As you know, getting a divorce is a life-changing decision that isn’t taken lightly. As such, it’s important to be as prepared as possible when you start this process. Not only is it important to work with excellent divorce lawyers in Chicago, but you can also learn some basics about Illinois divorce laws before your initial consultation.
In the Land of Lincoln, the legal term for a divorce is a “dissolution of marriage.” The state’s laws govern who can obtain a divorce, how to allocate parenting time and decision-making, and the fair and equitable division of marital property.
To dissolve a marriage in Illinois, one or both spouses must have lived in the state for at least 90 days prior to starting divorce proceedings. Neither you nor your spouse must prove who is to blame for the end of the marriage, as Illinois is strictly a no-fault divorce state.
Instead, the couple must prove that there are “irreconcilable differences.” The couple must live separately and apart from one another for at least six months before filing.
For divorcing couples with children, making decisions on the care of the children can be especially contentious. There are two types of custody in Illinois: physical and legal. Physical custody refers to the time in which the child is in a parent’s care, which is known as parenting time. Legal custody is the right to make major decisions about the child’s life, such as where to go to school and medical decisions.
Attorneys and Judges use a specific equation to determine how much each parent must contribute toward child support and contributions to the child-related expenses This is primarily based on the income of each parent, parenting time allocation, and the number of children.
Whereas some states try to divide marital property as closely to 50/50 as possible, Illinois divorce laws allow for much more leeway in these decisions. Instead, Illinois courts aim for equity in property division. Some factors that affect how much a spouse gets include:
It’s important to have a lawyer that can negotiate and litigate for every asset you deserve.
When it comes time to hire divorce lawyers in Chicago, do not take the decision lightly. Read about each firm’s experience and dedication to helping you obtain your goals. If you believe the WARD FAMILY LAW, LLC firm may be the best fit for you, contact us today to set up your free initial consultation.
I am writing a review because I think a lot of times people make the same mistake that I did at the beginning of my case. I had a wonderful talk with Jennifer before my case started and I was very comfortable with her demeanor and her explanations of the Chicago Divorce process. I decided to go with another lawyer because the retainer was a little lower. Big mistake. I didn’t really like the lawyer when we spoke but I was more focused on the money instead of the big picture. I felt like there was no communication during my…
My Husband, now ex, and I wanted a friendly, fast divorce. We had nothing to fight about and nothing really to divide. We thought that would make it easy but when we saw all the paperwork we knew that we needed help. It takes one piece of paper to get married and 100 pieces of paper to get divorced in Chicago!! Ward Family Law made the divorce a smooth process for us and got it done faster than we thought. If you want to be friends with your ex but still want the divorce then look no further and call…
I had a very complicated divorce with a lot of family-owned businesses and assets. Jennifer and her team of professionals help navigate the formal discovery and litigation process with great knowledge, strategy, and patience with all our questions. My family was very concerned about the impact and outcome and we are all pleased with the results. From the appraisers to the business valuators, Jennifer utilized the right people at the right time to shore up our case for the best settlement position at pre-trial. We were happy with the Judge's recommendations, we believe, based on all her hard work and…
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