Posted on April 21, 2021 in Mediation and Collaborative Law

Getting divorced involves much more than deciding not to be married anymore. Most divorcing couples will need to address several issues before they can finalize their divorce and officially end their marriage. Spouses will need to decide how to divide their jointly held property and debts. Parents must create a parenting plan that describes the parenting time schedule and other important child-related concerns. Some couples will need to address spousal maintenance or alimony. One option for reaching an agreement about divorce issues such as these is family law mediation.

Advantages of Using Mediation to Resolve Your Divorce

Some couples voluntarily attend family law mediation to discuss divorce issues. Other couples are required to attend mediation by the court. During mediation, the mediator helps the couple negotiate the unresolved divorce issues and find common ground. The mediator uses his or her dispute resolution skills to deescalate emotional conversations and help the couple discuss difficult topics calmly and productively. The mediator’s ultimate goal is to help the couple reach a mutually beneficial agreement on the terms of their divorce so that they can avoid taking the case to litigation.

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 Posted on April 07, 2021 in Divorce

When a couple decides to divorce, they do not simply agree to end their marriage and walk away. They must address various legal issues, including asset and debt division, child custody, spousal support, and child support. These issues often become contentious. If spouses disagree on the terms of the divorce and cannot reach an agreement via alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation, the case may go to litigation. If you are planning to divorce, and you suspect that disagreements will arise, it is important to know what is involved in divorce litigation.

Resolving Divorce Issues Through the Court

Divorce dissolves a legal partnership, so every divorce involves a certain amount of court involvement. If a couple can reach an agreement on how to divide their property, assign parental responsibilities and parenting time, and resolve other divorce-related issues, the court involvement may be minimal. The couple must submit their agreements to the court and, unless there are major issues or the agreements are unconscionable, the court will approve the agreements. These agreements then become legally binding.

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 Posted on March 10, 2021 in Division of Assets

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, online shopping is more popular than ever. Shoppers can purchase thousands of dollars of new items with a just few clicks - all from the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately, online shopping can sometimes develop into a full-blown addiction. Studies show that approximately 5-8 percent of Americans suffer from compulsive shopping or shopping addiction. If your spouse is a compulsive shopper, it is essential that you take steps to protect yourself and your finances during divorce.

Shopping Addiction Can Lead to Severe Financial Consequences

When most people hear the terms “addiction” or “addict,” they think of substance abuse or alcoholism. However, shopping addiction is a very real phenomenon that can have devastating implications. Individuals struggling with shopping addiction or compulsive buying disorder often recognize that they are spending much more than they can afford, but they are unable to stop the behavior. They may max out credit cards, sell items of great financial or sentimental value, or even resort to shoplifting to fulfill the compulsion. The financial and personal consequences of shopping addiction can be dramatic.

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 Posted on February 24, 2021 in Division of Assets

Owning your own business can be a rewarding career choice. However, being a business owner can significantly complicate the division of assets during divorce. If you or your spouse own a business, and you want to end your marriage, it is essential that you understand how business ownership is dealt with in an Illinois divorce. An attorney experienced in handling complex divorce cases can provide personalized guidance about your rights and responsibilities regarding business ownership.

Is the Business Considered Marital Property or Non-Marital Property?

When a couple marries, their property and debt usually becomes intermixed. Determining which assets and liabilities belong to the marital estate and which are owned by an individual spouse is often quite complicated. As a general rule, property, including businesses, acquired before the marriage are classified as non-marital property. The spouse who originally owned the asset retains the rights to that asset during divorce. Both spouses have a right to property obtained during the marriage. A non-marital business can become marital property if marital funds were used to finance the business. A business can also become part of the marital estate if the non-owner spouse contributed to the business’s growth or success.

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 Posted on February 17, 2021 in Divorce

Going through a divorce is likely to be one of the most difficult things you ever do. Fortunately, divorce is also an opportunity to start anew and build a better future. There are several things that you can do now to make the divorce process go more smoothly. If you are planning for divorce, these actions will not ensure a pain-free divorce; however, they may help you avoid mistakes that can make the divorce process more difficult than it needs to be.

Tips for Planning for Divorce

If you are planning to end your marriage, but you have not yet filed for divorce, there are many things you can do now to help prevent unnecessary stress and complications. Hiring an attorney who is experienced in handling the divorce issues you will likely encounter is one of the best first steps that you can take. Additionally, it may be a good idea to:

• Take stock of your financial situation. Gather financial documents such as tax returns, bank statements, retirement account statements, and loan documents. Assess the assets and liabilities you and your spouse currently own.

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 Posted on February 04, 2021 in Domestic Violence

According to the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in seven men are victims of domestic violence. Abuse and harassment between family or household members is a problem that many people keep hidden. Sadly, many abusive relationships escalate until the victim is severely injured or even killed. An order of protection is a court order that can help protect a victim from further abuse. However, many domestic violence victims do not obtain this valuable legal protection because they are unsure if the actions of a spouse or family member are considered abuse under Illinois law.

Abuse as Defined by the Illinois Domestic Violence Act

If you or a loved one have been the victim of abuse at the hands of a romantic partner or family member, you should know that there are legal actions you can take to protect yourself. An order of protection may prohibit the perpetrator from coming to your home or workplace, calling or otherwise communicating with you, possessing firearms, and more.

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 Posted on January 27, 2021 in Divorce

If you are like many people thinking about divorce, you probably have little to no experience dealing with the Illinois court system. However, it is important to remember that marriage is a legal union, and undoing that union can be a considerable legal undertaking. Do-it-yourself divorce may initially seem like a good idea. You may be worried about attorneys’ fees, or you may assume that hiring a lawyer will automatically make your situation more contentious. However, many people who decide to take on their divorce without legal assistance soon realize that DIY divorce often causes more problems than it solves. One-size-fits-all solutions are often extremely shortsighted, and they can lead to avoidable financial losses and needless stress.

Divorce Cases Change and Evolve Over Time

Many divorcing spouses still care about their soon-to-be ex and wish to minimize contention as much as possible during the divorce. They may assume that they do not need a lawyer to represent them during the divorce because they are still on good terms with their spouse. Unfortunately, as many divorced people can tell you, the process of ending a marriage can bring out the worst in some people. You are not guaranteed a problem-free divorce simply because the split began amicably.

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 Posted on January 21, 2021 in Mediation and Collaborative Law

To be granted a divorce in Illinois, you and your spouse must decide how to resolve issues like property division, spousal maintenance, child support, and child custody. If you are unable to reach a settlement, your divorce case will go to trial. During divorce litigation, spouses and their respective attorneys present arguments and evidence to the judge. The judge then makes a decision about the unresolved issues on the parties’ behalf. Collaborative divorce, or using collaborative law to settle a divorce, is a relatively new form of alternative dispute resolution. Through collaborative law, you may be able to resolve divorce issues without taking your divorce to trial.

How Can Collaborative Law Help Me Resolve Divorce Issues?

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 Posted on January 13, 2021 in Division of Assets

You have worked hard for the assets you own, so it is understandable that you would want to protect those assets from being misused or wasted. Protecting property during divorce is something that many spouses do not think about until it is too late. Although remedies are available for spouses who have suffered financial harm due to the other spouse’s financial recklessness during divorce, preventing wasteful spending is a better strategy than mitigating it after the fact. One way to protect funds and other property during divorce is to get a financial restraining order.

Stop Wasteful Spending or Intentional Destruction of Property

As most divorced people can tell you, the process of ending a marriage can sometimes bring out the worst side of people. If you are getting divorced, you may have concerns about your spouse’s financial decisions. You may be worried that he or she will carelessly spend money, sell property to finance an addiction, or otherwise make ill-informed financial decisions. You may even worry that your spouse will destroy your property or intentionally waste money to “get back at you.” A financial restraining order can help prevent this from happening.

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 Posted on January 06, 2021 in Child Support

When you are a parent who is unmarried or divorced, it can be difficult or nearly impossible to make ends meet without financial assistance from your child’s other parent. Child support is a crucial resource for parents in Illinois and across the United States. Typically, child support is established when a child is born to unmarried parents or when married parents get divorced. However, the time between a parent seeking child support and that parent actually receiving support can be weeks, months, or even years. Fortunately, there are some cases in which child support is awarded retroactively.

Receiving Back Child Support in Illinois

There are many different situations in which a parent may be awarded retroactive child support. This means that they receive support for the time period before the establishment of the child support order. To receive child support in Illinois, an unmarried parent requesting support will need to establish the paternity of the child and file a petition for support. Establishing paternity may require the parent to file an administrative order via the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services or secure an Order of Paternity with the court. An unmarried parent may be entitled to child support dating back to when the child’s father was first served with paternity paperwork. Married parents may be able to receive back child support from the date they filed a motion requesting child support.

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