Divorce - Process FAQ

A Summons provides a formal notification to you that a case has been filed.  In a divorce case, it informs you that your spouse filed for divorce.  The service of summons summons is a key event. If one fails to take certain steps after service, you risk the court finding yourself in … [Read more...] about Divorce Summons

Illinois is a Pure No-Fault Divorce State In 2016, Illinois became a pure no-fault state provided the parties lived separately for six months before the divorce. I heard that Illinois is a "no fault" divorce state. What does this mean? No fault divorce has a technical meaning: … [Read more...] about Grounds for Divorce in Illinois

Mediation means different things in different contexts. Whenever a neutral third party attempts to help two parties at odds reach a resolution in an informal, non-binding proceeding, people refer to this as mediation.  In the collar of Illinois including McHenry County, Kane County and Lake County, … [Read more...] about Mediation in Divorce Cases re Custody (Parental Responsibility) and Parenting Time

The traditional divorce process in Illinois typically involves several court appearances. Compare this to collaborative divorce, where essentially the only court appearance (other than the one seeking to stay the proceedings) is the prove-up (whose meaning is discussed below). For this reason (and … [Read more...] about Court Appearances in an Illinois Divorce Case and the Divorce Prove-up

Trial of a Family Law Case:  Divorce, Paternity, Allocation of Parenting Time/Responsibility [Custody], child relocation [removal], etc. While most family law cases settle, if a case does not settle, there will need to be a trial.  At the trial, the judge hears evidence and makes a decision.  The … [Read more...] about Going to Trial in a Divorce Case

How does negotiation in collaborative divorce differ in Illinois from traditional divorce negotiation. First, see the Q&A regarding Illinois collaborative divorce. In collaborative divorce there may be an initial divorce filing due to the time lines established due to the so called maintenance … [Read more...] about Negotiating a Settlement