These practice area statements are provided by the attorneys from Murphy & Dunn and represent their thoughts on practicing law over the past 36 years in family law. They are not legal advice. They are a general overview of the law, with specific statutes cited for your review, and opinions on how they generally apply in divorce cases in Illinois. Each and every case is different.
To learn more, and to see if the attorneys and staff at Murphy & Dunn, P.C. can help you, please visit our Contact page to schedule your free initial consultation.
In Illinois, a divorce is called a “Dissolution of Marriage” and is governed by a statute called the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. That statute has been undergoing major changes the last few years and will continue to be changed in the future.
Please make sure you use a qualified attorney, such as those at our office, who are experienced in the family law arena to complete your divorce. Don’t use a general practitioner or some attorney that only dabbles in divorce. There is a major difference using a qualified experienced family law attorney.
Overall, no matter what you have or don’t have, there are generally three parts to every divorce case:
- Children Related Issues
- Assets and Debt Distribution
- Income and Expense Issues
CHILDREN ISSUES
Obviously taking care of your children is the most important job you have as a parent. It is also the most important job we have as your divorce attorney. We take that job very seriously. Child related issues include custody (now called Allocation of Parental Responsibilities – Parenting Time and Decision-Making), visitation, child support, health insurance, uncovered health care costs, school and extra-curricular expenses, claiming the children on taxes, college expenses, etc. G. Edward Murphy and the teams of attorneys and paralegals at Murphy & Dunn, P.C. take pride in the job they do in taking care of you and your children and protecting them for you in your dissolution of marriage matter.
ASSETS AND DEBTS
Asset and debt distribution is just like it sounds, although it can be very complicated and requires the assistance of skilled legal counsel in this area. The attorney you have will make all the difference in the world in determining what is or is not marital and non-marital property and how to divide same. The numbers we use and how we analyze the assets and debts can make a difference in your settlement by thousands and thousands of dollars. The tax consequences can be huge and need to also be considered. Don’t leave your net worth to chance. Hire Attorney G. Edward Murphy and the experienced professionals at Murphy & Dunn, P.C. today.
INCOME ISSUES
Income and Expense issues are maintenance, child support and attorney fees. Those issues are based on each party’s relative incomes and the disparity between the two. Once again, choosing the right attorney is key to how much child support or maintenance you will pay or receive, and key to the issue of attorney fees in your case. There are formulas now in place for child support and for maintenance. However, that does not mean the number is easily determined or not subject to dispute. How we analyze your income and the application of that income can make a huge difference in how much you pay or how much you receive. Don’t leave those numbers to chance or to an inexperienced attorney. Contact G. Edward Murphy and his team of trial attorneys today.
For further information, and to schedule your free initial office consultation at either of our two convenient office locations, please click here to fill out our contact form.