Long Grove Family Law Lawyers

Did you know that divorce rates have risen recently in Lake County? According to a fact sheet from the Illinois Department of Public Health, there were 1,531 divorces in Lake County in 2013 alone, which includes divorces in Long Grove. While there were also nearly 4,000 marriages in the same year, the statistics show that divorce still happens quite frequently in Long Grove and in other parts of Lake County.

Of course, divorce is not the only legal issue within the broad field of family law. At the Law Offices of George M. Sanders, P.C., our dedicated Long Grove family law attorneys have experience helping clients with a wide variety of family law matters, including issues of child custody, financial matters involving maintenance and support, and domestic violence concerns requiring protective orders. If you need help with your family law case, an advocate at our firm can answer your questions today. Do not hesitate to reach out to an experienced Long Grove family law attorney.

Long Grove Family Law

What kinds of family law issues arise in Long Grove? At the Law Offices of George M. Sanders, P.C., we provide assistance to clients in numerous types of family law matters, such as:

• Divorce issues, including filing for divorce, property division, high net worth divorce cases, and enforcing premarital agreements;
• Financial issues, including spousal maintenance and child support;
• Child custody matters, which include parental responsibilities and parenting time;
• Domestic violence, including orders of protection; and
• Modifications to existing court orders when there has been a substantial change in circumstances.

Property Division in a Long Grove Divorce

How does property division work in a Long Grove divorce? Under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA), the court will divide marital property according to a theory of equitable distribution. This means that the property will be divided in a manner that is fair to both parties but is not necessarily equal. The court only divides marital property, which includes:

• Marital assets; and
• Marital debts.

Separate property, or non-marital property—including both assets and debts—is not divisible and belongs only to one spouse.

How Will the Court Determine Long Grove Spousal Maintenance?

Spousal maintenance is awarded in many divorce cases in Long Grove. In order to award spousal maintenance, a court must first determine whether spousal maintenance is appropriate given the particular circumstances of the case. Once it decides spousal maintenance should be awarded, the court then looks to a formula to decide the amount and duration of the spousal maintenance. This spousal maintenance formula is a relatively recent change to Illinois law, and it is only applicable for couples who earn a combined annual gross income of less than $250,000.

In high net worth divorces, the court typically will not apply the spousal maintenance formula and instead will look at the factors of the specific case to determine the amount and duration of the award.

Discuss Your Case with a Long Grove Family Lawyer

If you need assistance with a family law matter, an experienced family law attorney in Long Grove can help. Contact the Law Offices of George M. Sanders, P.C. to speak with an advocate today.