New Law Looks to Expedite the Divorce Process

 Posted on January 14, 2016 in Divorce

If you are like most married people, you probably approached your marriage with a hopeful spirit and a commitment to building a life with your spouse. It is an unfortunate reality, however, that many couples simply do not belong together. The best intentions and years of effort by you and your spouse may not be enough to overcome your differences. In recent years, a trend has begun to emerge among couples who may not wish to remain married but have no intention of making each other’s lives miserable in the process.

A cooperative divorce is always preferable to one that is contentious and stressful, but until now, the law in Illinois tended to keep a couple together longer than many felt necessary. Beginning in 2016, amendments to the law now allow a divorce to proceed much more quickly than ever before, permitting the couple to focus on more important aspects of their lives without undue delays.

No Required Separation

For many years, if you were seeking a divorce in Illinois on the no-fault grounds of irreconcilable differences, you could be required to wait for up to two years for your divorce to be finalized. This was due to a provision in the law that mandated a couple to live "separate and apart" prior to a judgment for divorce being entered. In more contentious situations, the statute required a two-year separation, while you and your spouse could potentially agree to reduce the separation to the statutory minimum of six months.

As of this month, your divorce is now permitted to proceed without unnecessary calendar-watching. Thanks to a major family law reform bill signed by the governor in August, a separation period is no longer required for an Illinois divorce. If your spouse contests the divorce, though, a six-month separation will be accepted by presiding judge as irrebuttable proof that irreconcilable differences have caused the breakdown of the marriage.

Qualified Representation

When you are preparing for a divorce—no matter how smoothly you expect the process to be—it is important to enlist the assistance of an experienced, reliable Arlington Heights family law attorney. The knowledgeable team at A. Traub & Associates is committed to helping you achieve the best future possible for you and your family regardless of what challenges you may be facing. Schedule an appointment today at one of our two office locations and get the answers you need from lawyers who truly care.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=075000050HPt%2E+IV&ActID=2086&ChapterID=0&SeqStart=3800000&SeqEnd=5300000