Divorce, parental responsibilities, parenting time, support, parentage and property. Handled personally, start to finish, by me.
Illinois is a no-fault state. Nobody has to prove the other person did something wrong, which removes one fight but not the rest of them. What is left is the part that matters: where the children live, how the money is divided, and how long it takes.
An uncontested divorce, where both people already agree, moves quickly. A contested one does not, and anyone who tells you otherwise at the first meeting is guessing. I will tell you which one you are in after I hear the facts.
Illinois stopped using the word custody in 2016. The court now allocates specific responsibilities, decision-making about school, healthcare, religion and activities, and separately sets parenting time. It is a more precise system than the old one and it is worth understanding before you walk into it.
“He represented me in my custody case and did an excellent job. He makes sure you know what everything means and understand it clearly, which is great.”
The schedule itself: weeks, weekends, holidays, school breaks, and what happens when one parent moves. Courts start from the position that a child benefits from both parents being involved, and work from there.
Support is calculated from both incomes and the number of overnights, under a statutory formula. Maintenance, what used to be called alimony, has its own formula and is not automatic. Both can be changed later if circumstances genuinely change.
Establishing or disestablishing legal parentage, which affects support, parenting time, and the birth certificate itself.
Illinois divides marital property equitably, which does not mean equally. The house, the retirement accounts, the business, and the debts all get sorted, and the debts are often the harder half.
Support, parenting time and relocation can all be revisited when something real changes. A new job, a move, a change in the child’s needs.
“He went above and beyond for my family. I appreciated the straightforward approach, the honesty, and how he spoke for me when I could not.”
“He represented my son in a divorce and custody matter. Could not have asked for a better lawyer. We are grateful to him.”
Sample reviews for template purposes. All names and quotations are fictional.
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It never gives legal advice and it says so. Every conversation is a lead in Phil’s inbox the moment it happens.