Whether they speak primarily English or primarily Spanish, many clients have a hard time communicating with their attorneys. Often without thinking, many lawyers speak a foreign language that only they understand. They use complex terms that only they understand. So, many clients come to their lawyers looking for answers. But instead, they walk away with more questions about their marriage dissolution.
At the Andrea Heckman Law, we believe that effective communication is the backbone of a good professional relationship. So, we quickly evaluate your situation and then give practical legal advice. So, you make better decisions in matters that affect you and your family.
Many years ago, fathers automatically got custody of their children after a divorce because women had no legal rights. Then, from about the 1920s to the 1980s, mothers automatically won these disputes. Judges concluded that fathers had neither the willingness nor the skills to parent their children.
Today, Illinois laws encourage co-parenting. Both parents must work together to bring up their children.
Nevertheless, there must be a residential and non-residential parent. To make this determination, Cook County family law judges usually look to a number of factors, including:
If circumstances change later, such as a new job or residence relocation, an attorney can ask the judge to modify the parenting plan.
Illinois law states that marital property and debts should be divided equitably. That is not necessarily the same thing as equally. So, once again, judges look at a number of different factors, such as the length of the marriage and the economic as well as noneconomic contributions to the marriage.
Before assets and debts are divided, they must first be classified as marital or nonmarital property. That distinction is not always easy to make because property becomes commingled.
Assume Husband owned a rental house prior to the marriage, and Wife uses a wedding gift from her parents to fund some improvements. Depending on the facts, such as the size of Wife’s contribution, the house could now be Husband’s nonmarital property, Wife’s nonmarital property, or marital property. The same is true of all prior, current, and future rental income.
When it comes to divorce and marriage dissolution, your lawyer should speak your language. For a free consultation with an experienced family law attorney in Rolling Meadows, contact the Andrea Heckman Law We routinely handle matters in Cook County and nearby jurisdictions.
Please contact our law office in Rolling Meadows for legal assistance with divorce, child custody, or visitation issues. We serve clients in the Chicago metropolitan area who need the help of an experienced and dedicated family law attorney.