Rule 100.7.Conduct of the Hearing
Article I. General Rules · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRule 100.7 relaxes the rules of evidence for expedited child support hearings and lets pay stubs, insurance records, and payment histories come in without formal proof.
Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 100.7
(a) Established Rules of Evidence Apply. Except as provided by this rule, the rules of evidence shall be liberally construed in all expedited child support hearings.
(b) Documents Presumptively Admissible. A party may offer in evidence, without foundation or other proof:
(1) the obligor’s pay stubs or either employer-provided statement of gross income,
deductions and net income or other records prepared by the employer in the usual course of business.
(2) documents provided by the obligor’s insurance company which describe the dependent care coverage available to the obligor; and
(3) records kept by the clerk of the circuit court as to payment of child support. If at least seven days written notice of the intention to offer the following documents in evidence is given to every other party, accompanied by a copy of the document, or if at the expedited child support hearing the other party does not object, a party may offer in evidence without foundation or other proof:
(1) the deposition of a witness, the statement of a witness which the witness would be allowed to express if testifying in person or remotely, including by telephone or video conference, if the statement is made by affidavit or by certification as provided in section 1-109 of the Code of Civil Procedure;
(2) computer-generated documents and records, unless objected to by a party; and
(3) any other document not specifically covered by any of the foregoing provisions, and which is otherwise admissible under the rules of evidence.
(c) Opinions of Expert Witnesses. Notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 220, a party who proposes to use a written opinion of an expert witness or the testimony of an expert witness at the hearing may do so provided a written notice of such intention is given to every other party not less than seven days prior to the date of hearing, accompanied by a statement containing the identity of the expert, his qualifications, the subject matter, the basis of his conclusions, and his opinion.
(d) Right to Subpoena Maker of a Document. Any other party may subpoena the author or maker of a document admissible under this rule, at that party’s expense, and examine the author or maker as if under cross-examination. The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure relative to subpoenas, section 2-1101, shall be applicable to expedited child support hearings and it shall be the duty of the party requesting the subpoena to modify the form to show that the appearance is set before an administrative hearing officer and to give the time and place set for the hearing.
(e) Adverse Examination of Parties or Agents. The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure relative to the adverse examination of parties or agents, section 2-1102, shall be applicable to expedited child support hearings as upon the trial of a case.
End
Plain-English Summary
Because expedited child support hearings move fast and often involve unrepresented parties, Rule 100.7 asks that the rules of evidence be read liberally rather than strictly. Certain records come in automatically: an obligor's pay stubs or employer income statements, insurance documents describing dependent coverage, and the clerk's own records of support payments.
Other documents, like witness statements by affidavit, computer-generated records, or depositions, come in without a formal foundation too, as long as the other party gets seven days' notice and a copy, or doesn't object at the hearing. A party who wants to use expert testimony has to give the other side seven days' notice along with the expert's qualifications and opinion. Anyone can subpoena the author of an admitted document for cross-examination, and the same rules for compelling witnesses and cross-examining parties that apply at trial apply here too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the normal rules of evidence used in an expedited child support hearing?
Yes, but they're read liberally, and the rule lets several kinds of financial documents in without the usual foundation testimony.
What financial records come in automatically at a child support hearing?
Pay stubs or employer income statements, records of dependent insurance coverage, and the clerk's records of support payments.
How much notice do I need to give before using an expert witness?
At least seven days, along with the expert's identity, qualifications, and opinion.
Can I cross-examine the person who prepared a document used against me?
Yes, you can subpoena the author of an admitted document and examine that person as if under cross-examination.
Can the court force a witness to appear at an expedited hearing?
Yes, the same provisions in Rule 237 that compel witnesses to appear at trial apply to these hearings.
Amendment History
Adopted April 1, 1992, effective immediately; amended Sept. 29, 2021, eff. Oct. 1, 2021.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules,
promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: evidence rules child support hearingpay stubs admissible child supportexpert witness notice child support hearingsubpoena document author child supportcompel witness child support hearing