FAQs

We charge a $150.00 consultation fee for most types. If you choose to engage our services, we will credit this fee to your first invoice.

Please bring all documents related to your legal issue. These may include pay stubs, tax returns, birth certificates, and other legal documents. 

No attorney-client relationship exists until you sign and return your client engagement letter.

We offer a wide range of affordable representation options, including unbundled and limited scope representation to meet your legal needs and budget. Payment plans are also available.*

Generally, as long as your divorce judgement gives your or “reserves” your right to resume a former name, you can use a certified copy of that document anywhere you need to change your name. if your judgment does not give you the option to resume your former name, you may have to file a separate petition for a name change in Illinois.

A Parenting Coordinator is a trained professional that is usually appointed by a court in a high conflict divorce or child custody case to assist the parents in resolving issues around their parenting plans, communication, and other long term conflicts. A parenting coordinator is a neutral third party who the parents bring their issues to first in an attempt to avoid a court appearance.

Mediation is a powerful tool that parties to an Illinois divorce or custody case can use to cost effectively resolve their issues outside of court. A mediator helps by facilitating unbiased and conflict free communication in an effort to reach a joint resolution on all issues.

In an uncontested divorce, the parties usually agree on most if not all of the outstanding issues including spousal support, the division of assets and debt, and the custody and support for any minor children. A divorce usually becomes “contested” when the parties reach in impasse on any of the issues above requiring a court to decide for them.

A “default divorce” can be obtained in Illinois if the Respondent spouse (the person receiving the divorce petition) does not file an Appearance or respond to a properly served petition for dissolution of marriage within the appropriate time frame. The Petitioner may still need to file a mention to have the Respondent “held in default” in order to get to a final judgment, but a default divorce can be just as powerful as if the terms had been fully negotiated.

Generally, one spouse must have lived in Illinois for at least 90 days contentiously and previous to the entry of the judgement for dissolution of marriage.