Alimony, spousal support, and spousal maintenance are all terms used to describe the financial support a spouse pays to another spouse during or after a divorce. The laws about spousal maintenance vary from state to state. In Illinois, maintenance may be ordered by the court, or the spouses can negotiate a spousal maintenance agreement as a part of their divorce settlement.

If you are getting divorced in Illinois, it is important to understand your rights and responsibilities regarding spousal maintenance.

Parties May Negotiate a Spousal Maintenance Agreement

In Illinois, the spouses themselves can negotiate a spousal maintenance agreement during the divorce process. The agreement will be binding on both parties and is often used when the spouses are able to come to an understanding without court intervention. Some spouses find mediation helpful for negotiating the terms of a spousal maintenance agreement.

There are more than 5 million motor vehicle accidents in the United States every year. Among the most common types of collisions are T-bone accidents, which often lead to serious back injuries. In a large number of cases, this type of crash is due to reckless driving. If you have suffered injuries as a result of a T-bone car accident at Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices we know that the trauma is immense but we will work to make the legal process as smooth as possible.

Research Specifies Common T-Bone Accident Injuries

A recent study examined various collisions and the injuries they caused. The study looked at 933 patients and found that 146 patients were involved in T-bone accidents who overwhelmingly suffered cervical and lumbar spine injuries.

Types of Risky Driving Causing T-bone Accidents

T-bone accidents can lead to serious injuries due to the speed and the inability of the driver and passengers to brace for impact. Unfortunately, injuries can be life-altering or they can lead to death. T-bone accidents are often caused by speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence. Common forms of negligence that may make a T-bone crash more likely to occur include but are not limited to:

Like any parent, you want to ensure your child’s safety at all times. If you are in the middle of a child custody battle or a divorce and you find out your soon-to-be ex is facing DUI charges, we would want to know about it. It would not matter if your child was in the car at the time of the arrest. Many children are killed in traffic accidents every year while riding in a car with a drunk driver. This could lead a judge to question the child’s safety and whether or not someone is a fit parent.

Guardian ad Litem

When a family court judge is trying to determine custody, the court will appoint a third party to investigate the family, especially if a parent is facing DUI charges. The court will assign a Guardian ad Litem or child representative to gather additional information. This representative is an attorney who has the child’s best interest at heart and will report back to the judge and give a recommendation.

Under Illinois law, the Guardian ad Litem has the authority to:

Prices at grocery stores are multiplying, and you were just laid off. This can be a scary reality for many parents. It can be terrifying to lose your livelihood and have to deal with inflation rates that are higher than they have been in four decades. You may be asking yourself, how in the world will you make your next child support payment? This is especially concerning in light of the fact that being unemployed does not absolve you from your obligation.

File for a Modification Quickly

In Illinois, the courts will only reconsider a child support modification if a parent can demonstrate a substantial change in circumstances to justify a change in child support payments. Unfortunately, inflation alone is not enough. That is because it generally affects the cost of living for both parents. 

The cost of living goes up, but your income remains the same or worse yet, you have lost your job. You should consider petitioning the court for a modification of your child support obligation.

Most Illinois divorce cases are now resolved using alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation and arbitration. Many couples try to resolve as many issues as possible before even filing for divorce so they can increase the chance of having an uncontested divorce, which allows for a faster, cheaper divorce process.

Unfortunately, divorce negotiation is neither practical nor safe for every divorcing couple. No matter how unpleasant the experience may be, some divorces need to come before a judge so each partner has a fair chance to make their arguments and ensure the law is applied correctly.

When a divorce does go to trial, there is an important fact-gathering step called discovery. If you anticipate divorce litigation, it is important to understand the discovery process, what will be expected of you, and what kind of information you may need to provide.