Glossary
Demystifying legal jargon for easy understanding.
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Formerly known as ‘alimony,’ Spousal support, also known as maintenance, is money paid by one ex-spouse to the other after a divorce. The amount and duration of these regular payments vary greatly depending on the income of parties and the length of the marriage.
A legal procedure that declares a marriage null and void, as if it never happened. People often confuse this with a divorce, which ends a legally valid marriage.
An online course mandated for divorcing parents in Cook County, designed to improve parenting skills, reduce parental conflict, and enhance the overall environment for children involved in divorce proceedings.
A legal advocate appointed by a court to represent a child in a divorce or parental rights and responsibilities case. This role involves investigating the family situation and making recommendations to the court regarding the best interests of the child.
Court-ordered payments, typically paid by the parent with less parenting time to the parent with majority parenting time, to cover a child's living expenses and needs. Some factors that impact child support are the parenting time schedule, income of the parties, and number of children.
Illinois no longer refers to child ‘custody. Instead, parents negotiate parental responsibilities – which include parenting time (where the children spend their time) and parental decision-making (the right to make significant decisions about the child's upbringing, such as those pertaining to education, healthcare, religion, and extracurricular activities).
The formal legal end of a marriage, another term for divorce.
Any pattern of behavior in a relationship used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. This includes physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person.
A short-term court order meant to protect individuals from immediate harm or harassment. It is typically issued quickly and without the presence of the abuser.
The fair, but not always equal, division of marital property and debts in a divorce. People often misinterpret this to mean a 50/50 split, which is not always the case.
A sworn statement detailing an individual's financial earnings, expenses, assets, and liabilities, used in divorce proceedings to calculate spousal maintenance, child support, and property division.
A person appointed by the court in a divorce or parentage matter to investigate what solutions would be in the best interests of a child. A GAL makes recommendations to the court regarding custody arrangements, visitation, and other matters concerning the child.
Commonly used in legal documents to indicate that a motion or document is presented to support or justify a request made to the court, such as “Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss.”
The final court order that officially ends a marriage and incorporates the parties’ Marital Settlement Agreement and Parental Allocation Judgment, where applicable.
A document outlining the agreed terms between parties, often arrived at during mediation. An MOU this often precedes the finalization of a formal Marital Settlement Agreement.
A written agreement between spouses that details the terms of their divorce, including division of assets, spousal maintenance, and if applicable, matters concerning child support.
Distinguishing between assets acquired during the marriage (marital) and those owned before marriage or received as a gift or inheritance (non-marital) is an essential part of the divorce process.
A process in which a neutral third party helps parties in conflict reach an agreement. Mediation is often an essential tool for divorcing couples.
A request made by an attorney to the court to withdraw from a case, typically because of a conflict of interest, breakdown in communication, or other reasons.
A type of divorce where the filing spouse doesn't have to prove wrongdoing by the other spouse in order to achieve a judgment. Illinois is a no-fault divorce state.
A court order intended to protect a person from harassment, abuse, or threats by another person, setting strict limits on the contact the offender can have with the victim.
A court decision determining how parental responsibilities regarding a child are divided. Parental responsibilities include parenting time and parental decision-making.
A professional appointed to resolve parenting disputes by facilitating communication, educating parents on children's needs, and sometimes making decisions for the parties within the scope of a court order.
A legal document filed in court which asks the court to require a party to demonstrate why they should not have to comply with a court order or provide a justification for their non-compliance. If your ex or co-parent is not following the court’s orders, a Petition for Rule can help hold them accountable.
A written agreement executed after a couple gets married to settle the couple’s affairs and assets in the event of a separation or divorce.
An agreement executed between a couple before marrying that sets forth the division of their assets in the event of divorce or death.
A legal request for documents that are in the possession of another party in a lawsuit, used to obtain evidence necessary for litigation preparation.
A person authorized by the court to serve legal documents such as Petitions for Dissolution of Marriage, summons, and subpoenas to individuals involved in legal proceedings.
A contract between spouses who are separated but not seeking divorce, detailing terms for finances, child support, parental responsibilities, and property division.
Orders issued during the divorce process that are not final. These typically cover child support, spousal maintenance, parenting time, and other immediate concerns.