If you are considering divorce, you may have heard about the different “grounds” or reasons that a person can give when seeking to dissolve their marriage. Traditionally, these grounds have included an identification of which spouse was at fault for the breakdown of the marriage. Of course, marriages end for a wide variety of reasons, and identifying a specific cause for the failure of the relationship is not always easy. Sometimes, a couple simply grows apart or stops being in love with each other. Updates to Illinois law have now taken this reality into consideration with regard to the grounds for divorce.

Previous Illinois Grounds for Divorce

Before major changes were made to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA), anyone wishing to get divorced in Illinois would need to identify grounds for their divorce. These grounds included several “fault” grounds which included but were not limited to:

When you are going through a divorce, you are not only separating from your ex-spouse, but you will also need to split up the assets you own together. Depending on the length of the marriage, it can be difficult to untangle your shared assets and determine who should keep what property. Here are some basic rules for how marital property is divided in Illinois:

Marital Property

During a divorce, Illinois courts only have the authority to divide up marital property. Marital property is defined as property or assets that were obtained during the marriage. Inheritances or gifts that were given only to one spouse and assets obtained before the marriage or after legal separation are considered separate assets that are not eligible for division during the divorce. However, marital and separate property may not always be so easy to define. If an asset that would have been considered separate property was used by both spouses, or if it was “commingled” with marital property, the court may consider it to be a marital asset. For example, if you earned money before your marriage but transferred it into a joint account, then it may be considered marital property.

Can you blame your divorce on where you live? In most cases, the answer is “no;” divorce and place of residence do not usually correlate. However, if you live in Illinois in any of the ten cities listed below, your likelihood of getting divorced may be higher than for those in some of your neighborhood counties.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the number of divorced people in Illinois is close to 1,000,000 people. Throughout the United States, there are over 28 million people who are divorced. Note that the census defines “divorced” as people whose divorce has been finalized (not including married couples who are separated) and who have not remarried. Illinois is actually one of the states with the lowest divorce rates; at a rate of 9.7%, it falls below the national divorce rate of 10.9%

In Illinois, the city with the highest divorce rate is East Alton, a village in Madison County. The top 10 cities in Illinois with the highest divorce rates are as follows:

On an annual basis, judges around the country make decisions on thousands of divorce cases. These decisions can have monumental impacts on your life moving forward, from child support and spousal maintenance payments to resource allocation and child custody. While this decision-making process is evidence-based and unbiased, errors can be made. Fortunately, even after a divorce case is finalized, a qualified attorney can help you.

Working for a Brighter Future After Your Divorce

Once your divorce is finalized, many people feel a sense of relief. Yet for those that have decisions go in directions that they do not agree with, the divorce finalization process can bring on a stressful panic. In all reality, divorce finalizations can be challenged, moving forward.

Appeals: If the judge in your divorce case made a mistake, an experienced attorney can guide you through the appeal process. Still, it is important to note that an appeal cannot be made, simply because you are unhappy with the final decisions. If you believe that your family law case was ruled incorrectly, contact a legal team as soon as possible, the vast majority of appeals can only be filed within 30 days of a ruling. Appeals are commonly made regarding issues of marital property valuation, alimony determinations, and parental visitation.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), approximately 10 million Americans are abused by an intimate partner each year. In all, 20 Americans experience domestic abuse every single minute, across the United States. Domestic abuse is one of the most physically dangerous and emotional traumatizing crimes to be a victim of. In many cases, victims are afraid to leave, do not want to alert authorities, and may still have an emotional connection to their abuser. In other situations, children are involved, and that can lead to increased complications and concerns.

Still, domestic violence can escalate quickly, and removing you and your family from a violent situation is the most important step you can take in ensuring your safety. If you or a loved one are facing domestic violence at home, contact law enforcement officials immediately and reach out to a team of legal representatives you can trust.

Long Lasting Impacts of Domestic Violence

Cases of domestic violence can come with ramifications that can last a lifetime. Physical violence can lead to loss of work hours, costly medical bills, and chronic post-traumatic stress. According to the NCADV, as many as 60% of victims of intimate violence lose their jobs because of complications forming from the abuse. Domestic violence can also impact the lives of children in the household.