It can take months for an Illinois couple to work out the details of their divorce. If they have children and share significant wealth, there may be many unsettled issues that they must process through in order to ensure that all of the members to the dissolving family will be provided for once the divorce is complete. When a court agrees that the parties to a divorce have resolved all of their outstanding issues it will issue a decree of divorce that formalizes all of the relevant decisions.

A final divorce decree gives divorced parties a set of rules and expectations that they must follow and meet in their post-divorce lives. Depending upon what had to be settled during their divorce, parties may look to their decree to explain their child custody and support responsibilities, if and how alimony must be paid, and other important matters. Divorce decrees generally must be followed, and when parties do not uphold their responsibilities under them they may be sanctioned.

From time to time, individuals may find that their divorce decrees no longer serve their needs. They may discover that they no longer require spousal support or that they must shift their child custody schedules due to the needs and interests of their kids. When changes must be made following the issuance of a final divorce decree, post-divorce modifications may be sought.

Post-divorce modifications should be done through the courts so that their final outcomes carry with them judicial approval. As this post offers readers information only and no legal advice, it is important that individuals who wish to pursue post-divorce modifications speak to their trusted family law attorneys about their pending needs.