“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein.
People come to see me about divorce and sometimes wonder if they need a divorce or if they can still work on their marriage. I always advise people “Try to work it out. There’s always hope.” In my opinion, the only time divorce is truly inevitable is when one party has a personality disorder or
Most court cases involve a moment in time: a crime was allegedly committed or an accident happened. A divorce, however, is an evolving situation. Because of the ongoing nature of a divorce case, the courts require frequent check-ins to ensure that the parties and their children (if applicable) are cooperating with the court’s requirements and
Divorce laws are different all over the world. It can be tempting for a party to an Illinois divorce to say “I don’t like the divorce laws in Illinois. So, I’ll just file for divorce somewhere else.” Filing a divorce in a foreign country may or may not have an impact on any divorce filings
People who are getting divorced do not like each other. That dislike can sometimes manifest into behavior that can be characterized as harassment. Harassment exists on a spectrum from physical violence to mere annoyance. “Harassment is the result of intentional acts which cause another person to be worried, anxious, or uncomfortable. Harassment can therefore occur
Divorce is the end of a relationship but the relationship is rarely truly over. During a divorce, the marriage is still unwinding as parties arrange schedules with their children, divide assets and debts and arrange for support. During the divorce, the parties may have their own divorce attorneys who communicate with each other regarding the
There are so many acronyms in Illinois family law: HFS, MSA, OC, QDRO, QILDRO. It’s hard to keep track of terms that are only relevant in an Illinois divorce…while you’re in the middle of an Illinois divorce. What is a QILDRO? “”Qualified Illinois Domestic Relations Order” or “QILDRO” means an Illinois court order that creates
Update: Illinois may be passing the the Uniform Cohabitants’ Economic Remedies Act, which would render all of the below wrong/irrelevant. People are getting married a lot less but they’re living together as couples without being married. How can these couples memorialize their living arrangement? How can couples buy property together and later divide those purchases
Social media; Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, etc., has changed everything. Like a giant wall of public graffiti, social media has exposed everyone’s inner most thoughts (if they cared to share them) to the world. These thoughts can later be screenshot, printed and presented as evidence in any kind of court case…and they come up
Married couples drift apart. Some married couples literally drift oceans apart to the point where they are no longer in the same country. When the member of the couple that is an Illinois resident files for divorce, that person needs to serve their overseas spouse in order in order for the Illinois court to have
In almost every Illinois divorce financial documents will be exchanged between the parties. This exchange always includes the parties’ taxes, which may have been filed together. The tax return usually tells 90% of a divorcing party’s financial story in regards to income. Understanding a spouse’s income may not be possible by reviewing their income tax