Palatine Post-Decree Modification Lawyer

Sound Counsel From an Experienced Illinois Post-Decree Modification Attorney

When your circumstances change after a divorce, or when an obligation in the divorce decree is not being fulfilled, experienced family lawyer Attorney Nicholas W. Richardson can help. The Law Office of Nicholas W. Richardson, P.C. provides legal representation for those who need to request post-decree modifications or those who need to respond to these types of requests from an ex-spouse, and Attorney Richardson has helped hundreds of families throughout the Northwest Suburbs during his 15-plus years in practice.

Attorney Richardson has reviewed hundreds of divorce decrees, and with his understanding of how court-ordered responsibilities may affect you, he can leverage his experience to your benefit. He will listen to your situation to assess the best way to proceed, negotiate in pursuit of an amicable outcome, prepare to litigate aggressively when necessary, and seek attorney's fees to be reimbursed in cases where you need to enforce the court's orders.

Contact Attorney Richardson today for a consultation. He serves a broad range of family law clients throughout Chicagoland and its Northwest Suburbs, and he can meet with you after hours or on Saturday mornings if needed.

How do you know if you require a post-decree modification? Have you recently been affected by any of these life-altering events:

• A change in income due to a job loss or promotion;
• A serious illness or injury;
• A move to another state by you, your child, or your former spouse; or
• An unexpected increase in expenses.

If so, you may need to modify your divorce decree. These substantial changes and others that are unique to your situation may be grounds for modification. To best safeguard your future, Attorney Richardson can review your specific situation in a free, no-pressure consultation.

Spousal Support Modifications

Spousal maintenance obligations, sometimes called alimony, often need to be addressed by post-decree modifications. Significantly reduced or increased income by either party may increase or decrease the need for support, and it is within the purview of the court to make appropriate adjustments to an existing order. Maintenance will be automatically terminated if the payee gets remarried or begins cohabitating with a romantic partner. If any spousal support payments were made after they should have been terminated, the payor may seek reimbursement of these amounts.

During a modification review, the court is also granted the discretion to limit future requests regarding spousal maintenance. By entering a fixed-term support award, the court may elect to bar future maintenance, and the scheduled termination of the award becomes a permanent termination. The court, therefore, can help avoid continuing legal action that, in some cases, may otherwise carry on for longer than the duration of the marriage itself.

Child Custody and Child Support Modifications

There are a variety of reasons why a parent may believe that modifications to the allocation of parental responsibilities or parenting time may be needed. Changes to parents' work schedules or children's participation in activities or school-related events may require updates to the days and times when children will stay with each parent or the transportation arrangements for children. A parent's planned relocation to a new home may require changes to the family's parenting plan. In situations where a parent is concerned about domestic violence or abuse that may affect their children, they may ask for the court to put protective measures in place, such as requiring that the other parent's parenting time be supervised. When requesting modifications to child custody, a parent will usually need to demonstrate they there has been a significant change in circumstances affecting either party or the couple's children, and they will need to show that their proposed modifications will be in the children's best interests.

When parents experience changes in their financial circumstances, modifications to child support may be appropriate. However, until the court approves these modifications, a parent will be required to continue paying support as previously ordered. If the parent who pays child support experiences financial issues that affect their ability to meet their obligations, they will need to request modifications as soon as possible to ensure that they can avoid additional financial problems.

Contact a Barrington Post-Divorce Modifications Attorney

No matter what type of family law concern you may be facing, Attorney Nicholas W. Richardson is equipped to help you navigate the legal system and to utilize its complex laws to your advantage. Contact his office to learn more about the post-decree modification process and to explore your available options.

Call 847.873.6741 today to schedule your free introductory consultation at The Law Office of Nicholas W. Richardson, P.C. and meet firsthand the quality representation you deserve. The firm is proud to serve the needs of clients in Palatine, Barrington, Schaumburg, Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, and throughout Cook and DuPage Counties.