Do I Need a Lawyer for an Uncontested Divorce in Illinois?

 Posted on December 07, 2020 in Divorce

There are two main categories of divorce in Illinois, contested and uncontested. A contested divorce is one in which a couple cannot reach an agreement about the terms of their divorce. Because they cannot reach a settlement about property division, child custody, spousal support, or other issues, the court must make a determination on their behalf. An uncontested divorce is one in which the spouses are able to reach an agreement about the relevant divorce issues without court intervention. Unlike spouses in a contested divorce, spouses in an uncontested divorce do not need legal representation during a divorce trial. However, a lawyer is still a valuable source of legal guidance, support, and assistance during an uncontested divorce.

Helping You Resolve Disputes That Arise During the Divorce

Many divorcing spouses still care about each other. They no longer wish to be married, but they still want the best for their soon-to-be ex-spouse and do not want to cause unnecessary stress or hostility for either party. Unfortunately, things rarely go as planned when it comes to divorce. You may think that you and your spouse have agreed on the terms of the divorce until you run into a disagreement. A divorce lawyer can identify all of the divorce issues that need to be settled upon and help you and your spouse reach an agreement about these issues. If a disagreement about child support, parenting time, the division of marital property and debt, or another issue does arise during the divorce process, your lawyer can help you negotiate possible solutions.

Avoiding Legal Issues After the Divorce

Your lawyer can also help you take steps to avoid legal disputes in the future. This is an especially important step in marriages involving children, significant marital property or debt, or spousal maintenance. For example, have you considered what will happen if one of the spouses moves away and wants to take the children with him or her? What happens if the spouse who promised to pay off the marital credit card debt falls behind on payments and the credit card company goes after the other spouse? Your lawyer can help you take steps to avoid future conflicts. He or she can help you determine in advance how any post-divorce modifications or concerns should be handled and formalize your decisions in the divorce decree.

Correctly Documenting Your Settlement

Most courts provide fill-in-the-blank forms that divorcing spouses can use to document their agreements about divorce issues. However, these forms typically only include the “bare bones” issues and do not go into detail about divorce concerns. Your lawyer can ensure that your settlement is documented fully and accurately. Your lawyer can also help ensure that the divorce settlement is not flawed or unreasonably one-sided.

Contact a St. Charles Divorce Lawyer

If you are thinking about divorce and are unsure of where to start, contact Shaw Sanders, P.C. for a free consultation. We can identify the legal issues you will likely encounter during your divorce and advise you as to the best course of action moving forward. Call us at 630-584-5550 today and set up your free consultation with one of our experienced Kane County divorce attorneys.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=075000050HPt%2E+IV&ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=3800000&SeqEnd=5300000