Family Law Lawyers in Lake Forest

If you are thinking about filing for divorce or concerned about issues of child custody and support in Lake Forest, it is important to learn more about how a Lake Forest family law attorney can help with your case. It is also important to know about how Illinois family law has changed substantially in recent years. For instance, Illinois is now a “no fault” divorce state. In addition, Illinois courts now have guidelines for determining the amount and duration of spousal maintenance. When it comes to children, child custody laws have changed. Indeed, there is no longer such a thing as child custody, but instead parental responsibilities and parenting time. And finally, child support laws have changed, too. To learn more, you should get in touch with an advocate at Women’s Divorce and Family Law Group.

Lake Forest Family Law Cases

Our firm handles many different types of family law cases in Arlington Heights and throughout Chicagoland, including but not limited to the following: 

• Prenuptial agreements;
• Divorce issues;
• Spousal maintenance;
• Child support;
• Parental responsibilities;
• Modifications; and
• Family violence.

A dedicated Lake Forest family lawyer can discuss your case with you and can develop a strategy that fits the particular needs of your situation. 

Recent Changes to Illinois Family Law

As we mentioned, a number of changes have been made to Illinois family law. Most of these legal issues have involved revisions to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5/). 

Here are some key changes to know about: 

• Illinois is a “no fault” divorce state: Illinois law used to have grounds for divorce, but now parties who are seeking a dissolution of marriage only need to allege that there are irreconcilable differences between the parties, and as such that there has been an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.
• Spousal maintenance guidelines now exist: If a married couple earns a combined gross income of less than $250,000 annually, then Illinois courts looks to a formula to determine the amount and duration of spousal maintenance. First, however, the court must decide whether spousal maintenance is appropriate. It looks to a number of different factors to make this determination, including the length of the marriage, the standard of living during the marriage, and the health and earning potential of the parties.
• Allocation of parental responsibilities: Illinois law no longer uses the terms “child custody” or “visitation.” To emphasize the importance of the parent-child relationship, courts now allocate parental responsibilities. Parental responsibilities include both important decision-making (formerly legal custody) and parenting time (formerly physical custody and visitation). When parents can agree to terms, they can enter into a legally binding parenting agreement that a Lake Forest family lawyer can assist in drafting.
• Child support is now determined through an “income shares” model: Illinois no longer requires a non-custodial parent to make child support payments to a custodial parent. Instead, the net income of both parents is combined to determine a child support obligation, then the parents share that obligation based on, for instance, their own earnings and the amount of time the child spends with each parent.

Contact a Family Law Attorney in Lake Forest

Do you need assistance with a family law issue? An experienced family law attorney in Lake Forest can speak with you today. Contact Women’s Divorce and Family Law Group for more information.