Cook County Family Law Attorney

Lawyer for Divorce, Child Custody, & More

Family law proceedings often mark a time of major life changes. Chances are, if you are involved in family court, you are making an enormous transition. Divorce, child custody, paternity, or child support actions can have an enormous impact on your life and lifestyle. When you are going through this type of life change, it is important to have strong legal representation so that you can focus on caring for yourself and your children.

Whitacre & Stefanczuk LTD can tackle any family law concern you may have. We are experienced in all manner of family law cases, and we will use our experience to better serve your family. We know that these proceedings are not easy on anyone, so we offer the highest level of support we can. With us representing you, you can feel confident that you have strong attorney backup and that you will never need to face these issues alone.

Chicago Area Divorce Lawyers

Every divorce situation is completely unique. So are our representation strategies. We will take the time to learn about your needs and priorities in your divorce, and we will tailor our strategy to give you better odds of getting what you need and want in your final divorce decree.

There are a lot of moving parts in a divorce case. Marital property needs to be divided and separate property protected. Retirement accounts, joint bank accounts, shared real estate properties, stock holdings, furniture, family businesses, and other assets must be split in a way that is fair and equitable under Illinois law. You may also want to revisit your estate plans at this time, which we can assist with as well.

You will also need to decide whether your divorce will be better resolved through collaborative divorce strategies or litigation. More and more spouses are choosing techniques such as mediation or attorney-facilitated negotiation to settle their divorce out of court. However, we are always ready to take your divorce case to the courtroom if you would be better served that way.

Attorneys for Child Custody in Cook County

As a parent, your children are likely the most important part of your life. The parenting time you share with your children is precious. When you are going through a divorce or need to divide custody with your child's other parent, you are likely feeling a lot of stress.

Whitacre & Stefanczuk LTD is skilled at helping parents arrive at a parenting time schedule and an allocation of parental responsibilities that works for both parents, and more importantly, provides for the best interests of the children. Whether your custody dispute can be resolved amicably or will involve a courtroom battle, we are here to protect your bond with your child.

Illinois Parentage & Child Support Lawyers

Every child born has a biological mother and a biological father. However, some Illinois children do not have a legal father - there is a difference. Children born to married parents are presumed to be the child of both spouses. In Illinois, this is true even for same-sex parents.

If you were not married to your child's other parent when they were born, you may need to take a few extra steps to make sure that you are a legal parent to your child. You should also know that if parentage is disputed, Illinois courts can take action and compel a paternity test if it becomes necessary.

Often, establishing paternity is the first hurdle to clear before you can pursue child support or shared custody. We can help you choose the right strategy for making sure your child has two legal parents.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements Lawyer for Cook County Couples

Signing a prenuptial agreement or postnuptial agreement can be one of the first steps to building a healthy and happy marriage. When you and your spouse or fiancé(e) are making this agreement, it is not about preparing for divorce. It is about learning to negotiate and compromise with one another despite potential conflict.

Of course, these agreements can also help you out in the event that your marriage does terminate in divorce. A strong prenuptial agreement can make the entire process much simpler and easier, as you will already have an established system for dividing property. Child custody concerns, however, cannot be governed by a pre-existing agreement.

Call a Cook County Family Law Attorney

Whitacre & Stefanczuk LTD is well-prepared to handle any family law need that Cook County residents may have. We can represent you in a variety of family law proceedings, and we will do so with your interests and needs in mind. Contact us or call 773-622-6100 for a free consultation.