Navarro Family Law serves Plainfield (IL) as a family law attorney for the equitable representation of the dissolution of marriage under established Illinois law.
Plainfield (IL) Divorce: Peace Can Prevail
Marriage for people in Plainfield is meant to be a momentous event celebrating the commitment of love. We approach it as a seal of devotion meant to stand the test of time.
Many of us might look forward to our wedding day with high ideals. We may also discover that after the ceremony and the honeymoon phase, the real work of compromise and co-existence begins.
When we also confront real-life challenges such as job stress, health problems, financial issues, addiction, infidelity, raising children or the loss of constructive communication, relational gaps may develop. Entrenched for too long in such factors, some marriages in Plainfield can end.
In that event, what spouses need is a family law attorney who can help guide them with balance and wisdom through their major life change toward a fair and reasonable outcome.
If you live in or near Plainfield and are preparing for a divorce, attorney Michael Navarro takes a client-focused approach with a specialized focus on the facets and nuances of Illinois family law.
Divorce in Will County & Plainfield (IL)
According to public records, about 7.6% of men and 9.9% of women in Will County are reported as divorced. Statewide, with an annual divorce rate of about 6.0% of the adult population, Illinois is lower than the U.S. average of approximately 11%.
Divorce is not pervasive in Will County and Plainfield, but any single divorce has the potential to be demanding and stressful. Within a dissolution of marriage, Navarro Family Law supports spouses through the legal process with focus and insight.
Illinois Divorce Law
An individual filing for a divorce in Plainfield might not feel clear about the process as it begins. Working with an experienced and qualified family law attorney for the village ensures professional legal guidance while moving through a dissolution of marriage.
If you are getting divorced in Plainfield, the following are important things to know.
Illinois has been a no-fault divorce state since 2016. You do not have to prove wrongdoing to file for a dissolution of marriage in Plainfield. The common ground for a divorce can be irreconcilable differences that lead to a permanent fracture of the marriage.
If you and your spouse wish to live apart without divorcing, Illinois recognizes legal separation as well.
A divorce in Illinois may be contested or uncontested.
A contested divorce will involve disagreements about central issues that require court intervention to resolve.
In an uncontested divorce, both parties will agree on all major issues, such as property division and child custody and support.
Plainfield (IL) Divorce: Primary Steps
A dissolution of marriage in Plainfield must be filed in the Will County Circuit Court. Before filing or finalizing the case, at least one spouse also must have been an Illinois resident for at least 90 days. This is true even if the marriage took place out of state.
Filing for divorce in Will County will include:
petition for dissolution of marriage. This is the formal request submitted to end the marriage.
notice of petition. You will legally notify your spouse about the divorce proceedings.
financial disclosure. Both parties will provide financial information to assist in the division of assets and support legal determinations.
hearings. Both parties will appear in court as scheduled for the case to be heard.
final judgment. The court will deliver a final judgment of dissolution, legally ending the marriage.
Plainfield (IL) Divorce: Common Case Areas
Depending on the marriage dissolution’s circumstances, a divorce can often involve aspects such as the following.
Child Custody & Support
Illinois courts can award either sole custody or joint custody (shared decision-making). Custody decisions are made based on the children’s best interests.
Navarro Family Law helps establish operative, clear decision-making and parenting time under Illinois child-custody law. Joint parenting is typically encouraged by the court, but sole parenting can be awarded if justified.
With a Plainfield divorce case, the court will calculate child support using income-shares guidelines that consider both parents’ incomes. Other factors considered can be amount of parenting time and costs such as healthcare and childcare.
Navarro Family Law provides sound legal representation and knowledge of state child-support law and calculations. Divorce attorney Michael Navarro further ensures that clients understand child-support procedures.
Property Division
Marital property includes assets and debts acquired by the spouses during the marriage. Illinois uses equitable distribution, which means that marital property is divided fairly but not necessarily equally.
In assigning division of property, the courts may often consider factors such as the length of the marriage; each spouse’s age, health and economic circumstances; and contributions to shared property (including homemaking).
Separate property (owned before marriage or acquired by gift/inheritance) usually stays with the original owner.
A divorce may also adjust taxes, insurance and benefits that had applied during the marriage. For example, medical coverage for one spouse may end after the divorce. Because divorce changes one’s tax-filing status, exemptions and deductions may become different as well.
Spousal Support (Alimony)
Illinois does not award alimony automatically. Rather, the state may grant alimony based on need and ability to pay.
Spousal support may be awarded according to variables such as:
- length of the marriage
- standard of living during the marriage
- age, health and earning capacity
- contributions to the marriage (e.g. homemaking)
Spousal support can be temporary or long-term.
Navarro Family Law advises clients about their options, rights and responsibilities in spousal-support (alimony) cases according to Illinois law. In seeking a fair resolution, the firm helps clients understand the adjudicated alimony process, including how payments are calculated.
Divorce Plainfield (IL): Parenting Time (Visitation)
Visitation (parenting time) is the court-ordered schedule that determines when each parent will spend time with the children. It can be a common source of dispute in a divorce case.
Typically, the court will set a visitation schedule listing both parents’ regular and holiday time with the children. Among other considerations, factors can include both parents’ work schedules, the children’s school schedules and the children’s ages.
The parent with whom the children primarily live (i.e. the one with the most parenting time) will typically be awarded child support paid by the other parent.
Should the parents disagree about who should have the majority of parenting time, the court may review other circumstances, such as the parents’ involvement with the children in the two years before the divorce filing.
Navarro Family Law is a client advocate for establishing court-ordered parenting time that is optimal for the children’s interests. The firm provides legal counsel in pretrial, hearing/trial and final-judgment procedures as well as in parenting-time requests and dispute resolution.
Divorce Attorney Near Me Plainfield (IL): Contact Us
As a divorce attorney serving Plainfield, Michael Navarro recognizes how proceedings can affect the spouses as well as any children involved. Navarro Family Law educates clients on their rights and responsibilities under Illinois family law, as well as how to proactively contribute to a favorable outcome.
If you would like to further discuss divorce law in Plainfield, or you would like to inquire about case representation with a “divorce attorney near me,” call or text (815) 207-9570 today.