Not every Illinois marriage remains intact until the death of one of the spouses. For various reasons, a couple sometimes decides to end a marriage through divorce. Each situation is different and many spouses who choose to end his or her marital union also decide to seek legal counsel in the matter. Others turn to friends and family for help.
In a recent case, a woman who says she is in need of a divorce has turned, not only to her relatives and friends for advice and support, but to the general public as well. The woman has stated that for 10 out of the 11 years she’s been married to her husband, she and her children have allegedly suffered multiple types of abuse. The husband and father in question is said to be in jail currently.
Because finances were severely limited in the above-mentioned woman’s case, she has reportedly turned to crowd-funding as a means to raise monies to fund her divorce. This is a type of Internet fund-raising where a person launches a web page, telling his or her story and asking for donations to help with a particular cause. Thus far, the woman has stated that she has raised almost $2,000 in donations so that she will be able to pursue legal action to obtain a divorce.
Public opinion on crowd-funding sites varies. Supporters say that it is a good way for a person who needs legal help or other assistance to appeal to the generosity of others in order to get the help they need but would not otherwise be able to afford. Others have stated that they do not think people should ask the public to pay for things like a divorce. It might comfort Illinois residents to know that there are experienced attorneys in the area, many of whom offer a free initial consultation in order to discuss the details of an individual case and help determine how best to proceed.
Source: Geneva, IL Patch, “Geneva Woman Turns to Crowdfunding to Pay for Divorce“, Amie Schaenzer, Sept. 3, 2015
