Chicago Family Law

Family law is an important arm of the law that addresses not only the terms of divorce and parenting concerns outside of divorce but also matters such as adoption, paternity, and prenuptial agreements. When your family is concerned, the matter is serious, and having an experienced Chicago family law attorney on your side can help considerably. 

Prenuptial Agreements

Prenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements are legal contracts that help guide financial matters, such as the division of marital property and alimony (called spousal maintenance in the State of Illinois), in the event the marriage in question ends in divorce. Prenuptial agreements can help to streamline the divorce process and can help reduce the level of contention involved, and while they can provide married couples with considerable peace of mind, they are not – contrary to popular belief – a stain on the marriage itself.

The Terms of Divorce

Family law often addresses the terms of divorce, which include:

• The division of marital property (complicating factors include high assets, business ownership, entangled separate and marital assets, and more)
• Child custody arrangements, called parental responsibilities and parenting time in Illinois
• Child support
• Alimony

Each of these, other than alimony, can also be addressed outside of divorce in the form of post-decree modifications. And parents who were never married also turn to family law to address parenting time and child support concerns. 

Adoption

Adoption allows a couple to become the legal parents – with all the rights and responsibilities involved – of a child who is not theirs biologically. The adoption process is legally challenging, and having skilled legal guidance is in your best interest. 

Paternity

Paternity determines who a child’s father is, and in Illinois, paternity must be established if the parents are not married at the time of the child’s birth. If both parents are not in agreement on the matter – and, therefore, refuse to establish paternity via official documentation with the court – the court can require a paternity test (DNA test). 

Establishing who a child’s father is can benefit everyone involved in all the following ways:

• Providing the child with additional financial support
• Allowing both the father and child to form a bond and grow a deep parent/child relationship
• Allowing the mother to share the considerable responsibilities faced by a single parent
• Allowing the child to benefit in terms of inheritance laws, in terms of health insurance coverage through the father’s employment, and from social security and veterans benefits

An Experienced Chicago Family Law Attorney Is Standing by to Help

If your family is facing a legal concern, the accomplished Chicago family law attorneys at The Law Offices of George M. Sanders understand how important the matter is to you and are well prepared to help. We take great pride in our stellar track record of guiding cases like yours toward beneficial resolutions that uphold our clients’ rights and best interests. We are on your side and here to help, so please don’t delay reaching out and contacting us for more information today.