Larimer Law Chicago – Your Trusted Family Law Firm
- COLLABORATION -
A Collaborative Divorce respectfully, thoroughly and discretely resolves disputes to help you reach an out-of-court agreement, with privacy and respect.
If you find yourself embattled in a family law dispute, finding a lawyer at Larimer Law in Chicago who has the reputation, talent, and resources to fully protect your interests, address your concerns, and achieve your goals can be the key to your success.
Mediation is an alternative form of dispute resolution where the parties meet with a neutral third party who helps facilitate the conversation and works to help the parties settle the case.
A legal separation allows spouses to live apart and separate certain finances while remaining legally married. A divorce, known as a dissolution of marriage in Illinois, legally ends the marriage and allows each person to remarry.
The timeline depends on whether the case is contested and how complex the issues are. An uncontested divorce may be resolved in a few months, while contested cases involving children or property disputes can take a year or longer.
The process typically begins by filing a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage in the county where you or your spouse live. From there, the case may involve financial disclosures, parenting decisions, negotiation or mediation, and court hearings before the divorce is finalized.
An uncontested divorce means both spouses agree on all major issues, including property, support and parenting matters. A contested divorce occurs when one or more issues are disputed and require negotiation, mediation or court involvement.
In most cases, one attorney cannot represent both spouses due to ethical rules. However, one spouse may retain an attorney while the other proceeds without counsel or seeks independent legal advice.
