Category Archives: Divorce
Understanding Venue and Jurisdiction in Divorce
For many people, the process of divorce is often their first interaction with the legal system. It is not uncommon for a person considering a divorce to have questions about where his or her petition should be filed. In deciding where to file, two primary considerations must be taken into account: jurisdiction and venue. These two concepts can be somewhat confusing to those new to the legalContinue reading
Controlling Costs in Your Divorce
For many divorcing couples, the process of ending a marriage can quickly become very expensive. This is especially true for divorces that drag on for months or even years before being finalized. Depending on the circumstances, expenses related to hiring an attorney may be among the highest, but there are many other considerations that could drive the costs of your divorce through the roof. Instead of tryingContinue reading
Will an Illinois Divorce Court Punish a Cheating Spouse?
It is very difficult to know for sure what percentage of people have ever cheated on their spouse. Part of the reason is due to the various definitions that couples may have for “cheating.” What one person may see as unfaithful behavior, another person may not, and vice versa. From a practical standpoint, large-scale statistics mean very little to a person who recently discovered thatContinue reading
Wrongful Conviction Settlement to Be Treated as Marital Property
A few weeks ago, a post on this blog talked a little bit about how personal injury settlements and similar awards are typically handled in divorce cases. In most situations, a settlement is considered to be part of the marital estate if the cause for legal action arose during the marriage—even if no money changes hands until after the divorce. Conversely, an award is usually non-marital if the causeContinue reading
Proceeds of a Personal Injury Verdict or Settlement in Divorce
If you are considering a divorce, you probably understand that you and your spouse will need to divide your marital propertyduring the process. In an ideal situation, the two of you would be able to reach an agreement on your own. Otherwise the court would be required to intervene and make property division decisions for you. Illinois is an equitable distribution state which means that theContinue reading
Talk to Your Divorce Lawyer About Billing Practices
Divorce can be an expensive proposition. Depending on how your case is ultimately decided, you could end up paying thousands of dollars in maintenance and child support, not to mention the value of the marital property that is allocated to your ex-spouse. The process itself can also be quite costly. Court fees and other expenses can add up quickly, especially if the proceedings drag onContinue reading
Talking About Divorce Could Save Your Marriage
There is no getting around it: divorce has become an accepted part of our culture. From a positive perspective, divorce can provide the opportunity for individuals stuck in unhappy, unhealthy marriages to seek a better a future. Many, however, see commonplace divorce as contributing to couples’ unwillingness to work together to solve their relationship problems. Rather than putting in the necessary work, a couple can just giveContinue reading
Pro Se Divorce: Is It Ever a Good Idea?
Over the past decade or so, one of the more common scenarios that have emerged in family courts across the country is where one or both spouses who are going through the divorce process make the decision to represent themselves instead of hiring an attorney. This is referred to as a pro se divorce. Those who decide to “go it alone” instead if with the guidance ofContinue reading
Staying in Control of Your Divorce
Ending your marriage through the process of divorce can be complicated and, at times, overwhelming. There are, however, steps that you can take that can help reduce the confusion and keep you focused on the new life that awaits on the other side of your divorce. Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to work closely with a qualified divorce attorney who can provide theContinue reading
After the Holidays, Divorce May Be Lurking
The winter holiday season has just about arrived. For approximately the next six weeks or so, families around the country will be getting together to celebrate in their own tradition—several times, in many cases, when Thanksgiving is combined with the end of the year holidays. By mid-January, things should be pretty well back to normal. For some families, however, the months that follow the winterContinue reading