Family law issues can require decisions about your children, finances, property, and future, often at a time when emotions are already running high. Having a clear understanding of your rights and the legal process can help you make those decisions with greater confidence.
Keller Legal Services represents individuals and families in Glen Ellyn and throughout DuPage County in divorce and family law matters. For more than 30 years, our attorneys have helped clients address disputes involving the end of a marriage, parenting arrangements, financial support, property, and court orders that continue to affect families long after a divorce is finalized.
Some cases can be resolved through negotiation or mediation. Others involve disagreements that require intervention by the court. Our attorneys help clients evaluate their options, identify the issues that matter most, and pursue a practical strategy based on their circumstances.
Family law encompasses much more than divorce. A case may begin because spouses have decided to end their marriage, because unmarried parents disagree about parenting arrangements, or because circumstances have changed after an existing court order was entered.
Our broader family law practice includes representation involving:
Rather than treating all family law cases the same, it is important to identify which issues actually need to be resolved. A divorce involving significant marital property presents different concerns from a parenting dispute, just as a post-divorce support modification requires a different approach than an initial divorce filing.
A divorce legally ends a marriage, but obtaining the dissolution itself is often the least complicated part of the case. The difficult questions usually involve what happens afterward.
Spouses may need to determine how property and debts will be divided, whether maintenance will be paid, how parenting responsibilities will be allocated, and how much child support will be required.
Illinois is a no-fault divorce state. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act provides that a court may dissolve a marriage when irreconcilable differences have caused the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.
Our attorneys help Glen Ellyn residents navigate the Illinois divorce process and understand how decisions made during the case can affect their finances and families well beyond the date the divorce becomes final.
For people specifically looking for local divorce representation, our Glen Ellyn divorce lawyers page provides additional information focused on dissolution of marriage.
No. Spouses who can reach agreements about all necessary issues may be able to resolve their divorce without asking a judge to decide those disputes at trial.
An uncontested or negotiated resolution can offer meaningful advantages, including greater control over the outcome. But reaching an agreement should not mean accepting terms without understanding their consequences.
When significant disagreements remain, litigation may be necessary. Financial discovery, motions, hearings, and ultimately a trial may become part of the process depending on the issues involved.
Keller Legal Services assists clients in evaluating opportunities for settlement while remaining prepared to litigate matters that cannot reasonably be resolved through agreement.
For parents, the most important questions in a family law case frequently involve their children.
Illinois law separates what was traditionally called “custody” into concepts that include significant decision-making responsibilities and parenting time. Parents may need to establish who has authority to make important decisions concerning areas such as education, healthcare, religion, and extracurricular activities. They must also determine when the children will spend time with each parent.
Illinois courts make these determinations according to the child’s best interests. The factors applicable to allocation of significant decision-making responsibilities are set out in 750 ILCS 5/602.5.
A workable parenting arrangement needs to account for much more than a percentage of time. School schedules, transportation, holidays, activities, parents’ work schedules, and the practical distance between households can all matter.
Parents facing these issues can find more focused information about Glen Ellyn child custody and parenting matters.
Child support can arise during a divorce, between unmarried parents, or later when an existing support obligation needs to be reviewed.
Illinois generally uses an income shares approach to calculate child support. The statutory framework under 750 ILCS 5/505 generally begins with both parents’ incomes and the number of children for whom support is being determined, although parenting time and certain child-related expenses can also affect the calculation.
Calculating support can become more complicated when income is variable, a parent is self-employed, bonuses or commissions are involved, or there are questions about additional child-related expenses.
Keller Legal Services assists parents on both sides of these matters. Our dedicated page addressing child support cases in Glen Ellyn provides additional information about establishing and addressing support obligations.
A divorce requires spouses to separate financial lives that may have been intertwined for many years.
Illinois follows an equitable distribution system for marital property. This means marital property is divided in just proportions based upon the circumstances and statutory factors, rather than automatically being divided 50/50.
Questions can arise about:
Our attorneys help clients understand the division of property during divorce and how the classification and valuation of assets can affect a proposed settlement.
Debt also deserves careful attention. Responsibility for mortgages, credit cards, loans, and other obligations can remain an important part of a client’s financial life after the marriage ends. More detailed information about these issues is available on our page addressing the division of marital debt.
Divorce can create a significant financial imbalance, particularly when spouses have substantially different incomes or one spouse has spent years outside the workforce or earning less while supporting the household.
Illinois law allows courts to award maintenance, sometimes still referred to as alimony, in appropriate circumstances.
Whether maintenance should be awarded is a separate question from determining its amount and duration. The analysis can involve income, property, earning capacity, needs, the length of the marriage, and other statutory considerations.
Our Illinois maintenance and alimony page addresses this issue in greater detail.
A final judgment may end the divorce case, but it does not necessarily eliminate future legal issues between former spouses or parents.
Circumstances change. Children grow older. Work schedules change. A parent may experience a significant change in income. One party may also fail to comply with an existing judgment.
Common post-divorce disputes can involve:
Some orders can be modified when Illinois law’s requirements are satisfied. Others may need to be enforced through the court.
Keller Legal Services represents clients in post-decree enforcement and modification proceedings when an existing family law judgment no longer reflects the situation or is not being followed.
Not every disagreement needs to become a prolonged court battle.
Negotiation can sometimes resolve individual issues even when the parties initially disagree. Mediation may also provide a structured setting for working through disputes and determining whether common ground exists.
Settlement can be particularly valuable when parents will need to continue communicating and making decisions concerning their children long after their legal case is over.
At the same time, an agreement only makes sense when its terms adequately address the client’s concerns. When the other party will not provide necessary financial information, refuses to follow existing orders, or takes unreasonable positions on important issues, court intervention may be appropriate.
The strategy should fit the problem rather than forcing the problem into a predetermined strategy.
Glen Ellyn residents are part of the broader DuPage County community, and Keller Legal Services represents clients throughout the county in divorce and family law proceedings.
People looking for information about cases throughout the county can find additional resources through our DuPage County family law attorneys page.
Keller Legal Services also represents families in nearby DuPage County communities, including Wheaton and Downers Grove, in divorce, parenting disputes, support matters, and other Illinois family law proceedings.
Glen Ellyn is located in DuPage County. When DuPage County is the proper venue for a family law proceeding, the case is generally handled through the DuPage County court system. The appropriate venue can depend on the type of proceeding and the parties’ circumstances.
No. A lawyer cannot represent opposing spouses in a divorce because their legal interests may conflict. Even when spouses agree on most issues, each person may choose to obtain independent legal advice before signing a final agreement.
One spouse generally cannot prevent the other from ultimately obtaining a divorce simply by refusing to agree. Disagreement can, however, affect how the case proceeds and whether the court must resolve contested financial or parenting issues.
Certain parenting, child support, and maintenance provisions can potentially be modified when the applicable legal requirements are met. The standard depends on the type of order and the change being requested.
A family law problem can feel much larger when you do not yet know what Illinois law requires or what choices are realistically available. Getting those questions answered early can help you avoid making important decisions based only on assumptions, pressure, or uncertainty.
Keller Legal Services represents Glen Ellyn residents facing divorce, parenting disputes, support issues, property concerns, and post-decree matters. We can review where things stand, discuss the issues that may require attention, and help you determine an appropriate path forward.
Call 630-505-1515 or contact Keller Legal Services to schedule a free consultation.
