You may have heard that experts consider divorce to be the second-most stressful life event a person can endure. Divorce is second only to the death of a spouse in terms of emotional and psychological pain. Understandably, many divorcing spouses are eager to get the divorce process over with so that they can move on to a happier post-divorce future. If you are ending your marriage in Illinois, you may ask, “How long will it take?”

Factors that Influence the Duration of a Divorce Case

Each divorce is unique. Countless factors can influence the length of a divorce, including:

• The amount of conflict regarding divorce issues – Couples who agree on the terms of their divorce are in for a much faster resolution than couples who disagree. You and your spouse may be able to reach an agreement about who should keep the marital home, how to divide marital property, and other divorce concerns on your own or with help from a divorce lawyer or mediator. If you cannot agree on these issues, you may reach a resolution through collaborative divorce or litigation. A skilled divorce lawyer can sit down with you and help you figure out the best way to address disagreements about divorce issues.

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If you are a parent who is in the middle of divorcing your spouse, you may be feeling overwhelmed at the thought of the back-to-school season. For many parents, the beginning of the school year is already stressful. Ending a marriage during this hectic season only adds to the stress. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to mitigate this stress – for both you and your kids.

Establish Consistency and Reduce Conflict with a Temporary Child Custody Order

You probably already know that divorcing parents must abide by a “parenting plan” which describes the parenting time schedule (previously called visitation) and allocation of parental responsibilities. However, the parenting plan does not go into effect until after the divorce which may take months or years to finalize.

Fortunately, you can petition the court for a temporary child custody order that dictates parenting time while the divorce proceedings are ongoing. This may help avoid confusion and arguments as well as give your child the consistency and stability he or she needs during this difficult time.

In a divorce, each spouse must provide current, accurate financial information. Whether the divorce is settled out of court or it goes to trial, financial data is crucial. Spouses cannot reach a settlement on the division of property and debts or spousal maintenance without this information. The court cannot determine a reasonable child support payment amount without accurate financial information. Nearly every aspect of your divorce case is influenced by finances. So, what happens if a spouse lies about income or property during the divorce?

Undisclosed Assets and Hidden Property

In an attempt to sway the terms of the divorce in their favor, some spouses lie about their financial situation in the divorce. They may “forget” to disclose an offshore account or fail to mention their expensive jewelry collection. They may transfer wealth or real property to friends or family members to shelter it from division. Some spouses overpay the IRS or use a small business to hide assets. This type of financial manipulation during divorce is unlawful. If a divorcing spouse is caught lying about finances under oath, they may be held in contempt of court and subject to serious penalties.

Ensuring Your Divorce Settlement or Judgment is Based on Truth

Any agreement spouses come to regarding the terms of their divorce should be based on complete, up-to-date financial information. Undisclosed assets and financial deception must be uncovered in order for this to happen. Divorce attorneys often use discovery tools like requests for production, interrogatories, and requests for admission to gather financial records and information in a divorce. The spouses and their respective attorneys may be asked to attend depositions in which testimony is gathered while the spouses are under oath. Divorce lawyers may also work with specially trained accountants called forensic accountants to trace assets and reveal hidden income or property.

If you are getting a divorce from your spouse, it is important to learn about all of your options. An alternative resolution option many divorcing couples find beneficial is mediation. The mediation process involves working with a trained mediator to negotiate various issues in your divorce, from child custody to division of assets. Mediation may help you and your spouse reach an agreement and avoid the often stressful process of divorce litigation. However, mediation is not right for everyone. 

Advantages of Mediation

During mediation sessions, you and your spouse will sit down in a quiet room and try to come to an agreement on how your divorce matters will be dealt with. Rather than providing legal advice, a mediator will facilitate the discussion and help you stay focused on the issues at hand. Here are several benefits of mediation:

Going through a divorce is never easy. If your spouse makes allegations of abuse against you, it can make the process even more stressful. You may understandably be upset that your spouse is making up horrible lies about you and worry that the allegations will negatively affect the outcome of divorce or child custody proceedings. If you have found yourself in this situation, it is important to maintain your composure and take the necessary steps to rectify the situation.

How False Allegations Can Affect Your Divorce

Family law judges take accusations of domestic violence or abuse very seriously. A judge may order an emergency order of protection that requires you to leave your home or prohibits you from contacting your spouse and children.

Because change is hard on children, Illinois courts typically try to maintain the “status quo” in child-related legal matters. Consequently, an order of protection may give your spouse an advantage in your custody case. Since your kids will be with your spouse during the protection period, your spouse may argue that granting joint custody could disrupt their routines.