Over the past few decades, many states have begun loosening the grip on marriage. For a very long time, American courts were highly paternalistic in their attempts to place obstacles in the way of divorce. At one time, all states required some wrongdoing or “grounds” for divorce. As that requirement faded, courts imposed waiting periods or mandatory separation periods. Today, Illinois has come a long way in recognizing the need to simplify the divorce process, especially for those who meet certain guidelines. For those individuals, the process can be very quick and can be done with …

It is fairly common in a marriage for one spouse to handle money matters and the finances while the other has very little input into these things. The other spouse may also have more input into another area of family life, such as disciplining the children. When one spouse handles the majority of the finances though, it becomes even easier for them to hide assets during a divorce, and that becomes trouble for the other spouse.

There are many reasons you may want to establish paternity in Hinsdale. You may want to have the right to child custody but are not wed to the mother, or you may be in disagreement with the mother about who the father of the child is. Illinois law presumes that when two parents are married, the husband is the biological father of the child. There is no presumption made, however, when parents are unwed. It is mostly in cases of unwed parents that people wish to establish paternity in the state, although there are certainly some others. No matter the reason, it is important to establish …

Child support in Illinois is legally binding. When a judge orders one parent to pay it as a result of divorce, they must do so. That does not mean, however, that you are stuck with a high payment that you might not always be able to afford. The law in Illinois recognizes that situations change and as such, either parent can petition the court to have their child support payments modified. The steps for doing so are outlined below.

If you are like other men facing an inevitable divorce, you are likely dealing with a lot of frustration and confusion. Divorce can be a slow and painful process, or it can happen so fast you are not sure how it even came up. Many men assume a lot of things about divorce – whether true or not – simply because of rumors and a lifetime of hearing horror stories about their fathers, uncles, workmates, and others who have been allegedly “fleeced” or “taken to the cleaners” by their ex-wives. With so many stereotypes and myths out there, men tend to enter the process already assuming …

When two people decide to make a split in their relationship, one of the first and most difficult decisions is often where the couple will live. If they are not married but only living together, the choice is often much simpler, as the person whose name is on the lease or mortgage will inevitably retain use of the property. If a true joint lease or mortgage, then it can indeed be every bit as complicated. But for a married couple - especially with children - the challenge is deciding who will stay in the marital home. In most cases, men tend to be the ones to depart quickly upon conflict. But…

It is true that divorce is declining across the United States, but the rates of gray divorce are increasing. Gray divorces are those that occur when a person is over the age of 50. When considering divorce as a person gets older, many think that it is going to be simpler. After all, there often are not issues such as child custody or child support to consider.

Many people get married without creating a prenuptial agreement. Then, maybe a few years or even a few days after the wedding, they determine that they need a bit of protection in case they get divorced. Maybe they have started a business that is hugely successful. Or, maybe they just did not realize how much they needed a prenuptial agreement before the big day. Whatever the reason, now the couple understands that they need to protect their assets. So, they start thinking about drafting a postnuptial agreement.