Divorce Lawyers In Chicago
Q.I am seeking some advice for my mother, who is headed toward divorce from my alcoholic father. A little background--they've been married for 31 years. I'm 27 and their only child, so custody is not an issue. Dad is an alcoholic who suffered brain damage in an alcohol-related accident two years ago 1. Dad has threatened to file for divorce as soon as my grandmother's health is resolved. However, he says he will disinherit her and change all the life insurance beneficiaries, etc. to cut her off entirely so she has to survive on cat food for the rest of her life. Can he legally do this? 2. She wants to pack up and leave. However, all the bills, mortgage, etc. are in both their names and all the money coming in is in his name. In his current mental state, he is incapable of paying bills and balancing a budget. She runs the home's finances completely by herself. How can she protect her credit if she leaves and he doesn't pay the bills? 3. Obviously she needs a lawyer. However, she doesn't have the money to pay one. As she has no income of her own, would she qualify? 4. Are courts generally sympathetic to wives of severe lifetime alcoholics? Anyway, those are the issues she's currently facing and I'd be especially interested in any referrals for good divorce lawyers in the Chicago area (northwest suburbs).
A.1) Once they're divorced (and even BEFORE they're divorced) he can do anything he wants in regards to his will and life insurance. Now, if he dies before the divorce is final, she might have a shot at getting some of what he leaves, but probably only after a long court fight (that's assuming there are relatives that would fight her for it.) But, get her to realize that once they are divorced, she no longer has the rights to his estate that she would have if they were still married. 2) She can, but probably not without a bit of work on her part. For instance, be ready to have all of the bills changed to his name only (those that she can) as of the day she leaves. I don't know how that stuff is handled. A few calls to the utilities and the credit card companies should get her questions answered. As far as the mortgage is concerned, she won't be able to get her name off of it until/unless he refinances under his name only .But, unless she wants to give up her part of the equity, she's probably going to have to wait until the divorce is final. 3) Don't know about that. Call them and ask. And a lot of lawyers do this sort of work on a 'pay later' plan. You're just going to have to call around/ask around until you find one. 4) In regards to what? That she's going to get a 'better deal' because her husband is an alcoholic? I don't know about that, but I don't think the judge will look at her and say 'Okay, you get nothing because you drove him to drink.'
Other Questions :
Florida Dui Lawyer
Have you heard about this website??? What's your opinion??? "The Web has evolved into a global electronic publishing medium and increasingly, a medium for conducting electronic commerce in areas such as florida dui attorney. E-commerce means that ...
Durable Medical Power Of Attorney
I'm a student at a law school and recently I have some assigment with some issue that I haven't understood clearly. So I'm vary in need of a very short explanation of the difference between a DURABLE Power of Attorney and a General Power of Attor...
Find A Lawyer In New Jersey
Can a lawyer answer this one for me? (New Jersey) The relative of a friend got found guilty on 11 charges in federal court. I'm not sure of all of them but they include: wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud ??, etc. I hav...
Business Law
I work for a fortune 500 company and am fed up of being denied vacation time that is owed to me, because I am "too busy" to be allowed to take my time. I lost many hours last year and I am headed down the same road again this year by the lo...
Accident Attorney
Can my auto accident attorney really do this?Typical low life attorney! Is there a contract between you and your lawyer? If so read it (all of it) Tell him you want a copy of all the paper work involved with the case. Pay outs should have been verif...