Divorce & Family Law · Oakbrook Terrace, DuPage County
Kari Cornelison has practiced family law in DuPage and Cook County since 1996 as a mediator, a collaborative lawyer and a trial attorney. She will tell you which route fits your situation, and which ones won't.
(630) 928-0600 · Mon–Fri 9–5 · Confidential
Every divorce filed in DuPage County goes to the Judicial Center at 505 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton. Most of them settle. What differs is how much time, money and goodwill are spent first, and that is largely set in the opening weeks, before anyone has filed anything.
An agreed case ends at a prove-up, which is short. A contested one ends at a trial, which is not. Most of the distance between those two outcomes is decided before the first court date.
Figures reflect the firm's own cases. Every case is different.
Four routes out of a courtroom
Choosing the wrong one costs more than choosing none. This is the conversation we have first.
A guided negotiation with a neutral third party instead of a judge.
Works when
Both people want the same outcome and disagree about how to reach it.
Does not work when
One spouse is hiding money, or one cannot speak freely in the room.
Both spouses and both attorneys sign an agreement committing to settle, under the Illinois Collaborative Process Act (750 ILCS 90).
Works when
Both people want privacy, control over the outcome, and a team that includes financial or parenting neutrals.
Does not work when
Either spouse won't share information voluntarily. If it fails, both attorneys must withdraw and you start over with new counsel. That cost is real, and it is also what gives everyone a stake in finishing.
The same out-of-court intent as collaborative, with less formality and no disqualification clause.
Works when
Both people want to settle but don't want to lose their lawyers if talks stall. It usually starts faster, because there is less paperwork before negotiating begins.
Does not work when
One spouse treats the process as a delay tactic.
One attorney prepares the paperwork for a couple who have already agreed on everything. Flat fee: $3,950, including court costs and filing fees.
Works when
The agreement is settled and neither person needs separate advice.
Does not work when
Anything is still in dispute. We will say so if that is the case.
Neutral third party
A guided negotiation with a neutral third party instead of a judge.
Works when
Both people want the same outcome and disagree about how to reach it.
Does not work when
One spouse is hiding money, or one cannot speak freely in the room.
750 ILCS 90
Both spouses and both attorneys sign an agreement committing to settle, under the Illinois Collaborative Process Act (750 ILCS 90).
Works when
Both people want privacy, control over the outcome, and a team that includes financial or parenting neutrals.
Does not work when
Either spouse won't share information voluntarily. If it fails, both attorneys must withdraw and you start over with new counsel. That cost is real, and it is also what gives everyone a stake in finishing.
No disqualification clause
The same out-of-court intent as collaborative, with less formality and no disqualification clause.
Works when
Both people want to settle but don't want to lose their lawyers if talks stall. It usually starts faster, because there is less paperwork before negotiating begins.
Does not work when
One spouse treats the process as a delay tactic.
Flat fee $3,950
One attorney prepares the paperwork for a couple who have already agreed on everything. Flat fee: $3,950, including court costs and filing fees.
Works when
The agreement is settled and neither person needs separate advice.
Does not work when
Anything is still in dispute. We will say so if that is the case.
When none of these will work, Kari tries the case. She has done that in DuPage and Cook County courtrooms for thirty years, which is why she can tell you when you don't need to.
When court is necessaryThe route changes how you get there. These are the questions every DuPage case has to answer.
Kari L. Cornelison · Owner / Attorney
Kari has practiced family law in the Chicago area since 1996. She is a court-certified mediator, a trained collaborative practitioner, and a divorce litigator with years of trial work in the DuPage and Cook County courts.
The combination is deliberate. Lawyers who only settle tend to overvalue settlement, and lawyers who only try cases tend to undervalue it. Having done both, she can tell you what a judge in Wheaton is realistically likely to do with your facts, and then leave the decision with the person whose life it is.
You work with Kari. Not an associate who inherits the file in month eight and needs the whole story again.
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What happens when you call
You tell Kari your situation and bring your questions. She explains your rights and obligations on parenting time, support, maintenance and property, runs the numbers with Family Law Software, and tells you what the DuPage or Cook County system has in store, including whether your spouse is likely to engage in a non-court process. Most people leave knowing more than they expected to.
Confidential.No one will know you were here. We don't keep a mailing list and won't contact you unless you ask.
No obligation.No pressure to file, no pressure to hire us.
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Every DuPage case runs through the same courthouse in Wheaton, so where you live inside the county changes the drive, not the case. Most consultations, mediation sessions and document reviews happen by phone or video. A second office at 47 W. Polk Street serves clients on the Cook County side.
If your town isn't listed, it doesn't matter. We take cases from every community in DuPage County and file in Cook when that's where the case belongs.
Offices & areas we serveCall (630) 928-0600, or send a message and Kari will call you back. Callbacks are discreet: leave a secure email or personal cell.
Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM · (630) 928-0600
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