In Illinois, the simplest way to get your former or maiden name back is through your divorce judgment. Since June 1, 2018, Illinois divorce judgments must include a provision allowing you to resume a former or maiden name unless you ask the court to leave it out, and you can use that provision whenever you’re…
If you are considering divorce in Illinois, you may come across terms such as contested divorce, uncontested divorce, no-fault divorce, joint simplified divorce, and default divorce. These terms can be confusing because they do not all describe the same thing. Some describe the legal basis for divorce, some describe how spouses proceed through the divorce…
Illinois is a no-fault divorce state, which means you do not have to prove that your spouse cheated, abused you, abandoned you, or otherwise did something wrong to obtain a divorce. Under 750 ILCS 5/401 the only legal ground for divorce in Illinois is that irreconcilable differences have caused the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage….
Legally reviewed by Allen S. Gabe, Family Law Attorney Illinois abolished common law marriage in 1905, and the rule is codified in state law at 750 ILCS 5/214. It does not matter how long you and your partner have lived together, seven years, twenty years, or fifty years. No amount of cohabitation creates a marriage…
A cohabitation agreement in Illinois is a legal contract between two unmarried people who live together that outlines their rights and responsibilities regarding property, finances, debts, and other shared matters. As more couples choose to build a life together without getting married, these agreements have become an important tool for protecting each partner’s financial interests…
