearing; many petitioners still prefer the emergency step first to cover the service gap.

Think strategically about scope. Emergency orders should be tight and essential—no contact by any means and stay-away from the most critical locations (home, work, school buildings, known entrances and parking areas). Your plenary plan can be broader and more detailed, adding other entrances, lots, and online provisions (no doxxing, no posting images, no new accounts). Draft both proposed orders early so your emergency language foreshadows the plenary terms and you don’t forget a key place when time is short. Precision today prevents confusion later: officers in the field can only enforce what the order explicitly names.

Assess service feasibility. If the respondent’s address is known and sheriff’s service is likely to succeed quickly, you may be able to move from filing to a plenary hearing with minimal delay. If service will be challenging (multiple addresses, evasive behavior, erratic shifts), emergency protection buys crucial time. Either way, set internal deadlines: confirm with the sheriff within two business days that they received the packet, check for a docketed return of service one week before the hearing, and be ready with an alternative service plan if attempts fail. The distinction here is practical: emergency protects you during service; plenary protects you after notice and hearing, often for a longer period.

Finally, manage communications and privacy. If you seek emergency relief, keep a three-minute script focused on immediacy and necessity. For plenary, prepare a five-minute script with dated incidents and tailored asks. For both, maintain a “coverage map” listing exact addresses (with unit), building names, entrances (north/south/east/west), and parking areas. This centralized list will populate your petition and both orders. If typing into static PDFs increases error risk, consider preparing Illinois CNCO forms by answering friendly questions in LegalAtoms; you can then print or e-file according to your circuit’s procedures, with consistent data across petition, summons, and both order templates.

Step 2: Draft Two Proposed Orders in Parallel—Emergency for Now, Plenary for Duration

Create a clean proposed emergency order and a clean proposed plenary order at the same time, each mirroring your petition’s specifics. This parallel drafting ensures consistency and reduces “lost terms” between stages. For No Contact, enumerate channels explicitly: in-person, phone, SMS, email, social media (with examples like Instagram DMs or WhatsApp), and indirect/third-party contact. If your facts include online abuse, add bans on doxxing, posting or threatening to post your images, and creating new accounts to contact or monitor you. For Stay-Away, list every relevant address and building by name, plus entrances and parking areas where contact occurred or could occur. Use distances that are realistic and enforceable (for example, 500 feet).

The emergency draft should be narrowly necessary, tuned to immediacy: name the most critical places (home, work, campus buildings with recent incidents) and the channels actually used by the respondent. The plenary draft can be more comprehensive—filling in additional entrances, wings, rehearsal rooms, lab blocks, transit stops, and online provisions based on your evidence. Judges often appreciate clean, legible proposed orders that require minimal edits; the clearer your language, the faster you get a signed order that officers can enforce at a curb or doorway.

Maintain a two-version system for each order: a clean version to hand up and a working version with a one-line checklist of must-have terms. When a judge signs an emergency order, compare it line-by-line to the emergency checklist before leaving. If a critical entrance or channel is missing or mis-typed, request a quick correction while everyone is present. Repeat this discipline at the plenary stage, where the order’s lifespan and precision matter even more to daily enforcement. Keeping all addresses and labels identical across petition, summons, and both orders prevents later confusion and strengthens your credibility.

If drafting across multiple PDFs feels brittle, prepare your Illinois CNCO forms by answering questions in LegalAtoms. Because the data (names, addresses, entrances, channels) lives in one canonical place, your emergency and plenary documents stay synchronized, and later extensions or modifications reuse the same information without re-typing.

Step 3: File and Present for Emergency Relief—Immediacy, Ex Parte Procedure, and Narrow Tailoring

When you seek an Emergency CNCO, your goal is to make the case for immediacy and necessity in minutes. After filing your petition and proposed emergency order with the clerk, you may be routed to a judge in person or via a virtual calendar. Have your three-minute script ready: (1) who you are and that you seek an emergency Civil No Contact Order; (2) two to four dated incidents that demonstrate nonconsensual sexual conduct/penetration and immediate risk; and (3) the minimal set of terms needed now—no contact of any kind, and stay-away from named addresses/buildings/entrances/parking areas. If the court asks why the respondent should not be notified first, explain briefly and concretely (e.g., escalation after refusal, attempts to ambush at specific doors, messages that spike when boundaries are enforced). Keep references to exhibits short and clean; offer the court your clean proposed order when invited.

Emergency relief is short-term, but its clarity matters immensely. The order you leave with is what officers will read at a doorway or road stop. Confirm that each named place appears exactly as in your petition and that no-contact covers indirect/third-party and social media. Ask the clerk about certified copies and whether emergency orders transmit automatically to law-enforcement systems. Before leaving the courthouse (or ending the virtual session), verify the scheduled return date for the plenary hearing and record it in a calendar you actually use. An emergency order that isn’t followed by a properly noticed plenary hearing risks lapsing, so treat the return date as mission-critical.

Right after the emergency hearing, turn to service logistics for the plenary phase. If the clerk transmits documents to the sheriff, confirm the when and how. If you must deliver the packet, do it immediately. Provide a safe callback number and any access notes that will increase the odds of success (unit number, broken buzzer, rear entrance). Keep a service log with attempt dates and outcomes. If service proves difficult, ask about alternative service according to local practice. The emergency order shields you while service happens; a successful plenary hearing cements longer, more detailed protection.

Step 4: Prepare for the Plenary Hearing—Notice, Evidence, and Durable Terms

The Plenary CNCO is where you seek durable protection, typically with greater detail than the emergency order. First, ensure service of process has been completed and the return of service appears on the docket. If not, go to the clerk ahead of the hearing to confirm what’s missing and ask to extend the emergency order if a continuance is needed. Assuming service is complete, assemble three exhibit sets (court/respondent/you), page-numbered and indexed: “A: SMS 03/14–03/15; B: doorbell still 03/16 10:42 pm; C: email 03/17.” If video is material, print key still frames with timestamps, and be ready to describe the video succinctly if playback isn’t available.

Draft a five-minute script aligned to the statute and to the order you want signed: open with your ask (a plenary Civil No Contact Order), then present two to four dated incidents demonstrating nonconsent and ongoing risk, and close with precise terms tied to real life—no contact (include indirect/third-party and social media), stay-away from accurate addresses/buildings/entrances/parking areas with a reasonable distance (e.g., 500 feet), and explicit online restrictions (no doxxing, no posting images, no new accounts to contact or monitor). Tailor logistics for shared environments: different class sections or shifts; “no waiting in [named lobby]”; presence restrictions at specific lots during shift changes. Judges grant terms that are necessary, specific, and workable.

Reconcile consistency across documents one last time. The petition, summons, and proposed plenary order should use identical names, addresses, building labels, entrances, and distances. Mismatches create friction and can lead to edits from the bench or, worse, ambiguous enforcement later. Bring a clean proposed plenary order and a working copy with a short “must-have” checklist, and read the signed order before leaving. Correct typos immediately while the judge and clerk are available. Ask for certified copies and confirm whether the order will be transmitted to law enforcement automatically. Save a PDF to your phone and email so you can show it on demand.

If this article’s instructions lead you into specific “how to fill the form” decisions (e.g., drafting proposed order language), consider using LegalAtoms to generate the Illinois forms by answering friendly questions; you can then review, print, and file with high consistency across the emergency and plenary paperwork.

Step 5: Service for Plenary While Protected by Emergency—Logistics, Alternatives, and Momentum

An Emergency CNCO buys you time and safety while you complete service for the plenary hearing. Treat service like a project with milestones. Before leaving the courthouse (or right after a virtual appearance), ask the clerk how your county routes papers: some electronically transmit to the sheriff; others require you to hand-deliver a packet to the sheriff’s civil division. If you must deliver, go the same day. Staple a cover sheet listing all viable addresses (home with unit; workplace with hours; school with building names), access notes (concierge, broken buzzer, rear gate), and a safe callback number. If a photo helps identification, ask if they will attach a copy. Start a service log with fields for “attempt date/time,” “location,” “result,” and “notes.” Call the sheriff within two business days to confirm receipt and planned attempt windows; then check one week before the hearing for a filed return of service.

Evasion happens. If the respondent dodges service, don’t wait for the hearing to discover it. Ask promptly about alternative service available under local practice (for example, service at work during posted hours). If the sheriff cannot reach the respondent at home, provide other places they reliably appear (shift changes, loading dock, campus entrance). If nothing posts to the docket, appear on your plenary date anyway and request a brief continuance plus an extension of your emergency order, citing your documented efforts. Bring your service log and any email confirmations. Judges appreciate diligence and specifics; your goal is to keep momentum so the case moves toward a merits decision instead of stalling on procedure.

Identity clarity is part of service. If the respondent uses multiple names/handles, make sure the Summons (Protective Orders) and your filings list them consistently (“also known as __; uses Instagram @__”; phone ending in -1234). This shuts down claims of “not me” and helps servers find the right person. If you discover a better address after attempts begin, update the sheriff immediately and record whom you told and when. If an emergency order is in place, confirm the respondent will be served with both the order and the notice of the plenary hearing; that combination makes interim enforcement straightforward.

Finally, keep paperwork synced. The petition, summons, and proposed plenary order must show identical names, addresses, building labels, entrances, and distances. If you’re editing details across multiple PDFs and worry about drift, generate the Illinois packet by answering friendly questions in LegalAtoms, then print or e-file. You’ll reduce mismatches that otherwise cause continuances or weaken curbside enforcement.

Step 6: Hearing Day Tactics—Emergency Script vs. Plenary Proof, Objections, and Staying on Point

Approach the emergency review and the plenary hearing as two different conversations. For emergency, your job is to show immediacy and necessity in about three minutes: two to four dated facts proving nonconsent and an urgent need for short-term coverage. Keep exhibits minimal and ready, and hand up your clean emergency order when invited. For plenary, you’ll use a five-minute script that goes deeper: short, dated paragraphs; labeled exhibits (A, B, C) with timestamps/handles; and precise asks tied to real places and channels. Practice aloud so you can maintain eye contact with the judge and avoid filler.

Objections and interruptions happen. If the other side argues “consent,” answer with dates, words, and context (incapacity; withdrawal of consent; contemporaneous texts). If you hear “she contacted me later,” explain calmly why logistics or shock don’t retroactively create consent and point to the statute’s focus on freely given agreement at the time. If you don’t know an answer, say so. If the court asks for clarity, respond directly and then return to your outline; letting side issues consume your time is the fastest way to lose precision.

Witnesses should be concise and specific. Prep two or three neutral, non-leading questions (“Where were you standing?” “What did you see/hear?” “What time?”). If someone must appear remotely, clear logistics with the clerk ahead of time. Bring three exhibit sets (court/respondent/you). Use your index to navigate: “Exhibit B is the March 14 south-lot still at 9:18 p.m.,” then move on. Close with a crisp summary of terms that match your evidence: “No contact of any kind, including indirect/third-party and social media. Stay-away from [addresses/buildings/entrances/parking areas], 500 feet. Online restrictions banning doxxing, posting images, and creation of new accounts.”

Before leaving, read the signed order slowly. Confirm every protected person and location appears exactly as drafted, with correct spelling and unit numbers. Correct errors on the spot; it’s vastly easier than returning to amend. Ask for certified copies and confirm whether transmission to law enforcement is automatic. Save a PDF to your phone and email for quick access if enforcement is needed curbside.

Step 7: Post-Order Distribution and Enforcement—Institutions, Daily Routines, and Documentation

A CNCO is only as effective as the people who can act on it. Distribute certified copies to your school’s Title IX/campus safety, employer HR/security, and property management. When you share, highlight the specific locations named (entrances, parking areas) and any logistics (no waiting in lobby X; separate lab sections). If your order contains online provisions, keep a digital copy ready to attach to platform reports; many trust-and-safety teams prioritize court orders. Store a PDF of the current order in a cloud folder and on your phone so you can show it within seconds.

Create and use a violation log. Record date/time, place, what happened, who witnessed it, and supporting artifacts (screenshots, voicemails, photos). If a violation occurs, call law enforcement immediately and show the order. Do not respond to baiting; silence plus documentation is stronger evidence and avoids claims of mutual contact. For third-party messages, capture the relay and note the sender’s name—indirect contact is usually prohibited. If impersonation or new accounts appear, screenshot them fast (include URL and timestamp) and add to your log.

Keep the order aligned to your daily routine. New semester? New building? Different shift? If a location becomes relevant, file to modify so enforcement doesn’t rely on guesswork. For large campuses or multi-building employers, ask security to focus on named entrances at class change or shift turnover. If you often cross paths in a common area, request a logistics tweak (alternate door or seat block) that matches the order’s text. Precision improves real-world safety and officer response times.

Finally, practice privacy hygiene: tighten social privacy settings, disable location sharing, review app permissions, and rotate predictable routines. Share a one-sentence instruction with allies: “If you see [respondent] near [named entrance], call security/911; do not mediate.” Consistent, rehearsed responses reduce risk and produce clean, credible records if you need an extension later.

Step 8: Technology & Online Provisions—No Doxxing, No Images, No New Accounts, and Evidence Handling

Emergency and plenary CNCOs can—and should, when facts support it—address online harms. Translate your evidence into explicit order language: no contact by any electronic means; no doxxing (posting or threatening to post your personal data); no posting, sharing, or threatening to share your images or videos; and no creation of new accounts to contact or monitor you. If the respondent has used particular apps, name examples (e.g., Instagram DMs, WhatsApp, Telegram) without limiting the order to only those platforms. Precision plus breadth prevents loopholes and makes platform enforcement easier.

Evidence handling online is time-sensitive. Screenshot messages and posts with visible handles, timestamps, and (if possible) URLs. Save original files when you can; compress copies for printing but keep originals intact. Organize exhibits in chronological order and label them cleanly (A, B, C) so the court can follow the arc of conduct and your eligibility theory. If platforms remove content, your timestamped screenshots and any notification emails become even more valuable in court.

For impersonation (fake accounts using your name/photos), capture profile pages, follower lists, and any cross-links to the respondent (shared contacts, identical bios). Ask the court to include a line barring impersonation and directing the respondent not to cause others to contact or harass you. For geolocation risks, turn off location sharing across apps and consider hiding “last seen” indicators. If the respondent used third parties to contact you online, include the indirect/third-party clause prominently in no-contact terms; then save relayed messages as exhibits.

If the order text is getting complex across PDFs, prepare it through a guided interview—answer friendly questions in LegalAtoms and generate Illinois-compliant orders with the same canonical list of channels and locations. This reduces drift between your petition, emergency order, and plenary order and keeps your language consistent when you later extend or modify.

Step 9: Modify, Extend, or Tighten—Keeping Protection Current as Life Changes

Calendar the order’s expiration as soon as it’s signed and set reminders at 45/30/14 days. Begin your extension packet at the 45-day mark: a short declaration explaining continued need (e.g., same campus or workplace overlap; recent attempted contact; online activity that persists), your violation log (if any), and any new addresses, entrances, or parking areas to add. Ask the clerk for the earliest hearing date that allows notice. Bring a clean proposed order that incorporates updates and a working copy with a checklist so you can confirm every change before leaving court.

Modifications should be targeted and justified. Add locations that became relevant (new entrance due to schedule change), refine distances that proved ambiguous, or expand online terms to cover a new app or behavior. Tie each change to a dated fact and—when available—an exhibit. Judges prefer narrow, necessary updates over sweeping changes. Keep your format identical to the existing order so officers can read updates quickly without re-learning the structure.

If a serious violation occurs, call law enforcement, document it, and consider a motion to tighten terms (e.g., add a building entrance, extend distance, clarify third-party bans). If service on your modification becomes an issue, apply the same disciplined approach from Step 5: multiple addresses, access notes, safe callback, and a service log. To avoid transcription errors across forms, regenerate updated Illinois paperwork by answering friendly questions in LegalAtoms; you’ll preserve names, addresses, and clause language while inserting only the new elements you need.

Step 10: Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them—From Vague Terms to Service Gaps

Most problems are predictable—and avoidable. Vague terms (“stay away from campus,” “no online contact”) are hard to enforce; replace them with named buildings and entrances, distances (e.g., 500 feet), and enumerated channels (phone, SMS, email, social, indirect/third-party). Inconsistencies across petition, summons, and orders (Apt 4-B vs. Apt 4B; “east door” vs. “east entrance”) cause confusion and continuances—keep a single “coverage map” you copy everywhere. Service gaps stall cases; set reminders to verify sheriff receipt in two business days and to check for a filed return a week before the hearing, with an alternative-service plan ready if needed.

Overbroad asks invite trimming. Courts prefer tailored requests that map to evidence. If a judge narrows a clause, offer one sentence linking the original ask to dated facts; if the court remains unconvinced, pivot and secure the rest. Under-documenting online harms weakens your case; capture handles, timestamps, and URLs, and request explicit no-doxxing/no-images/no-new-accounts language. Not reading the signed order is a classic error—slow down and verify names, addresses, entrances, and distances before leaving. Relying on memory during testimony leads to drift; use your index and labeled exhibits.

Finally, don’t let admin work drain your energy. Use a consistent file-naming scheme, keep a violation log template ready, and—when form changes pile up—prepare or update the Illinois packet by answering friendly questions in LegalAtoms. Precision, consistency, and steady follow-through transform the difference between emergency and plenary into a single, coherent protection plan that covers you today, tomorrow, and as your routine evolves.

Costs

Protection-order cases in Illinois are structured to minimize cost barriers: filing fees are commonly waived for CNCO matters, and sheriff’s civil service is often provided at low or no cost. You may still pay for certified copies or printing. Use the current statewide standardized forms to avoid rejection and re-printing.

Time Required

Emergency CNCOs can be issued quickly when immediacy is shown, providing short-term coverage while the case moves toward a noticed plenary hearing. The plenary timeline depends on service success and the court’s calendar. Build a schedule: confirm sheriff receipt within two business days, check for a filed return of service one week before the hearing, and rehearse your five-minute script two days before.

Limitations

CNCOs are preventive civil orders. Relief must be within the statute and narrowly tailored to safety needs. Physical injury is not required for issuance, but you must show qualifying nonconsensual sexual conduct or penetration and justify specific, enforceable terms. Orders are only as effective as their precision and service; vague locations or missing channels reduce curbside enforceability.

Risks and Unexpected Problems

Common pitfalls include using outdated forms, inconsistent addresses or names across petition/summons/orders, vague location descriptions that officers cannot enforce quickly, and service failures that delay the plenary hearing. Reduce risk by drafting emergency and plenary orders in parallel, keeping a single “coverage map” of places and channels, and actively tracking service (with a backup plan for alternative service if needed). If online abuse escalates, capture screenshots immediately and request explicit online provisions.

Sources

• Illinois General Assembly — Civil No Contact Order Act (740 ILCS 22)
• Illinois Courts — Civil No Contact & Stalking No Contact Order Forms (statewide standardized CNCO suite)
• Illinois Courts — Approved Statewide Standardized Forms (forms hub)
• Illinois Courts — Summons (Protective Orders) — approved statewide form
• Illinois Attorney General — Orders of Protection overview (relationship of OP, CNCO, and SNCO)