Legal Question in Family Law in Illinois

My divorce was granted this morning in Rowling Meadow, IL. Right before we stood before the Judge my wife's lawyer ask me to pay one third of her Attorney's fee's. Which under compulsion I agreed to. He did nothing to aid me during the divorce process. Is this legal? I feel I was coerced into agreeing to pay him.

Richard Kaufman


Asked on 1/26/12, 4:38 pm

3 Answers from Attorneys
Jonathan Shimberg Shimberg and Crohn, P.C.

A court can order you to pay a portion of your wife's fees. You could have refused to do so and not gotten divorced. You could seek to vacate the order, but that might vacate the divorce.

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Answered on 1/26/12, 4:44 pm
Sue Roberts-Kurpis, Esq. Law Office of Sue Roberts-Kurpis

Where was your lawyer during all of this?? If you acted pro se, i.e., without a lawyer, your wife's attorney had to spend a lot of time doing things that ordinarily your attorney would have done. I expect that this is what happened. If it was then one-third is the least you could expect the court to order you to pay.

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Answered on 1/26/12, 5:29 pm
David Gotzh Law Office of David Gotzh

You agreed; game, set, match, point.

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Answered on 1/26/12, 5:58 pm


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