Best Chicago Family Law Attorneys

Divorce represents a difficult transition in your family’s life, but working closely with one of the best Chicago family law attorneys can help ensure that you protect your family’s needs as you move forward. While every divorce is utterly unique to the circumstances and individuals involved, there are some family law basics that universally apply, and that are beneficial to understand. 

Your Divorce Terms

Every divorce can be divided into four basic components that include:

• • Your Child Custody Arrangements – You and your spouse will have to determine a workable visitation schedule that best suits your family’s needs. Further, both parents generally share legal custody, which means they make important decisions on behalf of their children together.
  • The Division of Your Marital Property – Marital property refers to that property that you and your spouse acquired together as a married couple – regardless of the name on the lease or title. Exceptions include inheritances and gifts made in one of your names only. Property that either of you brought into the marriage with you, generally remains separate property.
  • Child Support – The State of Illinois requires both parents to support their children financially, and child support is the mechanism used to equalize this financial contribution. The amount of support one party may have to pay to the other will be determined by a formula that takes into account the amount of time each party spends with the children and the income of both parties.
  • Spousal Maintenance – Spousal maintenance, which is often called alimony, is not as common as it once was. However, when one divorcing spouse has a financial need and the other spouse has the financial means, the court may order spousal maintenance to help offset the financial discrepancy. Spousal maintenance is based on a wide range of important factors that can include each spouse’s age, education, and relative health; the contributions each spouse made to the marriage; the length of the marriage; and much more. 

The Court’s Involvement

If you and your divorcing spouse can find common ground (with the help of your respective family law attorneys) that you are both willing to sign off on regarding each of these important issues, you can present your mutually agreed upon terms to the court, and it is almost certain to accept them. Even if you’ve come to a mutual decision on one or more of these elements of divorce, you are ahead of the game and won’t need to ask for the court’s intervention on that particular matter. The court, however, will make decisions on your behalf regarding all remaining unresolved issues. It can be motivating to remember, however, that it is nearly always in your best interest to retain your decision-making power – rather than abdicating it to the court. 

Don’t Delay Consulting with one of the Best Chicago Family Law Attorneys

The dedicated family law attorneys at The Law Offices of George M. Sanders are proud to serve Chicago clients like you. Our formidable track record speaks for itself, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today.