Family Law

Family Law Attorney in DuPage, Will and Kane Counties

For more information about an area of family law, click on the heading:

Divorce and Legal Separation
Overly aggressive legal representation can increase the cost of your divorce by creating conflict where none previously existed. As your lawyer, I use a collaborative style that will help you protect your interests and your finances.

Equitable Property Division
In long-term marriages, the court will try to equalize income and assets. As a result, a spouse with lower earnings may receive more than 50 percent of marital assets.

Child Custody and Visitation
If child custody is an issue in your divorce, it will need to be resolved first, before you can go on to issues such as marital property division.

Illinois Child Support
Illinois child support guidelines are 20 percent of net income for one child; 28% for two children; 32% for three children; 40% for four children; 45% for five children; and 50% for six or more children.

Spousal Maintenance
Permanent spousal maintenance is typically only awarded in marriages that have lasted 15 or more years and where one spouse has been financially dependent upon the other spouse. In marriages of shorter duration a spouse may receive rehabilitative maintenance.

Domestic Violence
Illinois courts are wary of using a protection order to force one spouse their home during a divorce. Unless there is physical abuse, the courts are reluctant to evict someone.

Prenuptial Agreements
Many people entering second marriages use prenuptial agreements to protect their assets from a former marriage.

Paternity
Fathers can file paternity cases if the children's mother is denying them access to their child. Mothers often seek to establish paternity in order to receive child support, and help with daycare and dependent medical coverage.

Guardianship and Adoptions
Grandparents and stepparents often find themselves serving the role of parent in every sense except legally. Guardianship or adoption can bring legal reality to that relationship.

Free Consultation With an Experienced Lawyer

For a free initial consultation about your case, contact me, attorney Terry Fawell. From my office in Wheaton, I serve clients in DuPage, Kane and Will counties.