Palatine Legal Separation Lawyer

There are some situations where a married couple may encounter relationship issues, but they may not be ready to permanently end their marriage and get a divorce. In some cases, one or both spouses may want to retain some benefits of being legally married, such as health insurance benefits or the right to inherit property from each other. In others, a couple may not want to get divorced because of religious, cultural, or family reasons. To ensure that both parties will be protected as they begin to separate their lives and finances and adjust their living arrangements, a couple may choose to receive a legal separation.

At The Law Office of Nicholas W. Richardson, P.C., Attorney Richardson uses his years of experience to safeguard your interests during this time of transition. Divorce mediation and collaborative law techniques may be an option for resolving any disputes that you may encounter, and these methods can be especially helpful when both parties are essentially in agreement. Making the right decisions now will create a strong foundation for the rest of your life.

Issues to Address During a Legal Separation

When the decision to separate is made, a family law attorney can draft legal documents that will protect your non-marital and marital assets. A separation agreement will be similar to a divorce decree, and it may include decisions about how to divide marital property, while also establishing legal responsibility for marital debt while you and your spouse are separated. You and your spouse may also determine whether spousal support will be appropriate, which can ensure that both of you will have the financial resources you need.

If you have children, you can make decisions about how child custody will be handled, including how you and your spouse will make important child-related decisions, where your children will live most of the time, and when they will spend time with each of you. Based on these decisions, child support orders can also be established to ensure that you and your spouse will both make ongoing contributions to your children's needs, and you can also determine how you will divide certain types of child-related expenses.

In most cases, spouses are able to negotiate separation agreements that will meet the needs of both parties. However, if you are unable to agree on certain terms, you can pursue litigation in court, which will be handled similarly to a contested divorce. A judge may make decisions for you about issues related to child custody or spousal maintenance. However, any decisions about the division of marital property will need to be agreed upon by you and your spouse, and a judge may approve these agreements, or they may reject an agreement because it is grossly unfair to one party.

After a legal separation agreement is finalized and approved by a judge, you and your spouse will be required to follow its terms. You will remain legally married, but either party can choose to pursue a divorce at any point in the future. If either of you begins a new relationship and wishes to marry a new partner, you will first need to complete the divorce process and legally dissolve your marriage.

Contact Our Arlington Heights Legal Separation Attorney

Attorney Richardson provides skilled, quality representation at cost-effective, reasonable rates. Contact us today to discuss the details of your plans and goals.

Call our office for a free initial consultation at 847.873.6741. Your email, voice mail, or click-to-chat messages are responded to promptly. Evening and weekend appointments are available. We serve clients in Palatine, Barrington, Schaumburg, Rolling Meadows, Cook County, and DuPage County.