Messenger v. Edgar

The defendants, Jim Edgar, Governor of the State of Illinois, and Roland Burris, its Attorney General, bring a direct appeal, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 302(a) (134 Ill. 2d R. 302(a)), from a judgment of the circuit court of Cook County declaring unconstitutional that part of section 501.1 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (the Act) (750 ILCS 5/501.1 (West 1992)) providing for a “dissolution action stay” that takes effect upon service of a summons and petition filed under the Act and restrains the parties to the action from transferring or otherwise disposing of any…