St. Charles Family Law Attorneys

Lawyers Handling Divorce, Parenting, Support, and Guardianship in St. Charles, IL

Family law covers much more than divorce. It can address who will make choices for your child, what support you may pay or receive, whether you can move when you share custody of a child, and who can act for a relative who cannot act alone.

At A. Traub & Associates, our approach to family law is built on communication, collaboration, client commitment, and compassion. More than 150 five-star reviews reflect the trust clients place in that approach. We will help you understand which rules apply to your situation, what deadlines matter, and what steps come next.

Filing for Divorce in Kane County

The reason your marriage ended will not be litigated. Illinois recognizes one ground for divorce: irreconcilable differences. This means the marriage has broken down and cannot reasonably be repaired. This does not mean that conduct related to the end of your marriage is irrelevant in your case, but it may be addressed when making decisions about property division or other divorce-related issues rather than determining whether the divorce will be granted.

Your divorce judgment will set the terms for almost everything that follows. It will divide your property and debts, decide whether either of you will pay spousal maintenance, and detail co-parenting arrangements. Changing those terms later is possible, but it may be harder, so it is important to take the right steps to address issues correctly during the divorce process.

Seeking Child Custody in Kane County Family Courts

Child custody is no longer the term used in Illinois. It has been replaced with the allocation of parental responsibilities, which breaks into two parts. The first is significant decision-making, covering four areas: education, health care, religion, and extracurricular activities. A court can split those areas of responsibility between you and the other parent, assign them all to one of you, or require that you agree on child-related decisions. The second is parenting time, which is more commonly called visitation.

You must file a proposed parenting plan within 120 days after the beginning of a divorce or child custody case. You can file it with the other parent or on your own. If you cannot agree, the judge will usually send you to mediation, which may help you reach workable agreements. Attorney Angel Traub has over 20 years of experience representing clients in these types of cases. She and her team understand that it is often preferable to resolve child-related issues at the negotiating table, not at trial.

How Illinois Calculates Child Support

To calculate child support, Illinois first looks at what both parents earn. The court takes each of your monthly net incomes, adds them together, looks up the matching figure on a schedule, and splits that amount between you based on your share of the total. The idea is to reflect what parents at your income level would usually spend to raise children.

Decisions about parenting time can sometimes change the results of child support calculations. When each of you will have your child for at least 146 overnights every year, a different calculation applies. This means that a parenting time schedule is an important component of child support. Our lawyers can make sure you understand the impact of the decisions made during your case.

Family Law Matters We Handle at A. Traub & Associates

Beyond parenting and support, our team can address the matters that may affect families in family court cases handled at the Kane County Judicial Center, including:

• Parentage: If you were not married when your child was born, paternity will need to be established before a court will decide anything else. Until that happens, a father has no rights he can enforce, no matter how involved he has been.
• Fathers' rights: Illinois law does not favor mothers or fathers in family law cases. Still, a father may need to demonstrate that he has played a role in his children's life and take steps to continue in that role. We can help build a record of the care a father has actually provided before the first hearing.
• Parental Relocation: For parents who live in Kane County and share custody, a plan to move with a child more than 25 miles from their current home will typically count as a relocation. In these cases, a person who plans to relocate must give the other parent at least 60 days' written notice and file a copy of the notice with the court clerk. If the other parent objects, a parent will have to ask the court for permission to relocate and modify a parenting plan.
• Guardians Ad Litem and Child Representatives: A judge can appoint a lawyer to investigate issues involving your child. A guardian ad litem may report findings and recommendations to the court, while a child representative will advocate for what they believe is in your child's best interests.
• Adoption: Adoption creates a permanent legal relationship between a parent and child. The consent, notice, and filing rules are strict, and one missed step can delay a placement by months.
• Guardianships: A guardianship lets you make decisions for a child or for an adult who cannot manage financial or personal issues on their own. These cases are often urgent, and we can help you take the right steps to establish guardianship.
• Civil Unions: A civil union carries the same rights and duties as marriage in Illinois. Ending one generally follows the same process as a divorce, including property division and support.
• Family Law Mediation: Mediation may be used to settle parenting disputes or address divorce-related issues without a contested hearing. Illinois courts may order mediation before a case may proceed to litigation.

We also work with families in cases involving assisted reproduction. Egg donor agreements and surrogacy contracts will need to be created in these situations to ensure that the rights of all parties will be protected.

Contact the St. Charles, Illinois Family Law Attorneys at A. Traub & Associates Today

Family law questions can be difficult to resolve, and the outcomes of these cases can affect people you love. When you work with A. Traub & Associates, we will ensure that you understand the impact of each decision, and we will advocate for solutions that will protect your family's interests. Contact our St. Charles, IL family law lawyers at 630-426-0196 to schedule a consultation.