Below is a list of the Cook County Judges in the Domestic Relations Division at the Daley Center, 50 W Washington, Chicago, IL 60602. This list does not include the Judges in the Cook County suburban districts (districts 2-6). The Judges on Team C, D and E conduct divorce prove-ups one day per week. The […]
In an uncontested divorce, you and your spouse will ultimately have to agree on the terms of a Martial Settlement Agreement, meaning You and your spouse will need to resolve a full agreement on: grounds for a divorce custody of your children visitation schedule for the non-custodial parent child support maintenance (alimony) division of property […]
The Law Office of Jeffrey Esser offers flat attorney fee arrangements to represent you in an uncontested divorce from start to finish. It covers all work from the start of your case, until you get your divorce judgment. For more info on what’s included, go here: ###-LINK-### The key to an uncontested divorce is to […]
Yes, if done properly, Illinois courts will hold the parties to their prenuptial or premarital agreement. Prenups are the best way to protect premarital assets from becoming marital property, and to minimize litigation in the event of a divorce. Illinois law does set out a way to invalidate a prenup (see 750 ILCS 10/7). To […]
Child support in Illinois is based on the net income of the non-custodial parent. Net income for purposes of child support may not be the same as your take-home pay. For example, most employers withhold a little too much money for taxes, which means the employee receives a tax return at the end of the […]
No. Attorneys in Illinois should not represent both parties in a divorce. Both spouses should have their own attorney to make sure the final settlement agreement is fair and that both parties’ interests are protected. Unless the you have no kids and absolutely no property, there aren’t standard one-size-fits-all settlement agreements that are fair to […]
Yes. You can still get a divorce, but it will require some added steps. Typically, to get a divorce, first you have to serve your spouse with official court papers providing notice of the divorce. If you cannot locate your spouse, you can use a special procedure called Service by Publication. Service by Publication means […]
Illinois law makes it very clear that a prenup can cover maintenance (alimony), but cannot cover child custody. Illinois courts always have the power to determine which parent should be the custodial parent of a child, regardless of any prior agreements between the parties. However, the law is a little murkier surrounding Child Support. A […]
Step 1: Make sure your Judgment has the correct language Your proposed Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage needs to contain a provision specifically granting you “leave of court to resume your maiden name of ________.” If the Judgment does not include such a provision, write it into the Judgment before going in front of the […]
The Law Office of Jeffrey Esser offers flat fee arrangement for uncontested divorces. For a fixed price of attorney fees, I will personally handle your divorce from the initial consultation to the final judgment for divorce. You can read more about how the process works here. Included in the flat fee, I will: provide an […]
Jeffrey Esser is the founder and principal attorney of the Law Office of Jeffrey R. Esser. He has been practicing law since 2005 and has helped hundreds of clients with their divorce and family law cases in Cook County. Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Jeffrey moved to Chicago in 1995. He graduated with honors from Northwestern University and the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law, where he served as his class president and graduation speaker. Jeffrey and his wife live in the Roscoe Village neighborhood of Chicago.
The Law Office of Jeffrey R. Esser
161 N Clark #1600
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 564-5743
(312) 267-1745
jeff@esserlegal.com