Kane County Legal Separation Attorneys

Experienced Legal Separation Lawyers in St. Charles, Aurora, and Batavia, IL

Ending a marriage is a complicated and difficult decision. Some couples may no longer wish to live together but may not want to get a divorce either. If you choose to live apart from your spouse, a legal separation may be warranted. A legal separation is a court order that specifies the rights and responsibilities of each spouse while they remain married yet apart. At Shaw Family Law, P.C., our attorneys are experienced in handling legal separations. We have been assisting couples and families in these matters for 30 years.

Experienced Representation for Legal Separation in Kane County

Legal separations are often misunderstood by the general public. Many people believe you are either married, getting divorced, or divorced. For some couples, there is a gray area, however, and that gray area is a legal separation. There are a number of reasons a couple might want to pursue a legal separation including:

• Providing necessary space for working out differences through counseling or other means.
• Taking time off from the marriage to see if divorce is the right decision.
• Religious reasons that prohibit divorce.
• Retaining spousal benefits such as health insurance through one spouse's employer.
• Staying married long enough to qualify for Social Security divorced spouse benefits.

Regardless of your reasons for pursuing a legal separation, it is important to hire an attorney that can effectively advocate for your rights. Legal separations address all of the same matters as a divorce including:

• Child custody/allocation of parental responsibilities
• Child support
• Visitation/parenting time
• Property division
• Alimony/spousal maintenance

Often a legal separation judgment will become the framework for a future divorce judgment. Consequently, it is important to negotiate and litigate these matters deliberately and thoughtfully even though they may only apply to a temporary arrangement. It is hard to know how long a legal separation will last. Some couples may quickly reconcile, others may decide to pursue a divorce, and still others may decide to stay separated indefinitely.

Contact Our Illinois Legal Separation Lawyers

If you are considering a legal separation, contact Shaw Family Law, P.C. by calling 630-206-3300 to schedule a free consultation. We will assess your specific situation and explain if and how a legal separation could work for you. We understand that every marriage is unique, and we tailor our legal counsel to your circumstances and your objectives. From our office in St. Charles, Illinois, we represent clients throughout Northern Illinois including St. Charles, Geneva, Aurora, Batavia, Wheaton, Yorkville, Elgin, and the surrounding areas of Kane, DuPage, DeKalb, and Kendall Counties.