Chicago Family Law Attorney

Chicago Family Law Attorney

Family law addresses a wide range of legal issues that families tend to face. Because each of these matters can directly affect your rights as a parent, family law is an especially important branch of the law. In addition to divorce and the terms of divorce – including post-divorce modifications and child custody concerns that arise outside of marriage and divorce – family law addresses matters such as paternity and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. If you are facing a family law issue, it’s time to reach out to an experienced Chicago family law attorney. 

The Terms of Divorce

Divorce, the separate terms of divorce, term modifications, and child custody issues outside of marriage are all very common to family law, including:

• The Division of Marital Property – In Illinois, anything that you, your spouse, or both of you come to own while you are married is marital property that must be divided between you upon divorce in a manner that is deemed fair.
• Parental Responsibilities and Parenting Time – Parental responsibilities dictate how you and your ex will address the matter of making primary parenting decisions moving forward, and parenting time sets the schedule by which you will split your time with the kids.
• Child Support – Child support is calculated according to state guidelines and is intended to balance financial support for your children between you and their other parent in accordance with your income.
• Alimony – Alimony is ordered in those divorces that leave one spouse unable to support themself financially while the other has the financial means to help.

Each of the terms that apply in your situation can play a critical role in your post-divorce life and should not be overlooked.

Paternity

When a couple is not married at the time of a child’s birth in the State of Illinois, the child’s father must be established in the eyes of the law, which refers to paternity. The process can be as simple as both parents signing a document and filing it with the court, but if there is disagreement or uncertainty regarding the matter, paternity is generally established through court-ordered genetic testing. The mother, father, and child can all benefit in the process.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are both legal contracts that can guide how the terms of divorce will be resolved if the marriage does come to an end. To be legally binding, both prenups and postnups must be crafted in accordance with the law – ensuring that neither side is disadvantaged or blindsided in the process. These contracts can take the guesswork out of a divorce and, as a result, can even help strengthen the marriage.  

A Dedicated Chicago Family Law Attorney Can Help

The compassionate Chicago family law attorneys at Hammer Serna & Quinn have a wealth of experience helping clients like you favorably resolve their challenging family law issues, and we’re here for you too. Our dedicated legal team is standing by to help, so please don’t wait to contact us for more information about what we can do for you today.