Steps to Take When You Have Been Served with Divorce Papers

 Posted on December 30, 2020 in Islamic Divorce

Many DuPage County residents who are served with divorce papers already know that their spouse was planning to file for divorce, but some people are surprised. Regardless of whether you were expecting to be served with divorce papers or news of your spouse’s filing has come as a shock, it is critical to think about your next steps. Do you need to respond, and how quickly do you need to do so? Have you hired a divorce lawyer yet to work on your case? And what type of planning do you need to be doing in advance of a court hearing or family mediation? These are all important questions, and it is essential to discuss them with an Oakbrook Terrace family lawyer. Although the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA) governs all divorces in the state, everyone will have a divorce case with its own set of facts. Accordingly, it will be important to make a plan that fits your needs.

In the meantime, the advocates at Farooqi & Husain want to provide you with some information about the general steps you should take after you have been served with divorce papers in Illinois.

Hire an Experienced DuPage County Divorce Lawyer

The first thing you should do after receiving divorce papers is to hire a DuPage County divorce lawyer who has experience handling divorce cases in your area and who has experience representing clients in cases with issues similar to your own. If you know, for example, that issues are likely to come up concerning the religious upbringing of your children when the court is making decisions about the allocation of parental responsibilities, you should seek advice from an attorney who regularly handles such cases. Similarly, if you have questions or concerns about the relationship between Islamic law and Illinois law in divorce cases, you should get in touch with an Islamic divorce attorney in DuPage County.

Decide How and Whether to Respond

In working with your divorce attorney, you will need to determine how and whether to respond to the divorce complaint. You have the option simply to do nothing. If you do not respond to the complaint, the court can enter a default judgment. However, you will likely want to respond, and you will only have a short time window to do so—most likely 30 days from the date of receiving the divorce papers.

Consider Family Mediation and Settlement

It may be possible to handle most if not all of the issues in your divorce through family mediation and negotiation. If you can reach a settlement agreement with your spouse and can develop a parenting plan that allocates all parental responsibilities, you could have a relatively quick uncontested divorce.

Plan for Court

If you cannot resolve all of the issues in your divorce, you will have a contested divorce in which the judge will need to make decisions about one or more issues. You should work with your attorney to plan for court.

Seek Advice from a DuPage County Divorce Attorney

Have you been served with divorce papers, or do you know that your spouse is planning to file for divorce? You should have an experienced and compassionate DuPage County divorce lawyer on your side throughout this complex process. At Farooqi & Husain Law Office, we have spent years serving the Muslim community in Oakbrook Terrace and throughout DuPage County, and one of the attorneys at our firm can discuss your divorce case with you today. Contact Farooqi & Husain Law Office online or call our firm at 630-909-9114 to learn more about the family law services we provide in Illinois.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59