Foreign Service Officers and Family Law

 Posted on January 14, 2015 in Family Law

Every year, thousands of Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) serve the United States through global action and diplomacy. These men and women often spend years stationed abroad, while still maintaining residency in Illinois. When dealing with family law issues, FSOs face unique challenges, particularly in divorce and child custody matters. Living and working overseas while handling a divorce or other family law matter can be quite difficult. FSOs must take these difficulties into consideration before proceeding with any family law case.

FSO Divorce Challenges     

Regardless of occupation, anyone getting divorced in Illinois must be a legal resident of this jurisdiction. Your residency is generally defined by where you live (your permanent address) and your voting district. To get divorced in Illinois, you or your spouse must have been a resident for at least 90 days prior to filing for divorce. For a Foreign Service Officer seeking divorce, the first challenge is establishing that you meet residency requirements to proceed with the case. An experienced family law attorney can determine whether the divorce residency criteria are met in your case, and help you decide where to file your case.

Another complex divorce is property division. This particular issue can be even more complicated for Foreign Service Officers. Handling property division in a divorce where one or both spouses live abroad can be hard, especially if either spouse owns property in a foreign country. All Illinois divorce property division disputes will involve equitable distribution of the assets, which means that each spouse receives a fair share of the marital property based on a number of factors. Your lawyer can help you resolve the property challenges you may face as an FSO.

 International Custody Issues   

Besides financial and property issues, many Foreign Service Officer divorce cases involve child custody questions. You or your spouse may want to relocate abroad permanently, even after your assignment ends. Such a move will affect any custody arrangement you have. The relocating spouse may even need to request permission from the court before permanently moving abroad. International visitation may also need to be resolved. Child custody also impacts the amount of child support a parent is obligated to pay.

Experienced Illinois Divorce Attorneys            

The biggest challenge in Foreign Service Officer family law matters is resolving logistical problems. It can be difficult to coordinate a legal case when you live across the globe. This presents unique, but not impossible, problems that require a seasoned divorce attorney's guidance. At the Law Offices of Cosmo Tedone and Barbara Morton, our experienced Plainfield family lawyers are prepared to help FSO clients resolve their matters in a timely and cost-effective manner. Our innovative child custody lawyers will always keep your child's best interests in mind, and can help you make important custody decisions. Contact us today to inquire about a free consultation.