Can I Seek Attorneys’ Fees in My Chicago Divorce?

Divorces in Chicago can be expensive, especially if your spouse is engaging in behaviors or actions that are requiring extra time with your attorney or additional court dates. When a married couple begins the process of getting divorced and one of the parties was a primary earner or breadwinner in the marriage, the other spouse (the non-primary earner, often the stay-at-home parent) can struggle to find resources to pay for a divorce. If you are in this situation, you may[...]

Top Questions to Ask a Divorce Lawyer

When you are considering a divorce in the Chicago area, you may already realize that there are many different family law attorneys who handle divorce cases. Even if you are anticipating a relatively straightforward divorce in which you and your spouse agree on all terms, it is still essential to hire a Cook County divorce attorney who can advocate for you throughout your divorce. There are many different potential issues that you might not be anticipating right now. Even if[...]

Planning for a Divorce Financially

Planning for a divorce is always important, especially when it comes to your finances. It is best to begin the process of planning for your divorce financially before you even file (or your spouse files). However, there are still ways you can ensure that you are prepared for the financial realities of divorce even after the petition for dissolution of marriage has been filed, and you are living separate and apart from your spouse. Indeed, divorce can create significant complexities[...]

How do I Seek Pet Custody in My Divorce?

Going through a divorce is never easy, and many Chicago residents who file for divorce have particular concerns about pet ownership and pet custody. Illinois is one of only a handful of states that has a law concerning pet custody. While pet ownership or pet custody does not rise to the same level as the allocation of parental responsibilities for children under Illinois law, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA) also makes clear that pets are not[...]

Will the Court Divide My Inheritance if I File for Divorce?

When you are thinking about divorce and learning more about property division in Illinois, we know that you are likely to have many questions. One common set of questions we often receive concerns the classification of marital property for purposes of distribution. For example, are there any kinds of property acquired after the date of the marriage that can be classified as separate property? Or, for instance, are there situations in which property acquired by one of the spouses many[...]