Illinois Family Law Blog

Family law blog by Patrick Markey, Attorney at Law

Welcome to our divorce and family law blog, updating you on the law, trends and issues affecting relationships and families.

7 Tips For Selecting The Right Collaborative Divorce Attorney

When seeking legal guidance for your divorce, opting for a Collaborative Divorce can make the process smoother and less adversarial. Collaborative Divorce involves you and your spouse and your attorneys working together to find amicable solutions, rather than engaging in a protracted courtroom battle. If you’re considering this [...]

Same-Sex Divorce in Illinois

In recent years, the legal landscape regarding same-sex marriage and divorce has undergone significant changes. With the legalization of same-sex marriage in all 50 states, including Illinois, the question arises: Is a same-sex divorce any different from a heterosexual divorce in Illinois? Equality in Divorce Rights Same-sex divorce [...]

Is Raising Children In A Bad Marriage Worse Than Getting A Divorce?

This is a question that often arises when couples find themselves in a tumultuous relationship but are unsure about how that is impacting their children. When children are exposed to high levels of conflict and hostility between their parents there is a higher risk that they will be [...]

Can My Ex-Spouse and Kids Move Out of the Area?

The topic of relocating after a divorce is a complex issue that often arises when children are involved. While many people may think that they can just up and move with their children, the reality is that it’s not that simple. The rules and regulations surrounding relocation are [...]

What To Expect In Mediation

If you are planning a divorce, but hope to divorce as amicably as possible, consider using mediation instead of traditional litigation. In litigation, you, and your spouse each have your own attorneys and each of you tries to be the “winner.” When it is over and the divorce [...]

How to Divorce With Respect

First Understand your Divorce Options? Traditional Litigation. Most people have never even heard the term “Collaborative Divorce.” Instead, when they think of divorce, they think of the traditional litigation process which pits the spouses against each other, with each spouse striving to be the “winner” of the court [...]

Divorce: Should You Wait Until The Kids Are Grown?

There are differing views on whether a couple who want to get a divorce should wait until their children are grown and have moved out of the house before they actually file for divorce and moving apart. There are pros and cons to both opinions. Pros of Waiting [...]

Why Should I Have a Lawyer in my Divorce?

No one gets married with the expectation that someday they will be divorced, but couples get divorced every year in Illinois. If it happens that you and your spouse decide to go this route, do yourselves a favor and find family law attorneys who focus their practice on [...]

What Should Be in a Prenuptial Agreement?

Prenuptial agreements, also known as premarital agreements, often get a bad rap. One spouse may resist entering into the agreement, viewing it as a document prepared with an expectation of divorce. That stigma needs to disappear, and a premarital agreement should be viewed as an insurance policy. [...]

Divorce - One Spouse Wants Out, Other Doesn’t

Divorce: When One Spouse Wants Out and the Other Does Not

The divorce rate in the U.S. is high and in a large percentage of cases we see at The Law Offices of Patrick Markey, P.C., one spouse wants a divorce and the other on does not. We are just as likely to represent the person who does not [...]

Key Questions To Ask Your Prospective Divorce Attorney

Selecting a divorce attorney is not always easy. You are likely upset and emotionally reeling from the fact that you have decided to get a divorce, but you need to set aside your emotions and choose to work with an attorney you trust and believe is looking out [...]

How to Know When It Is Time for a Divorce

Marriage is complicated. Some spouses have thought about divorce for years before they take the step and file a petition for divorce. As for a list of reasons why a person should get a divorce, there is no one-size-fits-all criteria. Each case is unique, and the best advice [...]

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