Yes. At least once, if you’re both agreed, unless you’re the Respondent (the person who didn’t file) then you just need to sign. If you’re not agreed, sooner or later you’re probably going to have to give testimony in court…but it’s rarer than you would think. When do people appear in court? In Cook County,…
What if you want a divorce and your spouse wants a divorce too? Do you need to go through the entire divorce process? The formal service, the mediation, the exchange of documents and the trial can all be avoided if there is a full agreement of the parties. Joint Simplified Divorce If you both want…
In an Illinois divorce all of the property you have at the time of the divorce can be classified as either marital or non-marital for the purpose of division of assets. In short, marital property get divided and non-marital property stays with the original owner. Marital property is broadly described as any property that you…
A divorce happens in Illinois when a Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage is entered in the courts. Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage A judgment of dissolution of marriage always contains this clause: “The parties are awarded a Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage and the bonds of matrimony existing between Petitioner and Respondent are hereby dissolved.”…
Divorce and paternity cases seem to have a lot of emergencies that require the attention of the court. What Is A Motion? Typically, if two parties disagree about something the court has jurisdiction over (in a marriage it’s almost everything, in a parentage case it’s just the kid’s issues) the parties must motion the court…
A reverse mortgage is a special financial instrument that functions a lot like a mortgage only (obviously) in reverse. When a homeowner takes on a reverse mortgage, the homeowner gives the title to the financial institution. In exchange, the financial institution lets the homeowner live in the home until a certain event happens (usually the…
The Parenting Plan When two parents are no longer living together, they must come to an arrangement regarding the time each parent will spend with the children. Hopefully, the parents can come to an agreement without the help of lawyers or the courts. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. In any case before a…
This is number 13 in my series of things to do with kids if and when you’re parenting alone. Whether you are divorced, separated or just alone for the day with the kids, I hope these posts can be a guide of things to do with your kids in a city that is not too…
Free consultations by divorce lawyers are common in some situations and rare in others. It often depends on what exactly you are consulting about. Free Consultations In Chicago, Illinois, my office offers free consultations largely because every law office in the Chicago area does the same. My consultation is usually brief. I ask a series…
Most people’s biggest asset is their house. But, the marital home is typically held by two people as a couple together because, as a couple, they were eligible for the mortgage. Outside of the tax advantages of paying a mortgage every month, a mortgage is also an enforced savings program. If you own your house…
