People use the terms ‘divorce' and ‘annulment' interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two that can have serious consequences. Illinois law defines divorce as a legal procedure that results in the termination of the marriage; basically, this means there was a valid, legal marriage under the laws of the state of Illinois that has now been terminated. Moreover, as part of the divorce, both parties will get an equitable portion of the assets that belonged to the marital estate, which a divorce judge will divide between the parties.

Proactive divorce attorneys in Illinois are poised to handle potential imminent changes to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA, for short). Recommendations for changes to the IMDMA from the Family Law Study Committee, a group of individuals who have been studying existing Illinois divorce laws since 2008, are very close to being enacted. The Illinois State Bar Association's Director of Legislative Affairs recently reviewed and compiled a list of all of the potential changes to the IMDMA. If these changes pass this Fall's legislative veto session, the changes will…

Maintenance, formerly referred to as alimony, is a monetary payment from one spouse to another spouse in need of financial support during and after a divorce. Maintenance can be in the form of regular monthly payments, which can be temporary or indefinite. Courts consider many different factors in determining the amount, type, and structure of maintenance after divorce, and parties to a divorce and their attorneys should take all of these factors into account when negotiating an appropriate maintenance award and structure.