Posted on March 27,2024 in Child Custody

The process of divorce in Illinois can be stressful, and sometimes, couples can have a variety of issues that they struggle to resolve. Issues surrounding shared children in a divorce can often be the most contentious, generally leading to drawn-out arguments and a refusal to settle or form a parenting plan together.

In these cases where mutual decisions about a child cannot be reached in a divorce, a guardian ad litem may be appointed to help advocate for the child’s best interests. Along with an experienced Illinois divorce attorney, a guardian ad litem can help navigate your divorce and reach agreements that put your child’s best interests first.

What Is a Guardian Ad Litem?

A guardian ad litem is an individual who is designated, typically by the court handling your divorce, to advocate for the best interests of your child. Generally, a guardian ad litem will be a licensed attorney, and he or she will be appointed when the parents of a shared child cannot reach important divorce decisions such as parental responsibilities, parenting plans, or child support and child custody agreements.

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 Posted on March 19,2024 in Illinois Divorce

Making the decision to get out of an abusive marriage can be overwhelming, and the safety of yourself and your children must be top priority. While it may seem impossible to untangle your life from your abusive spouse, it is possible to file a divorce and end your marriage, regardless of your spouse’s actions. An experienced Illinois divorce lawyer can help you navigate this process and explain your options for divorce.

Obtaining an Illinois Order of Protection

The first step in divorcing a dangerous spouse is ensuring that you and your children are in a safe space where you can pursue the divorce proceedings. In cases where there is emotional, physical, or sexual violence, you may be able to file for an Illinois Order of Protection.

You can receive a temporary Order of Protection almost immediately in the majority of cases, though you will need to attend a court hearing to extend this order or make it permanent. To increase your chances of a long-term Order of Protection being granted, begin documenting all of the abuse and violence of your spouse that you can to back up your claim.

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 Posted on March 13,2024 in Illinois Divorce

Pursuing a divorce in Illinois can be stressful, especially if you are concerned with the cost of your divorce. It is no secret that fees in a divorce can add up, but you should not let this stop you from starting the process of divorce and obtaining legal assistance if you think this is the right step for you.

Once you understand the average costs associated with Illinois divorce, you will have a better idea of tackling this cost while you work with an experienced Illinois divorce attorney.

Illinois Divorce Expenses 

When it comes to seeking a divorce in Illinois, many people are worried about the final cost of their divorce. Various expenses associated with a divorce can accumulate quickly, and you will be responsible for many costs such as court fees (initial filing fees for your Illinois divorce range between $200 and $400), fees for photocopies of documents, and your attorney’s fees. In certain cases, such as when one spouse is financially dependent on the other, the spouse with an income may be responsible for the other spouse’s attorney fees, as well as interim spousal support.

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 Posted on March 08,2024 in Illinois Divorce

The emotional blow of discovering your partner is cheating on you can be intense, and it may take time for you to recover a clear head and think about your next steps. If, after thinking about your situation, you do not wish to continue your relationship with your partner due to the cheating, a divorce may be necessary. A skilled Illinois divorce lawyer can advise you about your divorce situation and guide you through the steps of the Illinois divorce process.

Separating From Your Cheating Partner

Separating from your partner is not an easy decision, and many people find it both stressful and sad to end their marriage. However, this may be the best decision in cases where cheating or other adulterous behavior has caused an irreparable rupture in the trust between you and your spouse.

It is important to note that under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, Illinois is a no-fault divorce state. This means that your spouse’s cheating will not be taken into account when it comes to important divorce decisions such as dividing property, determining spousal support or child support payments, or the creation of child custody agreements.

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 Posted on February 29,2024 in Child Support

During your divorce, the process of figuring out child support can be complex. There are many different factors that may be considered when calculating child support, and you will no doubt want to come to an agreement that is fair for you, your ex, and your child. An experienced Illinois child support lawyer can help you understand Illinois child support laws and advocate for a fair child support agreement.

How Does Illinois Calculate Child Support?

Illinois child support laws are fairly standardized. The law creates guidelines for calculating child support amounts. In general, you can expect child support to be calculated in the following ways:

• Reviewing each parent’s monthly income and combining them to create a total. The total is then divided according to what percentage of the total each parent makes and how much time each parent spends with the child

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 Posted on February 23,2024 in Family Law

Divorces are stressful for everyone, and it is not uncommon for a divorce to become highly contested due to each spouse having different opinions about what they think is a fair settlement. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the emotions of divorce, though this is not the best option if you are trying to keep your divorce calm and civil. An experienced Illinois divorce attorney can help guide you during divorce to help the process be as fair and stress-free as possible.

Avoiding Divorce Conflicts and Arguments

One of the hardest parts of divorce is agreeing on how to divide your assets and marital property. It may seem difficult to avoid conflicts and arguments with your spouse, especially if your divorce is due to highly emotional situations such as adultery or domestic violence.

You can follow these tips to avoid conflicts and arguments during your divorce as much as possible:

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 Posted on February 19,2024 in Illinois Divorce

When it comes to divorce, many things need to be divided and agreed upon before your separation is finalized. In addition to determining child custody and dividing marital assets, figuring out which spouse gets to keep the marital home in an Illinois divorce can be complicated. A skilled Illinois divorce attorney can help review the specifics of your divorce and work with you to create an agreement about your marital home.

Your Home as an Asset

Possession of the home in a divorce can be one of the most complicated things to figure out, as a home is typically a couple’s biggest asset and one of the biggest factors of debt. A home counts as marital property, as defined in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, if the home was purchased jointly after a couple became married. This means that the home is subject to division during the divorce.

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 Posted on February 12,2024 in Child Custody

Child custody is often one of the most contested items in a divorce, and coming to an agreement about parental responsibilities and parenting time can often take significant effort from both parties. Once this agreement has been made, however, there may be situations that warrant a change. It is important to meet with an Illinois child custody attorney to understand how to make changes to your child custody agreement.

Is It Possible to Make Changes to a Child Custody Agreement?

In Illinois, it is possible to make changes to your child custody agreement in certain situations. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act outlines details about child custody and parental agreements in addition to stating that changes cannot be made to an agreement within the first two years of it being issued.

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 Posted on January 30,2024 in Family Law

Prenuptial agreements are becoming increasingly popular among couples who are about to get married. These documents can include plenty of important information about how to handle assets should divorce, or the death of a spouse occur. An Illinois family law attorney can help you understand what exactly to include in a prenup and if your child custody arrangements are permitted in these documents.

What Should My Illinois Prenuptial Agreement Include?

When crafting an Illinois prenuptial agreement, it is always important to understand what this document can and cannot include. In general, your prenuptial agreement can consist of items such as financial decisions for circumstances like the death of a spouse, agreements about the division of assets or property each spouse owns in a divorce, and agreements about the division of any debt or property acquired during the marriage.

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 Posted on January 24,2024 in Child Custody

There are many factors to consider as you start to pursue a divorce from your spouse. Suppose you share a child with your partner. In that case, you will need to discuss the topic of child custody and parental responsibilities. Child custody can be a complex issue and highly contested, which is why creating a parenting plan with your spouse outside of court can help make this process easier. An experienced Illinois child custody lawyer can help you with this.

What Is a Parenting Plan?

A parenting plan is a plan that both spouses come up with during the divorce process that outlines essential issues such as primary or shared custody, how time is divided between parents, and which parent makes important decisions for the shared child.

A parent needs to make important decisions, including medical or healthcare decisions, education decisions, religious choices, and extracurricular activities. Parents can decide if they wish to share these decisions or divide these responsibilities.

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