Chicago family law
Steady. Private. Yours.
Separation, divorce and parenting decisions in Chicago, handled quietly. It starts with one private conversation — and nothing happens until you decide it should.
You don’t have to have it all figured out today. We explain, privately and in plain words, where you actually stand — and you set the pace from there.
Our focus areas
How we can help
Divorce
From the first filing to the final decree, with honest expectations about timing and cost at every step.
Learn more about DivorcePrenuptial Agreement
Clear agreements made while things are good, so they never have to be argued about later.
Learn more about Prenuptial AgreementChild Custody
Parenting plans built around your children’s actual routines — school, activities, both homes.
Learn more about Child CustodyProperty Division
What counts as marital property in Illinois, and what an equitable division actually looks like for your household.
Learn more about Property DivisionChild Support
What the Illinois guidelines really produce for your numbers, and when a court will depart from them.
Learn more about Child SupportLitigation
When agreement is not possible: contested hearings and trial in the Circuit Court of Cook County, prepared rather than theatrical.
Learn more about LitigationAsset Division
Homes, pensions, business interests and retirement accounts, valued properly before anything is split.
Learn more about Asset Division
In their words
From people who sat where you are
“I called on my worst day and hung up feeling like I could breathe. Every step after that was explained before it happened.”
“What I remember most is that nobody ever pushed. I took four months to decide, and when I was ready, they were.”
“They kept my kids’ school schedule at the centre of the parenting plan. The judge commented on how workable it was.”
Why families choose us
At a glance
- of Chicago family law practice
- 14 years
- every conversation is confidential
- Private
- nothing is filed until you decide
- Your pace
Straight answers
The questions people are afraid to ask
Will anyone find out I contacted you?
No. The conversation is confidential and legally privileged, and nothing is filed or served unless and until you decide to move forward. Contacting a lawyer is not a legal step; it is how you find out what your legal steps are.
What if I’m afraid for my safety right now?
Call 911 if you are in immediate danger. Otherwise tell us in your first message and we will act that day: in Illinois an emergency order of protection can be asked for without notice to the other person and heard within a day or two. Asking for one does not start a divorce and does not commit you to anything else.
Do I have to go to court?
Often not. Many matters resolve through negotiation and settlement, and uncontested divorces reach a judge only for a short final approval. If your case does need a courtroom, we prepare you for exactly what each appearance involves — most are shorter and quieter than people fear.
What does a divorce cost?
It depends almost entirely on how much the two of you can agree on. At the first meeting we give you a realistic range for your situation, explain what drives the number, and point out the choices that keep it down. You will never see an invoice you weren’t expecting.
How long does it take?
In Cook County, an uncontested divorce can finish in a few months; a contested one commonly takes a year or more. The honest answer for your situation depends on your facts, and we will give it to you at the first conversation rather than a hopeful average.
Will I lose time with my children?
Illinois law starts from your children’s best interests, not from one parent’s advantage. Courts want workable schedules with meaningful time for both parents, and most parenting plans are agreed rather than imposed. We will tell you plainly what is realistic for your circumstances.
What if my spouse and I mostly agree?
Then keep it that way — it is the single best cost and stress decision you can make. We can mediate, or represent one of you and put the agreement into proper form, so that what you decided at the kitchen table holds up in court.
Your counsel
Meet the attorneys
John Jarndyce
Founding attorney
John has practised family law in Chicago for fourteen years, the first six in the domestic relations group of a Loop litigation firm. He founded Arguendo to work the way he wished that firm had: fewer cases, more conversation, no surprises on an invoice. He is admitted in Illinois and appears regularly in the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Domestic Relations Division.
Dorothea Brooke
Attorney and mediator
Dorothea joined Arguendo after eight years handling custody and support matters for Chicago families, and now leads the firm’s custody and support practice. She is admitted in Illinois and appears regularly in the Domestic Relations Division. Clients tend to use the same word about her that opposing counsel do: fair.
Speaks English and Spanish.
Clear from day one
What happens next
A private conversation
You call or write, and we listen. Thirty minutes, confidential, no paperwork. You tell us what is happening; we tell you what Illinois law actually says about it. If you never call again, nothing ever comes of it.
A plan in plain words
If you want to go further, we map your situation: what is likely, what it costs, what you can do now to protect yourself and your children. You get it in writing, in language you can read without a lawyer beside you.
You decide the pace
Nothing is filed until you say so. Some clients act the same week; some wait months while they get ready. Both are normal, and we will never rush you into a step you can’t take back.
Visit
Find us in the Loop
Address
The Rookery209 S LaSalle St, Suite 940Chicago, IL 60604USHours
- Monday–Friday: 08:30–17:30
Reach us
Start with one private conversation
Thirty minutes, confidential, and nothing filed until you decide it should be.