Facing Divorce in Illinois?
Divorce can turn your life upside down — emotionally, financially, and legally. Whether you're filing for divorce or responding to a petition, it’s critical to understand your rights and obligations under Illinois law. The outcome of your case will affect your family, your property, and your future for years to come.
If you’re experiencing a divorce, you should strongly consider letting a good Illinois divorce attorney navigate you through that process. In our opinion, the best Illinois divorce attorneys offer straightforward advice, aggressive representation when needed, and personalized strategies to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Illinois Divorce Overview
Divorce in Illinois is governed by the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Illinois is a no-fault state, meaning you don’t have to prove wrongdoing to get divorced. Instead, you simply have to allege that irreconcilable differences have caused an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. There are generally two over-arching types of divorce: uncontested and contested.
✅ Uncontested Divorce
Both parties agree on major issues (property, custody, support)
Typically resolved faster and with less cost
Ideal for short-term marriages, minimal assets, or amicable parties
✅ Contested Divorce
Disagreement on one or more major issues (such as parenting time or property division)
May require discovery, settlement conferences, or even trial
In a contested divorce, retaining a good Illinois divorce attorney is critical to protecting your interests. But even in uncontested cases, a lawyer ensures that your documents are correct, your rights are protected, and your agreement is enforceable.
Key Issues in Illinois Divorce Cases
Key issues in Illinois divorce cases include:
🔹 Division of Property & Debt
Illinois follows equitable distribution, meaning property is divided fairly, which does not always mean that property is split equally or 50/50. Instead, unless an agreement is reached, the Judge will consider:
Marital vs. non-marital property
Length of the marriage
Contributions to the marriage (financial and non-financial)
Future earning potential
Hidden or dissipated assets
🔹 Child Custody (Parental Responsibilities)
Developing parenting plans that reflect the child’s best interests is crucial. Parenting plans include allocation of:
Decision-making (education, healthcare, religion)
Parenting time schedules
Holiday/vacation plans
Transportation and communication
🔹 Child Support
Illinois uses an income shares model to calculate support based on both parents’ incomes and parenting time. A good Illinois divorce attorney will ensure accurate calculations and pursue or challenge deviations when appropriate.
🔹 Spousal Maintenance (Alimony)
Spousal support may be awarded depending on the length of the marriage, financial need, and other factors. Your Illinois divorce attorney should advocate for fair, guideline-compliant outcomes and challenge inappropriate requests.
Divorce Mediation & Settlement
Litigation isn’t the only way to resolve a divorce. In fact, in many divorces, litigation should be a last resort because of the time, expense, and energy that needs to be spent preparing for trial. Instead of litigation, many folks going through a divorce should consider:
Mediation — a neutral third party helps both spouses reach a mutually acceptable agreement
Collaborative divorce — both parties and their attorneys commit to resolving issues outside of court
217 Law Attorneys
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Courtney Anderson
Courtney practices criminal defense, family law, and personal injury. Never shy of a difficult or high-profile case, she has won numerous awards for her advocacy, including recently being selected as a finalist for top lawyer in Macon County.
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Fallon Conner
Fallon practices criminal defense and family law. As a former prosecutor, she has unique insight into the criminal justice system. She enjoys being in the courtroom and has a great track record of success in bench and jury trials.
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Zach Anderson
Zach focuses on helping injured clients with workers compensation, personal injury, and products liability claims. He has successfully resolved multiple single-party injury cases for over $1 million, and has helped recover millions for users of bad products.
We want to work with you.
Phone:
217-217-0217
Address:
132 S. Water St., Suite 628. Decatur, IL 62523
Email:
info@217law.com
Where We Work:
We help clients throughout the 217 area code with injury claims and general civil litigation. We practice criminal defense and family law in Macon and surrounding counties.
