Illinois Family Law Insider

What Every Illinois Spouse Must Know Before Choosing Litigation - #13

Sterling Lawyers Episode 13

When does Illinois family law require litigation instead of negotiation? In this Illinois Family Law Insider episode, Sterling Hughes Managing Partner Katie VanDeusen sits down with Senior Partner Ali Isroff to break down the litigation process from start to finish. They explain when court intervention becomes necessary and share strategic insights from their extensive trial experience. 

We explore:

  • Realistic timelines for Illinois litigation (6-12 months for divorce, 6-9 months for paternity)
  • What actually qualifies as emergency relief versus routine motions
  • How pretrial conferences provide powerful settlement leverage with judicial recommendations
  • Strategic use of depositions to apply pressure and facilitate unexpected settlements
  • The witness disclosure process and typical trial participants in family law cases
  • Why most cases settle before trial despite litigation preparation

Listen in for practical insights on navigating contested Illinois family law matters, including real case examples of international child return emergencies and how strategic litigation tools often resolve cases without requiring trial testimony.