If you are planning to divorce, you should do everything possible to spare yourself the potential strife and conflict that many people encounter during this process. The same problems that have caused you to decide to end the marriage-animosity, disagreements, difficulty communicating-can easily be magnified by the pressure of a divorce. You should retain an attorney who can help you avoid the financial and emotional costs of a drawn-out contested divorce. You want someone representing you that is qualified and devoted to your betterment; that is what you gain at our firm.
A divorce settlement may include some form of spousal maintenance or alimony. This is a payment that is given to one of the spouses that may be deemed a dependent by the court. The dependent spouse could have become reliant on the other while they remained at home with the kids or could have grown accustomed to a lifestyle. A couple may be able to come to a decision on the terms of their alimony or the court will make a ruling based on a number of factors.
Divorces between parents can be especially difficult, and it is important to have an attorney to defend your position. Both parents usually feel very strongly about preserving their relationship with the children, but it is vital to shield them from the negative emotional impact of a drawn-out legal conflict. The court will rule in favor of a plan that serves the best interests of the children. Â Child “custody” is now a determination of allocating parenting time and decision-making.
Parents are obligated to provide financial support for their minor children, oftentimes in the form of child support and/or contribution to child-related expenses. WARD FAMILY LAW, LLC, works closely with clients at the onset of their case to obtain the full financial disclosure of both parties to be able to properly and accurately calculate child support under the guidelines provided by Illinois law.
If your former spouse is refusing to comply with a court order, you can take legal action to enforce your rights. This is also true when the other parent is violating the custody or visitation agreement. If you bring the matter to a judge, the other party could be held in contempt of court and penalized.
If you are the victim of domestic violence, you can get compassionate support at our firm. We may be able to assist you with seeking a protective order from the court in conjunction with the filing a petition for dissolution of marriage.
State divorce law seeks to divide marital property fairly, rather than evenly. Because there may be a large disparity of income between you and your former spouse, as well as a substantial difference in individually owned assets and cost of living, the court may assign more of the marital property to one party than the other. You can influence the outcome by retaining an effective lawyer.
Family relationships are of vital importance in our society, and the legal system takes a strong interest in protecting the stability of families in the community. Having a family lawyer to advise you and provide representation can make a significant difference in the outcome of any type of dispute.
The term “fathers’ rights” refers to the innate rights that every father has to develop and maintain a relationship with his children.
Divorcing couples who are capable of constructive and respectful communication will often benefit from retaining an attorney who is trained in mediation to help them resolve any outstanding issues. A mediator will not represent either person but will act as a third party, neutral in every discussion.
You can petition the court to modify your final decree of divorce or other court order when some aspect of the settlement is no longer workable for you. Whether you need to increase or decrease the amount of alimony or child support, or if you are seeking to alter the custody agreement, you should seek the counsel of a lawyer who can help you make your request successful.
The parent who has primary custody of the children cannot usually move a great distance or out of state without approval from the other parent or a court order. If you need to move for work, to be closer to family, or for any other reason, the court will have to grant permission to do so. The non-custodial parent can attempt to block the move if it is not in the children’s best interests.
Some couples are afraid to discuss prenuptial agreements because they involve the possibility of divorce. Divorce is a reality, but establishing a premarital agreement does not necessitate a future separation. In fact, prenuptial agreements can be a growing experience for couples. Prenuptial agreements are designed to protect the financial assets of each spouse so that, in the event of a divorce, the couple will not have to deal with a complicated asset division dispute.
Illinois is an equitable distribution state, seeking to divide marital property fairly, rather than evenly. Because there may be a large disparity of income between you and your former spouse, as well as a substantial difference in individually owned assets and cost of living, the court may assign more of the marital property to one party than the other. You can influence the outcome by retaining an effective lawyer.
If you feel threatened by your spouse or former spouse, you can go to court and request that the judge issues a protective order. The other party will be prohibited by law from harassing or abusing you, and you will have the safety and peace of mind you deserve.
It is to your advantage to get an uncontested divorce if at all possible. In an uncontested divorce, both parties are in agreement about all the issues involved, including custody, division of property, and spousal support.
The first step to take when filing for divorce is to retain the services of a professional. If your divorce is contested or uncontested there will be many important distinctions to be made and legal counsel is a key component in that process.
Love and marriage. We needed a prenup because our families made us do one just to be safe. The entire thing was smooth so we could focus on our wedding and not be too crazy with the prenup. The agreement was drafted and reviewed by each of our attorneys, we signed and we were married. Woo Hoo. Thanks again, Ward Family Law.
10/10 is my rating for Ward Family Law. Jennifer and Emily went above and beyond in my divorce case. I cannot say more praise.
I lost my job but still had to pay the child support. I was scrambling. I talked to Jennifer Ward and she explained the process and the need to quickly file to put the court on notice that my child support needed to change. She saved me so much money in the long run while I looked for a new job so that I could start paying to help my kids again. Losing my job was not in the plan but at least my kids are on track.
I knew that since I made more money I would be the one that had to pay alimony. I was not happy about it. I also thought I would have to give everything we had too - the house, the car, the dog, all of my retirement. Wow, was I wrong. Ward Family Law negotiated the best deal I could have hoped for. The divorce is over and I was able to move on instead of completely having to start over.
My boyfriend and I lived together for 10 years and had 3 kids. I did not realize that him being on the birth certificate was not enough. What? Yep! In Illinois we needed a VAP or a court ordered DNA to make him the Father. Ward Family Law took care of it all and then set up parenting time and child support after our break up. Big thanks to Jennifer.
The last of my kids was graduating high school and I knew it was my job to file with the court to stop child support payments and I also knew that if I wanted my ex to help with college costs then I had to file something with the court for that too. Ward Family Law was a one-stop shop. They drafted and filed everything I needed and saved me a fortune in the long run. So, run, don't walk to Jennifer and her team to get it done.
It was quick and easy and those are two words I did not think I would say about my divorce. We are still friendly too. We just were not meant to be together anymore. Ward Family Law made sure to draft the documents with the terms that we agreed on which kept us on good terms and there was no fighting. I cannot recommend them enough if you are looking for a clean, honest, quick, easy divorce.
We were set to get married in a little over a month and my family insisted on a premarital agreement. On my very first call Jennifer explained the entire process and timing. They hit the ground running and got everything completed and signed well before our wedding date. That made everything much less stressful so I thank them so much for their professionalism and timeliness.
Our plan was to get married after the baby was born and then a year later we still were not married and we were going our separate ways. I had no idea that the birth certificate alone did not make me the legal parent of our baby in Illinois. Luckily, Ward Family Law handles these cases and established paternity through a DNA test and submitted the results to the court. We now have an agreement on time with our kids and support too.
Cannot recommend Jennifer, Emily and the entire team at Ward Family Law enough. If you have a divorce, custody or other family law matter then stop looking. They will have your back until the end. While my case was messy, they kept it on track and brought it through to the end. It was the best that I could have hoped for.
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