Simplified Dissolution of Marriage in Illinois

Simplified Dissolution of Marriage in Illinois

Contact One Of Our Rolling Meadows Divorce Lawyers Today!

Many people think of divorce as a long and tedious process. No doubt you’ve heard horror stories from divorced friends about a case that took months to complete and left them with no money. But a divorce doesn’t have to be like that. If you and your spouse have only been married a short time and there are few disputes over property, you may be able to file for a simplified dissolution of marriage that will complete the process relatively quickly and easily.

What is a Simplified Dissolution of Marriage?

Some clients think that a simplified dissolution of marriage is an annulment, but that’s not really the case. Annulments, which declare that marriage was invalid, apply to relatively few cases. Typically, annulments are only granted in cases of fraud, or where one party was under the age of majority.

A simplified dissolution is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a way to get a divorce as simply as possible. The law still recognizes that you and your spouse were married, you just agree on the terms for ending your marriage. However, there are very specific qualifications for getting a simplified dissolution of marriage, and the law requires that a couple meet all of them for a simplified dissolution. Because of this, simplified dissolutions are only available for couples who were married a few years, have no children, and relatively few assets. The exact requirements to file for a simplified dissolution are:

• The parties can complete all required paperwork together without dispute and attend a final hearing together;
• The marriage lasted less than eight years;
• The couple has no children, and the woman is not pregnant at the time of the divorce filing;
• The couple has separated and lived apart for at least two weeks;
• The couple does not own any real estate, has less than $10,000 of joint marital assets, and the couple has a combined gross income of less than $35,000 annually;
• Both parties waive all rights to spousal support; and
• The couple agrees that the marriage has broken down due to irreconcilable differences.

If you meet all of these requirements, the simplified dissolution is then only a matter of getting the proper paperwork for the circuit court and submitting it. The clerk’s office will set a hearing date, and your divorce will be finalized that day at this single hearing.

Contact a Rolling Meadows Divorce Attorney Today

If you and your spouse can agree to most issues surrounding a divorce, there’s really no reason to drag out the process for months and months with multiple court hearings. A simplified dissolution of marriage may be right for your situation. Contact SAM Law Office, LLC in Rolling Meadows for a free divorce consultation.