Deerfield Divorce Lawyer

Marriages don’t always work, even after years of trying to salvage the relationship. Often, there comes a breaking point, and one or both partners decide that things aren’t working. Divorce isn’t a process that just happens overnight, however. Several considerations need to be made, and the entire process can be a legal nightmare if disputes or conflicts arise. Obtain peace of mind by calling our Deerfield, IL divorce lawyer at Merel Family Law!

Deerfield, IL Divorce Lawyer

Divorces can be complicated, especially if a lot of assets or children are involved. Even in collaborative divorces where both spouses are in agreement or willing to negotiate, there can be a lot of paperwork involved. Our divorce attorneys can fulfill several roles. Our process always begins with an initial consultation, where our team determines the reason for the divorce and what both spouses want out of the divorce.

Our law firm understands that all divorces aren’t the same, which is why our team specializes in different areas. For example, if you have a net worth or assets and want to protect them during the division process, we can tailor our plan around that fact. If child custody is your main concern, then we can focus our attention on that aspect of the case. We also handle collaborative divorces and mediation for amicable spouses, but maybe could use outside help to cement an agreement.

Depending on your case, we may need to gather documents and evidence, including:

• All financial records
• Deeds, titles, or mortgage statements
• Evidence for support or child custody
• Evidence of wrongdoing, including neglect, abuse, or marital misconduct
• Emails, social media posts, or messages related to the case
• Copies of prenuptial or postnuptial agreements

Such documents can help strengthen your case during negotiations and in the courtroom should litigation happen.

Experience Matters For Divorces

Divorces are time-consuming and expensive, which is why you want to work with our experienced Deerfield divorce lawyer. Our experience can help streamline the process, saving you time and money in the end.

• We’ve been providing our family law services for over two decades. We have overseen dozens of divorces, and we’re prepared for any curveballs your case may have.
• Our partner, Marleena Broekema, has a passion for helping people, and she has been valuable to our firm since she joined in 2017. She was awarded the Benjamin Hooks Distinguished Public Service Award for her pro bono work. She has experience working on cases both inside and outside the courtroom, and her career includes being an intern at the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services on the Domestic Violence Team.
• We’re proud to have over 300 positive, five-star reviews on Google. Our founder and managing principal, Jonathan Merel, has received several recognitions, including being rated by Super Lawyers.

Divorces can be messy and stressful, but the process becomes easier to deal with when you work with our Deerfield divorce lawyer. Whether you’re trying to explore your options or you’re currently in the middle of a nasty divorce that seems to be going nowhere, our team is one call away! Contact Merel Family Law.

Divorce Statistics in Illinois and Deerfield

Illinois courts sort domestic relations cases into four categories: dissolution, family, adoption, and orders of protection. Dissolution is the category that covers divorce, and the counts below show how many are filed, how many remain open, and how Lake County’s volume compares.

The figures come from the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, which reports domestic relations caseloads by county and by case type. They cover one reporting quarter, not annual figures.

• Illinois circuit courts received 6,259 new dissolution filings during the quarter covered by the state caseload data, alongside 9,876 general family filings.
• Dissolution accounted for roughly one in five new domestic relations filings statewide, out of 28,892 total.
• Illinois courts carried 29,932 dissolution cases pending at the close of that quarter.
• Across all domestic relations categories, 125,286 matters remained pending statewide.
• Lake County disposed of 1,267 domestic relations cases during the same period, of which 513 were dissolutions.

What Should I Do Immediately After Deciding to File for Divorce?

Once a petition is filed, both spouses are bound by disclosure obligations and court deadlines. The steps below cover the work that can be done before that point, and our attorneys raise each of them at a first consultation.

1. Establish a complete picture of the marital estate. List every account, property interest, retirement plan, and debt held in either name. Assets left off the list are not divided, and this inventory becomes the document your attorney works from at the first meeting.
2. Collect statements before anything changes. Obtain recent statements for every account while you still have routine access. Reconstructing records after a filing is slower, more expensive, and occasionally contested.
3. Determine what will happen to the marital home. A residence cannot be divided without either a sale or a refinance, which makes it the asset that most often dictates the shape of a settlement. Our property division attorneys review the equity and the financing options before any position is taken.
4. Identify what may be non-marital. Property owned before the marriage, inheritances, and gifts are treated differently, though commingling can change that. The principles behind dividing marital assets determine which category an asset falls into.
5. Review retirement accounts specifically. Pensions and employer plans require a separate court order to divide, and the drafting is technical. Learning what a QDRO does prevents a costly assumption that a judgment alone transfers the funds.
6. Address any business interest early. A closely held company must be valued before it can be divided, and the work takes time. Matters involving a jointly owned business or substantial holdings often proceed as a high net worth divorce.
7. Estimate the support picture honestly. Both spousal support and child support are calculated from each spouse’s income, so the income figures come first. An estimate built on incomplete income information will not survive the exchange of financial affidavits.
8. Think through parenting before positions harden. If there are children, the court will assess a proposed schedule against the family’s existing routine. Our child custody attorneys help clients document that routine and build a schedule around it.
9. Leave beneficiary designations and account titles alone. Moving money or changing designations once divorce is contemplated invites a claim that marital assets were dissipated. The safest course is to change nothing and disclose everything.
10. Assess how much is genuinely in dispute. Each contested issue adds discovery, hearings, and often an outside professional, so identifying which terms are genuinely disputed narrows the work. The level of agreement between spouses determines how much of the process is necessary.

Deerfield Divorce Lawyer FAQs

What Happens to the Marital Home in a Deerfield Divorce?

There are three common outcomes. The home is sold and the proceeds divided, one spouse buys out the other’s interest through a refinance, or the parties defer a sale until a set event such as a child finishing school. Which fits depends on equity, income, and whether either spouse can qualify to refinance alone.

Is the House Marital Property if Only One Name Is on the Deed?

Frequently, yes. Illinois looks at when and how property was acquired rather than whose name appears on the title. A residence purchased during the marriage is generally marital regardless of the deed. A home owned before the marriage may retain non-marital status, though marital funds used for the mortgage or improvements complicate that.

How Is Retirement Divided?

Retirement accumulated during the marriage is generally marital, even though the account sits in one spouse’s name. Dividing an employer plan requires a separate order directed to the plan administrator. The divorce judgment alone does not transfer the funds; the administrator acts on that separate order.

Do I Need to Prove My Spouse Was at Fault?

No. Illinois does not require proof of wrongdoing to end a marriage. Conduct can become relevant in narrow circumstances involving the dissipation of assets, but it is not the basis for granting the divorce and it does not ordinarily affect how property is divided.

What Does a Divorce Cost?

Cost depends on the number of contested issues. An agreed matter requires drafting and a short hearing. A contested one adds written discovery, depositions, valuation professionals, and repeat court dates, each of which is billed. The size of the marital estate affects cost less than the number of terms the parties cannot settle.

Can We Use the Same Lawyer?

No. One attorney cannot represent both spouses in a divorce, because the parties’ interests conflict as a matter of law. Spouses who agree on everything may still each want counsel to review the terms before signing, which is a far smaller engagement than full representation.

What if My Spouse Hides Assets?

Formal discovery addresses it. Subpoenas to financial institutions, depositions, and forensic accounting can trace transfers and undisclosed accounts. Illinois requires complete financial disclosure from both parties, and a spouse found to have concealed assets can see that conduct reflected in how the court divides the estate.

What Happens to Alimony if My Circumstances Change?

Support obligations can generally be revisited when circumstances change substantially. A significant change in income, a retirement, or a remarriage can all be grounds to revisit an award. Our alimony attorneys handle both the original determination and later support modifications.

Do Same-Sex Divorces Work Differently in Illinois?

The legal framework is identical. Practical differences arise where a couple was together for years before marriage became available, since only the marital period ordinarily counts for property and support purposes. Our LGBTQ divorce attorneys document the pre-marriage period and address how it affects the division.

What Other Matters Come Up Alongside a Divorce?

Parenting, support, and property questions rarely arrive separately. A divorce often raises all three at once, along with occasional questions about protective orders or parentage. A Deerfield family lawyer handles them together, because the terms agreed on one affect what is available on the others.

Important Resources for Deerfield Divorce Cases

What Are Important Illinois Legal Resources for Divorce Cases?

The sources below allow Deerfield residents to read the governing law and the required paperwork for themselves. They explain the framework but cannot evaluate an individual situation.

• The Illinois General Assembly publishes the Illinois Compiled Statutes, which contain the provisions governing dissolution, property, and support.
• The Illinois Supreme Court maintains a standardized complaint or petition form suite accepted in every county.
• A matching answer or response form set exists for the spouse receiving a petition.
• The statewide financial affidavit is the disclosure document both parties complete in a divorce.
• The courts publish circuit statistical reports showing caseload and disposition figures by circuit.

What Are Important Local Resources for Deerfield Divorce?

Deerfield sits primarily in Lake County, and the offices below serve residents whose cases are heard there.

• The 19th Judicial Circuit’s Family Division hears divorce, parentage, support, and parenting matters for Lake County.
• The Lake County courthouse in Waukegan is where hearings and trial take place, though most filings are submitted electronically.
• Civil filings in Lake County are submitted electronically through an approved filing service provider rather than at the courthouse counter.

The listings above are offered for reference and do not constitute an endorsement by Merel Family Law of any court, office, or program named.

About Merel Family Law

Property classification, business valuation, and retirement division are handled by attorneys inside Merel Family Law rather than referred to outside counsel.

Jody Meyer Yazici has practiced family law for three decades with a focus on property classification and valuation. She earned her law degree from Cornell Law School and has published on family law topics in the Illinois Bar Journal.

What Our Clients Say

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Merel Family Law had my back every step of the way through a very contentious divorce. Ashley and Jackie worked hard to get the best outcome.”

Brandon

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Additional Resources for Deerfield Divorce Cases

• What Is a Forensic Accountant?
• How to Find Hidden Assets in a Divorce
• Dividing Business Interests in an Illinois Divorce
• Divorce for Business Owners
• IP and Royalties in an Illinois Divorce

Contact Merel Family Law

A divorce lawyer in Deerfield, IL can identify what the marital estate contains, which terms are likely to be contested, and what dividing each asset will require. Our attorneys will review your financial circumstances, explain how Illinois treats each category of property, and set out the steps your case involves. Contact us and we will schedule time to work through the financial situation in detail.