The Illinois Summons Petition for Dissolution of Marriage/Civil Union is a legal document used in the Illinois court system to begin the process of ending a marriage or civil union. The Summons Petition is used by the filing spouse to initiate the dissolution proceedings, and must be served on the other spouse or civil union partner to notify them of the proceedings. There are two types of Illinois Summons Petition for Dissolution of Marriage/Civil Union: the Joint Summons Petition and the Separate Summons Petition. The Joint Summons Petition is used when both parties agree to the dissolution of the marriage or civil union. The Separate Summons Petition is used when one spouse or civil union partner is unwilling or unable to agree to the dissolution. The Summons Petition includes information such as the date of the marriage or civil union, the grounds for dissolution, and any children of the couple. In addition, the petitioner must provide a valid address for the respondent to be served the summons.