Gather Information Before Deciding About Divorce
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 information on what will happen if you decide to get divorced. Knowing likely outcomes related to various divorce issues can often help people make informed decisions on what to do and when.
Over the last several years the laws in Illinois have changed to add more predictability to what will happen in a divorce case related to child support and maintenance (maintenance was formerly known as alimony) and other issues. Some issues may not be as clear based upon the existing laws (parenting schedules, division of assets/debts, etc) but most knowledgeable divorce lawyers can accurately predict the range of possibilities given the facts of your specific case.
Using information about what is likely to happen if you get divorced can give you the peace of mind that things will be ok if you make that decision or, alternatively, help you make changes to make sure that they will be ok. This is the sort of "divorce planning" that you should be engaged in. Many issues in divorce cases are decided before anyone files a case based upon the facts that exist before the case starts. If you have this information, then you can make decisions that will help you in the event that you do get divorced.
I have always believed that one of the most important services I can offer to prospective clients is providing information like this in a short phone call. Sometimes these people immediately become my clients while other times I may not hear from the person for many years. If you need to gather information about the likely results if you decide to get divorced, please contact me by email (aharger@hargerlawfirm.com) or phone at 312-884-1529 for a completely confidential and no obligation consultation.
