Woodstock Divorce & Family Law
Your first priority when faced when divorce and family law issues should be retaining a knowledgeable lawyer to advise you. Our team at Bruning & Associates, P.C. will be at your side to handle complicated legal tasks and advocate on your behalf in court. We are ready to take on the challenges, as we have decades of combined experience representing clients throughout McHenry County. Please contact our firm today to set up a free consultation with a Woodstock divorce and family law attorney who can explain the specifics. You can also read on for an overview of what to expect.
Representation in a Wide Range of Illinois Divorce and Family Law Cases
Divorce
The assets, debts, and financial interests of spouses become closely intertwined during their marriage, and it is the divorce process that enables them to separate and move on as single individuals. The details vary, but most couples will need to address:
- Maintenance, Alimony, and Spousal Support: When there is a financial imbalance between the parties and/or one spouse gave up employment opportunities to support the family, a divorce court judge may award alimony. There are different types of spousal support, and the duration and amount will depend upon the unique factors in the case.
- Property and Asset Division: Spouses accumulate assets during their marriage, and these are subject to equitable distribution under Illinois divorce statutes. However, the initial inquiry involves classifying assets and debts as marital or separate.
- High Net Worth Divorces: The laws do not change based upon the value of the spouses’ assets, but alimony and asset division can be more complicated for high net worth divorces. Valuation of real estate and personal property is necessary, and some forms of property are difficult to divvy up.
Care, Needs, and Support of Minor Children
Parents have rights and duties regarding minor children, regardless of whether they maintain an intact relationship. These issues could come up in paternity cases, but parties to a divorce case must also address:
- Child Custody: Illinois updated its definitions in family law statutes, so the term allocation of parental responsibilities has replaced child custody. The concept refers to the important decisions for raising the child, including education, health care, extracurricular activities, and others. The preference is for parents to share in parental responsibilities, though the child will typically reside primarily with one parent.
- Visitation: Parenting time is the updated term for visitation. The non-residential parent has visitation rights, even in a co-parenting arrangement for purposes of custody.
- Child Support: The nonresidential parent is usually responsible for paying child support, and Illinois uses the income shares method for determining the amount.
Domestic Violence
Assault and violent crimes are illegal, but sometimes the threat of criminal punishment is not enough to protect individuals in a domestic violence scenario. It is possible to get an order of protection to prohibit an offender from making threats, stalking, causing harm, or contacting a victim and children. An individual can even get an injunction without notice to the person accused of violence, but the process can be frustrating if you are in the position of defending the allegations.
Additional Services in Divorce and Family Law
You can also count on our attorneys for guidance in such areas as:
- Paternity cases
- LGBTQ rights, which are no different from heterosexual couples but can present challenges
- Guardianship cases for minors and disabled adults
- Adoption
- Grandparents’ rights
- Prenuptial agreements
- Many others
Legal Help with Family Law and Divorce Cases
Settlement Agreements
It may come as a surprise to learn that many parties to a family law case can work out their differences by agreement on some or all issues. Illinois laws encourage spouses to agree on alimony and property division, and a judge will likely approve an arrangement that is not extremely unfair. However, when it comes to child custody and visitation, a court must review the child’s best interests when assessing a parenting plan.
Mediation
When it does not seem as though an agreement is possible, parties may choose mediation; a court may also order it before taking disputes to trial. During the process, the parties attend a session overseen by a trained mediation professional. By applying their skills and encouraging productive conversations, mediators can get the parties to see eye-to-eye on disagreements. An agreement through mediation may be entered as a court order, but the outcome is not binding.
Family Law Litigation
A contested hearing might be the only option for determinations in family law and divorce cases, and the proceeding is similar to a trial. Our attorneys at Bruning & Associates, P.C. have the trial advocacy skills to fight for your rights.
Discuss Your Case with a Woodstock Family Law and Divorce Lawyer
If you need assistance with agreements, mediation, or contested hearings, please contact Bruning & Associates, P.C. to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced family law and divorce attorney in Woodstock.
Besides Woodstock, we have several offices conveniently located near you in Chicago, Schaumburg, and Crystal Lake, Illinois. After we evaluate your situation, we can offer advice and discuss strategies for moving forward.
