Circuit court granted in part husband's petition to modify or terminate monthly maintenance awarc from $35,000 per month to $27,500 per month. Court granted in part wife's petition for attorney's fees, and filed petition for prospective attorney fees to defend against appeal filed by husband; court granted petition in part. Circuit court properly considered statutory factors to conclude that wife was not able to pay entirety of her fees. Under Section 503(j), award of attorney fees was proper, and court properly ordered husband to pay total of $160,000 of wife's attorney fees. Court reviewed wife's efforts to become self-supporting and found them sufficient, and thoroughly examined each applicable statutory factory for modifying maintenance award; thus, reduction in maintenance is well supported by record and was not abuse of discretion.(KARMEIER, FREEMAN, THOMAS, KILBRIDE, BURKE, and THEIS, concurring.)
Illinois Supreme Court
Civil Court
Maintenance