What is the Difference Between Separation and Divorce?

If you are having problems in your marriage, you might be thinking about filing for divorce in Chicago. At the same time, you may have heard about the possibility of separation—and legal separation, specifically—as an alternative to divorce. Is it possible to become legally separated? In short, the answer is yes: One of the parties in a married couple can seek a legal separation. However, it is important to understand how a legal separation differs from a physical separation and,[...]

How to Have a Friendly Divorce

Is it possible to have a friendly divorce in Chicago? In other words, do spouses actually come to a joint agreement to end their marriage on terms that are favorable to both parties? While most divorces involve at least some contentious issues, spouses often are able to resolve these matters so that they can still have an uncontested divorce. In other cases, even when the parties disagree about certain terms pertaining to property division, for example, it may still be[...]

Reasons Why You Should Not Stay in a Bad Marriage

Are you thinking about divorce in Chicago, but routinely having second thoughts for reasons that are not necessarily helpful to your own well-being or happiness? There are many reasons that people remain in marriages that are difficult and even psychologically or physically harmful. Yet for many people, coming to the realization that it is possible to get divorced and to be happy despite having more limited resources ultimately makes the decision to file for divorce worth it. A recent article[...]

Divorce Could Make People Happier Than Marriage

Now that the holiday season is over and more people are filing for divorce, it is a good time to consider the benefits of both marriage and divorce in Chicago. While common knowledge often suggests that married people are happier than those who are divorced, a recent article in Psychology Today suggests that, on the whole, that notion simply might not be true in practice. Indeed, as the article intimates, we as a society are so accustomed to marriage and[...]

Relocation Mid-School Year After a Divorce

If you are thinking about filing for divorce at the start of the New Year, if you plan to separate from your spouse, or if you have recently accepted a new job, you have likely been thinking about the potential impact that moving will have on your child. When you are divorced, moving mid-year with a teenager can present significant challenges. Those challenges can be legal ones—concerning Illinois law on relocation—as well as psychological or emotional challenges associated with a[...]