Modification and Enforcement Attorneys

Divorce Lawyers Serving Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, and the Surrounding Areas

Divorce decrees typically include or incorporate provisions regarding spousal support, child support, child custody (allocation of parental responsibilities), and visitation (parenting time). However, after spouses divorce, circumstances may change and provisions must be altered accordingly. In Illinois, the standard that must be met to justify a post-divorce decree modification is a "material change in circumstances."

If a final divorce decree has been entered in your case, and your personal or financial circumstances have changed significantly, it may be time to ask the court to modify the divorce decree based upon a material change in circumstances. The experienced divorce attorneys at Nigohosian & Dahlquist, P.C. are able to assist you with taking the necessary steps to request a divorce decree modification.

Modification or Termination of Illinois Spousal Support

After a final divorce decree is entered, spousal support sometimes requires modification or termination. This typically occurs in the following instances:

• Material change in circumstances, such as loss of a job, career change, salary reduction, or loss of income
• Remarriage of recipient spouse
• Co-habitation of recipient spouse
• Death of either spouse

Modification or Termination of Illinois Child Support

Child support is established for the care and upkeep of the spouses' minor children. The most common reasons for modification or termination of Illinois child support include the following:

• Material change in circumstances, such as loss of a job or change in income
• Child turning 18 years old (unless the child is still in high school on a full-time basis — at which point child support terminates when the child turns 19 years old or graduates from high school, whichever happens first)

Modification of Illinois Child Custody or Visitation

A court may modify child custody or visitation provisions when there is a material change in circumstances. A material change in circumstances may include one or more of the following:

• Parent's loss of a job, income change, or address change
• Changes to the child's physical or emotional health
• Custodial parent's conviction of a violent crime or felony
• Custodial parent's new relationships (such as a new spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend) or associations

Enforcement of an Illinois Divorce Decree

Divorce decrees, along with any support agreements incorporated therein, are enforceable court orders. When a spouse violates a divorce decree by failing to pay alimony or child support, or by not allowing for court-ordered visitation, there can be legal ramifications. In many cases, when a spouse refuses to comply with the provisions of a divorce decree, the aggrieved spouse can file a petition for contempt of the court.

Contact a Wheaton Divorce Lawyer

The experienced divorce attorneys at Nigohosian & Dahlquist, P.C. are able to assist you with obtaining a post-divorce decree modification. Our clients are residents of Glen Ellyn, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Lisle, Darien, and Naperville, and the surrounding areas. We also assist residents in Kane, Kendall, Will, and Cook Counties. To schedule a consultation with one of our trusted post-divorce decree modification and enforcement attorneys, call us at 630-462-0610, or contact us online.