DuPage County Family Law Attorney for Divorce Resolution Options

Lawyers Helping Divorcing Spouses Resolve Legal Issues in Will County

Ending your marriage requires you and your spouse to make many important decisions, including how you will divide your property, separate your finances, and how to handle custody of your children while also fulfilling your financial responsibilities. The divorce process can be complicated, and dealing with these and other issues can lead to a great deal of conflict. When a relationship between spouses has already broken down, these disputes can seem difficult or even impossible to resolve. Fortunately, there are multiple options for reaching a resolution to your divorce.

The attorneys at the Law Office of Ronald L. Hendrix, P.C. have over 35 years of combined experience, and we can help you gain a full understanding of the legal issues involved in your divorce while advising you of the best ways to proceed from the beginning to the end of the process. Whether you expect your divorce to be amicable or contentious, we will make sure you understand your rights, your legal requirements, and the steps you can take to achieve success.

Options for Divorce Resolution

The methods you can use to resolve divorce-related issues will depend on your level of conflict with your spouse and your ability and willingness to work with each other. Your options for reaching a resolution include:

• Uncontested divorce - In some cases, you may be able to negotiate with your spouse and complete your divorce without the need to go to court or use other methods to resolve disputes. If the two of you are in agreement about how to resolve all outstanding issues, you can have one party hire an attorney to prepare your formal agreements, file your divorce settlement with the court, and assist you with your final Prove Up before the judge, and then your marriage will be dissolved.
• Contested divorce - Often, this is referred to as "traditional divorce," and it involves navigating the court system to finalize the settlement agreements. If you are unable to reach an agreement with your spouse about some or all of the issues that need to be addressed, you will need to determine how to resolve these matters in order to complete the divorce process. Your options for doing so include:
• Alternative dispute resolution - You may wish to avoid the time, expense, and emotional difficulty of fighting legal battles in a public courtroom. Even if it seems like the chances of reaching an agreement are unlikely, you may be able to use one of the following methods to resolve disputes and create a divorce settlement:
• Mediation - During this process, you and your spouse will work together with a third-party mediator to discuss the issues in your divorce, make compromises, and reach a settlement you can both agree on. While mediators are often attorneys, they will not represent either spouse. Instead, they will act as a neutral facilitator, helping you understand your rights and requirements and guiding you toward a mutually acceptable resolution.
• Collaborative law - In this process, you, your spouse, and your respective attorneys will make a commitment to negotiate with each other and resolve matters outside of court while agreeing to be honest with each other and disclose any information requested. You may also work with outside experts if necessary, such as financial appraisers or child psychologists. If a settlement cannot be reached, both attorneys will withdraw from the case, and you and your spouse will need to find new representation when addressing any remaining issues in court.
• Litigation/trial - If you cannot reach a settlement on some or all of your outstanding issues, then you will need to bring issues before the court through discovery, filing motions, and holding hearings and even Pre-Trial conferences, all of which can culminate in a divorce trial where you will each present your case to the judge, offer evidence, and call witnesses. The judge will make the final decisions on all outstanding matters.

Contact Our Naperville Divorce Lawyers

At the Law Office of Ronald L. Hendrix, P.C., we can help you understand which divorce resolution method is right for you, and we can provide the representation you need throughout the divorce process. We will take the time to learn about your goals and determine how we can best meet your needs. Schedule your free consultation today by contacting us at 630-355-7776 or 815-722-7050. We provide legal help in divorce and family law cases in Plainfield, Naperville, Bolingbrook, and throughout Will County, Kane County, DuPage County, and Kendall County.