Law Office of Andrew J. Harger

The decision to get divorced is one of life's most difficult. A divorce lawyer isn't the best profession to help you decided whether you should get divorced because that is not the speciality of a divorce lawyer, but if you are considering divorce it might be time to have a discussion with a divorce lawyer with experience in your jurisdiction. While you shouldn't rely on a divorce lawyer to help you decide whether to get divorced you almost certainly need and want informati

Although Chicago area courts are in limited operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a process established for handling famliy law cases during this time. Currently the Cook County Courts are scheduled to remain in limited operations through the end of May 2020. It is possible that may be extended. Whether it is extended or not, your case can receive the attention it needs from the Court. Courts are handling cases: Within a matter of weeks, the court systems moved

In this video below I explain how to complete a financial disclosure affidavit for family law cases (including pre-decree and post-decree divorce and paternity cases). The financial disclosure affidavit is a statewide approved form and must be completed in any family law case pursuant to each circuit court's Local Rules. #illinoisfinancialdisclosureform #illinoisfinancialdisclosureaffidavit #chicagodivorceattorney #chicagodivorcelawyer

On December 22, 2017, the President signed House Resolution 1, which amended the United States tax code in a number of ways. There are many aspects of the law which impact divorces or divorcing couples, but one that has an enormous impact on divorcing couples in Illinois. Maintenance (formerly known as alimony) is money paid by a husband or a wife to a former spouse. The purpose of maintenance is because the receiving spouse is unable to provide for his or her support due t

“Asset protection” has long been a strategy in divorce cases across the United States. The term “asset protection” refers to the use of a legal strategy in order to hide or shield assets from the Courts. Bitcoins, the relatively new internet currency, will most likely become the next frontier of asset protection. In divorce cases, asset protection can take many forms. Sophisticated asset protection techniques involve transferring money to an overseas account, the formation of

In determining how to divide property in Illinois divorce cases, judges are directed by 750 ILCS 5/503(d), which sets forth a number of factors that affect how marital property may be distributed. The second of these factors that the Court may consider is the dissipation of marital assets by either party. “Dissipation” has been defined by Illinois appellate courts as the use of marital property for the sole benefit of one of the spouses for a purpose unrelated to the marria

One of the most emotional and important issues in divorce cases is determining the custody of minor children of divorcing parents. Custody, in the legal sense, means the right to make decisions with respect to the welfare of the children. In other words, the right to make decisions regarding education, medical, religious and overall welfare of the child. When both parties share the decision making authority it is called “joint custody.” When one party alone has this decis

Divorce is, obviously, a life changing event. There have been a number of studies that rank divorce as the second most traumatic life event behind only death of a child. It is obviously a decision that can only be made by the spouses involved with the assistance of trusted friends, family members, counselors, etc. From the legal perspective a divorce is about the dissolution of a business partnership and, if applicable, making decisions regarding the custody, visitation and

A new web site for an established Chicago divorce attorney. We're excited to upgrade our website to better serve clients and prospective clients. In this section you will find news regarding Illinois family law issues and cases. #chicagodivorceattorney