What is the discovery process in a divorce?

The discovery process is the process of obtaining information relevant to your divorce proceedings and the issues under dispute. Although divorce discovery in Illinois often concerns financial disclosures, it may also involve disclosures of facts and documentation relating to the children when the matter involves disputes over child custody.

How long does the discovery process take in a divorce?

Depending on the level of formality of the discovery process you are undertaking in your divorce and the extent of the proceedings required, the discovery process generally takes several weeks to a few months.

Why is discovery necessary in divorce?

Discovery and financial analysis are important aspects of thorough case preparation, regardless of the path by which you are moving forward with resolving your disputes. This data is often an essential factor in obtaining equitable and just settlements out of court and positive outcomes through litigation. Depending on your unique circumstances, a formal discovery process that encompasses interrogatories and expositions may not be necessary, but some investigation and analysis of the facts will be important for approaching decisions from a fully informed position.

What happens after discovery in a divorce?

After a formal or informal discovery process, your discovery of assets attorney in Lake County, IL, will use the facts they have obtained to prepare your case. Whether through settlement negotiations, mediation, or collaborative divorce practices, your attorney will consider these facts as they work to develop and negotiate solutions to the disputes involved in your divorce case. If your case proceeds to trial, presenting these facts to the judge is crucial in supporting arguments for judgments that support your viewpoint and uphold your priorities.

Bannockburn Divorce Discovery Lawyer | Discovery of Assets Attorney Lake County, IL

Discovery of Assets Attorney in Lake County, IL Identifying Hidden Assets in Bannockburn, Cook County, DuPage County, Will County, and Throughout Northeastern Illinois

As you move forward in divorce proceedings, there are decisions to make and, likely, disputes you will need to resolve with your spouse. An important stage of this process is discovery, during which the spouses and their respective attorneys must obtain the facts on which the different viewpoints, arguments, and solutions will be based. A critical step of the discovery process is financial analysis, which affects numerous financial disputes that can arise in the course of divorce proceedings. As complicated as the discovery stage may sound, having the right Bannockburn divorce discovery lawyer on your side can keep these processes from ever becoming overwhelming.

At the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm, our team of attorneys is committed to making the discovery process work for you. This process informs the meticulous approach to case preparation that has earned our firm a longstanding reputation for getting results for clients all over Northeastern Illinois.

For a confidential initial consultation, contact us today.

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Divorce Discovery and Financial Analysis in Bannockburn, IL

In Illinois, the formal discovery process is a critical aspect of pre-trial divorce litigation. Even in methods of alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation, collaborative practice, or settlement negotiations, obtaining and analyzing the relevant information through more informal methods is essential for moving forward with efforts to resolve disputes.

In a formal discovery process, the spouses and their attorneys must abide by specific rules that govern both collecting and providing evidence. The process of divorce discovery in Illinois may include:

Notice to Produce filings that request copies of specified documents
Written interrogatories that a spouse must answer under oath
Depositions, legal proceedings conducted under oath, which may be held in person, virtually, or in writing

Through informal or formal methods of discovery, you can obtain information about your spouse’s:

Income
Financial accounts
Debts
Assets

How the discovery process proceeds in a given divorce may depend on individual factors, including whether the parties are taking an amicable or adversarial approach to resolving disputes and whether they are going through the formal litigation process or preparing for more informal methods of settlement. Regardless of the circumstances, you need a diligent discovery of assets attorney in Lake County, IL, who will thoroughly explore all avenues for acquiring relevant information and analyze all facts and documents.

How Does Discovery Work in a Divorce?

Discovery plays an important role in resolving a variety of possible disputes that arise in divorce cases including property division, child custody, and maintenance, alimony, and child support.

Property Division

Equitable division of property first requires a thorough analysis of the existing property and assets. The financial disclosures required to facilitate property division disputes and other financial issues in a divorce may include:

Bank statements
Credit card statements
Income tax returns
Corporate financial statements
Corporate tax returns
Investment statements
Canceled checks
Asset tracing

Don’t forget about other types of assets to which spouses may be entitled to a portion of in the divorce, such as business assets and retirement plans.

Child Custody

Determining child custody arrangements in Illinois divorce cases requires all parties, and potentially the court, to consider the child’s best interests. Discovery in child custody matters entails gathering all facts and documents that could provide insight into the child’s well-being, level of adjustment to current circumstances, and relationships to aid in making this decision. The types of documents your Bannockburn divorce discovery lawyer may seek during this process include:

School records
Activity records
Professional or third-party reports regarding tutoring
Medical or dental records

These facts constitute valuable evidence to support your viewpoints on custody arrangements and visitation rights.

Child Support, Maintenance, and Alimony

In divorce cases involving minor children, one parent is often required to make child support payments to the other parent, even if the two parents share custody. Even in divorces that involve no children, one spouse may be required to pay spousal support, known as maintenance or alimony payments, to the other spouse.

Who may be obligated to make these payments and how much they must pay will depend on the findings of the discovery process.

When calculating child support payments in Illinois, both parents’ net income is considered, as well as their proportionate share of financial responsibility for the child and the time the child spends with each parent. In addition to analyzing both parents’ income and legally recognized deductions to determine their net income, your Bannockburn divorce discovery lawyer may examine proof of payment for special expenses regarding the children.

Spousal support, formerly known as alimony, is now called maintenance in Illinois. This support refers to financial payments one spouse makes to another, temporarily or permanently. Under state guidelines, factors like the combined income of both spouses and the length of the marriage affect maintenance payments in a divorce. As such, the financial disclosures obtained through discovery, particularly those pertaining to income, influence the outcome of disputes over maintenance payments.

How the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm Helps With Divorce Discovery

The facts obtained through the discovery stage of divorce proceedings are only as comprehensive and reliable as the Bannockburn divorce discovery lawyer handling the process for you. At Katz, Goldstein & Warren, our divorce attorneys are known for our proficiency in obtaining discovery, as well as examining witnesses regarding the information obtained.

We offer a comprehensive range of legal services pertaining to financial analysis in the discovery stage, including:

Business valuation
Evaluation of tax consequences
Examination of pension plans
Analysis of investment returns,
Assessment of real estate assets
Analysis of other complex financial matters

We’re prepared to support you through all aspects of the divorce discovery stage and connect you with specialized experts, when needed, whose informed opinions can strengthen your case.

Why Choose the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm?

Who you choose as your attorney will impact the degree of thoroughness of discovery in your divorce proceedings and so much more. For a Bannockburn divorce discovery lawyer you can count on to meticulously prepare your case and develop strong legal strategies for achieving that outcome you want, turn to the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm.

Thorough Case Preparation

We’re aware of the impact that thorough discovery practices can have on your case, and we draw on upwards of 25 years of experience as we meticulously review the facts of your case and seek out the documentation necessary to support arguments in your favor. You can count on a knowledgeable discovery of assets attorney in Lake County, IL, to establish the facts of your case.

Strategies That Get Results

The findings acquired through the discovery process are the foundation for your case, but it takes a strategic approach to using these facts to actually achieve results. The team at the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm prioritizes strong legal strategies, from fighting vigorously for our clients in litigation to artfully developing settlement proposals that preserve our clients’ top priorities.

Contact a Bannockburn Divorce Discovery Lawyer Today at the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm for an Initial Consultation

Our attorneys don’t just conduct discovery for our clients. We’re dedicated to uncovering all assets and evidence that can support your position on divorce disputes. We work vigorously to analyze all financial information and use that information to push for resolutions that are beneficial to our clients.

For help from a discovery of assets attorney in Lake County, IL, contact the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm online or call us today.

Bannockburn Divorce Discovery Lawyer