​Under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, a person who meets certain requirements can get a divorce. There are grounds for divorce that are based upon fault, and there is also the no-fault ground of irreconcilable differences between the parties.

Understanding the divorce process is imperative when faced with making legal decisions that may affect you the rest of your life.  Regardless of whether you are contemplating or facing divorce, understanding the legal consequences involved is critical in protecting you and/or your children’s rights and interests.  At Serrano Legal Solutions, LLC, I am dedicated to working closely with clients, explaining how the court determines the division of marital property, child custody, visitation, child support and maintenance (formerly known as alimony).  

Illinois divides marital property based on a number of factors and is an "equitable division" state.                                                                                                     Marital property is any property that was incurred during the marriage i.e. a retirement account, a vehicle,                                                                                                         real real property, and the like.  Equitable division means that the marital property and assets will NOT be divided                                                                                                         in half. Instead, the court looks at each case when determining how marital assets should be divided.  Generally,                                                                                                     a court will consider factors including, but not limited to, the following: the work experience of both parents,                                                                                                           their educational background, contributions to the marriage and health of each party.  Also very important is                                                                                                           marital debt.  Any debt owed on a joint credit card or co-signed loan is the responsibility of both parties –                                                                                                               even if the debt is on credit cards one individual rarely, if ever, used.