Do I Need to Hire a Lawyer for an Uncontested Divorce in Illinois? 

 Posted on January 20, 2022 in Divorce

A common question amongst people who are specifically filing for an uncontested divorce in Illinois is whether or not it is necessary to hire a divorce attorney. While not a requirement to retain legal representation when divorcing, people who are divorcing can benefit greatly from the guidance and experience of an experienced attorney.

But the reason this question is so commonly asked in the face of an uncontested divorce has everything to do with how easy people believe uncontested divorces can be. But why is that? And should you hire a lawyer if you are filing an uncontested divorce in Illinois? Here are the answers to these questions and more.

What is an Uncontested Divorce?

An uncontested divorce refers to a situation in which both parties have agreed on the terms of their divorce. Usually, couples must address the division of marital property and debts, spousal maintenance, the allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time, and other diviorce issues before they can finalize the divorce.

This can unfold in one of two ways. Sometimes, one party, known as the plaintiff, will file for the dissolution of the marriage and the other party, who is known as the defendant, will agree to the divorce. In other cases of an uncontested divorce, both partners will petition the Court for a divorce, making each partner a co-petitioner.

The Purposes a Lawyer Serves During Divorces

Since an uncontested divorce is a situation in which two partners agree that it is time to dissolve a marriage, many people assume that uncontested divorces are smooth-sailing processes. However, this is not necessarily the case.

While two soon-to-be-former spouses may agree that his or her marriage should come to an end, it does not also mean that the ex-partners will agree on everything else that needs to be addressed during the divorce process. That is why an experienced divorce attorney can make all the difference in an uncontested divorce.

An experienced family law attorney can guide you through the divorce process in a way that prioritizes your best interests.

Call an Inverness Divorce Lawyer

While it is not required that you hire a lawyer for an uncontested divorce in Illinois, it can be very beneficial to do so. If you and your spouse are going through with a divorce, Hoffman Estates divorce attorney Nicholas W. Richardson has years of experience representing people who would like guidance and legal advice during uncontested divorce proceedings. For a free and confidential consultation, call The Law Office of Nicholas W. Richardson, P.C. by dialing 847.873.6741 today.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=5200000&SeqEnd=6000000