There may not be any more lonely feeling than feeling you have just after the words, “I want a divorce.” It’s a horrible shock to the system even if you know it’s coming, and difficult to deal with on so many levels. It’s tempting just to try and go it alone and hope that things work out for the best between the two of you. However well-intentioned you may be, navigating a complex legal undertaking such as a divorce is not something that should be left to hoping for the best. Both of you will need to settle matters that can quickly become contentious, or even acrimonious.

Get Me to the Clerk on Time

In Chicago, filing or answering a petition for the dissolution of a marriage or civil union starts at the Circuit Court of Cook County and requires five different documents even file for your divorce as well as the time to spend at the courthouse. By retaining a reputable and experienced Chicago divorce lawyer, each of you will be able to meet the requirements while still being able to continue with your daily lives. Lawyers will also advise you how best to fulfill your legal obligations to one another and any children you may have.

Protecting Your Interests

In any marriage, there is common property, whether that is a house or a car, bank accounts, furnishings and other items bought in common during the marriage that will need to be divided – this is called marital property and is subject to division between the divorcing parties. Nonmarital property is considered to be property or assets that were acquired by the individuals prior to their marriage. While the court mandates that property division must be fair, what seems fair to one party may not seem that fair to another. Unless you have a prenuptial agreement, you will need a lawyer to help settle issues such as child support, spousal support, division of joint debt and joint assets such as real estate and bank accounts.

Get on the Case

Many people enter the process of obtaining a divorce without having any real idea of the law, or what they are doing. All too quickly what one hoped would be a quick and relatively painless process can turn into a nightmare. Choosing reputable and established attorneys specializing in divorce cases may not save your marriage, but can help to save your sanity.