Your Aurora Divorce Lawyer
Many spouses will stay in a marriage even when it is clear that divorce is the best choice. However, the more one waits, the more difficult a divorce becomes. Moreover, an experienced local family law attorney may greatly simplify the divorce process.
Here is an overview of how the process works. Once a spouse decides to get a divorce, they will usually contact a divorce attorney. A good attorney will schedule an in-person meeting to discuss the circumstances of the case and define the client’s goals. During this meeting, the attorney will collect relevant information like the duration of marriage, whether there are any children, marital assets or debts.
Once the attorney gathers these initial information, they will be able to explain the steps, cost and time involved with the divorce. A good attorney will take the time to explain these steps in detail so each client is able to make an informed decision.
If the client decides to hire the attorney, the attorney will prepare the petition for dissolution in accordance with the Illinois Rules of Civil Procedure, file the petition with the court that has jurisdiction, and take the necessary steps to have the petition served to the opposing party.
After filing the case, the parties will go through the pretrial process. Often, the parties agree that a divorce is inevitable and will cooperate with each other. In those cases, the attorney will prepare a marital settlement agreement and a joint parenting agreement (if there are children involved), and request a prove-up hearing in which the judge will review the evidence and grant the divorce. If the parties are unable to reach agreement regarding the division of assets and child custody, the attorneys will prepare for trial.
Independently of whether a divorce is contested, a strong family law attorney can make a difficult process much simpler. If you face a divorce, have an experienced Illinois family law attorney on your side.