Before we jump into this topic known as “discovery“, it all starts with the financial affidavit, also known by legal jargon as a “13.3” in Chicago (or Cook County generally) is a legal document that each party to a divorce or parentage action involving financial issues has to complete. Cook County Local Rule 13.3.1 states, in…
We’ve all seen the movies where a stranger nonchalantly hands a character some documents and quietly says, “You’ve been served.” The character then looks at the papers with surprise and is completely devastated. Because of scenes like this we dread the idea of serving someone or being served when all it is, is handing a…
Many people hire me to handle their divorce or parentage action in Chicago without meeting me personally. They see my reviews online or they can tell I “know what I’m talking about” after a quick phone call. I always prefer to meet my potential clients face-to-face, however. I can learn so much more about my…
A divorce in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois can take as little as two weeks and as long as three years. It all depends. Let’s work through what can make a divorce take so much time. If you come to your lawyer with a full agreement between both parties, your lawyer can prepare all the final…
In Illinois, throughout the divorce or parentage process the parties are required to exchange and submit parenting plans. A parenting plan is “a written agreement that allocates significant decision-making responsibilities, parenting time, or both.” 750 ILCS 5/600(f) The parties come to an agreement on the parenting plan or the court orders a parenting plan that…
I am uniquely qualified to answer this question as I am licensed in both Illinois and in Florida. I have an office in Chicago, IL and an office in Naples, Florida. The option of where you wish to file is up to you. If you wish to file in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, there is…
Starting from January 1, 2016, Illinois joined a majority of states in the USA in eliminating all the fault-based grounds for divorce. This was done through Public Act 99-90 that removed all fault-based grounds for divorce and the only ground remaining that a party can allege is known as irreconcilable differences. Prior to January 1,…
The financial aspects of a Chicago, Illinois divorce are determined by two factors: 1) the assets of the parties and 2) the incomes of the parties. When one of the parties retires or prepares for retirement a significant change will happen to their income and even their assets as they begin to draw them down.…
“The court may award sums of money out of the property and income of either or both parties or the estate of a deceased parent, as equity may require, for the educational expenses of any child of the parties.” 750 ILCS 513(a) While the court may require payment of college expenses by a parent does…
Did you know that all of the filings in your Chicago, Illinois, divorce are accessible to the public? In Cook County, Illinois, (which includes Chicago) you can’t look at the documents on-line (yet) but anyone can walk to the 8th floor of the Daley Center and look up your case file on the public access…
