Family law includes many separate but interrelated areas of Illinois law. The areas most commonly considered family law are:
If the parties are married to each other:
Divorce severs the legal relationship between the spouses
Issues that are addressed during a divorce are:
The Court’s Jurisdiction
Grounds for the divorce
Child Custody
Child Support
Visitation
Division of Property and Debts
Maintenance/Alimony
Rights and responsibilities of each of the parties
Legal Separation Does not free either party to marry someone else, but
Does allow the court to determine the following issues:
The Court’s Jurisdiction
Grounds for the divorce
Child Custody
Child Support
Visitation
Division of Property and Debts
Maintenance/Alimony
Rights and responsibilities of each of the parties
Annulment – severs the legal relationship between the parties
Adoption creates a legal parent child relationship between two people who are (generally) not biologically related.
Paternity determines who the parents of a particular child are when said parents have never been married to eaThursday, April 28, 2005 4:27 PM
Child Custody
Child Support
Visitation