Skokie Divorce Attorney

Experienced Family Law Attorney Serving Skokie, IL

Divorce can be scary. When you choose to get divorced, your family structure will change completely. If you do not have children, you will likely need to go back to living alone, or with roommates or family members. If you do have children, they will likely need to begin splitting their time between your household and their other parent's. This can be a major upheaval. It can take time to get used to a new way of life. That said, very few people who get divorced regret it. If your marriage is making you unhappy, ending it is likely the first step to finding new happiness.

Sucharski Law Firm LLC is experienced in guiding people through the divorce process. Our focus on collaborative divorce could help you and your spouse resolve your divorce completely out of court. We are also always prepared to fight for you in court if your spouse will not allow an uncontested divorce or if trying to use mediation would be unproductive. Our attorneys will do all we can to make your divorce as easy as it can possibly be.

Skokie Child Custody Lawyer

Most parents are more worried about parenting time than any other issue in their divorce. This is to be expected. Parents are generally very passionate about their children. You should know that Illinois favors joint child custody arrangements in nearly all cases, except where one parent poses a legitimate threat of harm. Courts will sometimes even use supervised visitation to allow parents who may not be capable of caring for the children alone to keep seeing them.

Parents are welcome to establish a parenting time calendar by agreement. Mediation can help parents decide on a custody arrangement that works for all involved. Otherwise, the court will likely bring in a Guardian ad Litem to help it evaluate the child's best interests.

During divorce, the issue of child support will also be addressed. Children in Illinois have the legal right to be supported by both parents.

Dividing Marital Property in Illinois

Under Illinois law, marital property has to be divided equitably. This means that if the court is left to decide how marital property should be split, it has quite a bit of discretion in coming up with a division it feels is fair. There are a number of factors the court will be required to consider, like each party's resources and contributions to the marriage.

Parties may also decide how to divide their own marital property. Doing it this way offers you and your spouse greater control over the final result.

Seeking Spousal Support Payments

Courts in Illinois may order spousal support in cases where it is appropriate and reasonable. Longer-married homemakers are generally the most likely to receive alimony, but those who were only married for a short time and worked the whole time will be less likely to receive it.

Post-Decree Modifications & Enforcement

Even if you are already divorced, there are situations where you might need to go back to court. If your former spouse is disregarding the court's orders from your divorce, you might need to move to enforce your divorce decree. In other cases, you may experience a major life change after divorce. Modifications to divorce decrees may be possible, and they may include changes to child custody, child support, or spousal support.

Collaborative Divorce Attorneys in the Chicago Area

Collaborative divorce offers some wonderful benefits for couples who are both able to participate in discussions in a civil manner and be fair to one another. While compromising with the person you are trying to divorce might seem like an uphill battle, modern mediators are highly skilled at helping spouses reach agreements. Your attorney may also be present during mediation. Even if you and your spouse are not on speaking terms, there are forms of mediation where you do not need to negotiate with them face to face.

Contact a Skokie, IL Divorce Attorney

Sucharski Law Firm LLC is dedicated to providing the best possible representation during divorce. Our experienced North Shore divorce lawyers will fight for you in or out of court. Contact us at 224-276-6600 to set up a complimentary consultation.