Disclaimer: All facts gleaned from the filings stated hereafter are only as truthful as the petitioner. The tone of this article expresses a style of writing historically employed by America’s greatest writers and, as such, is for opinion purposes only. No intentional harm is due. Do not read if the topic of divorce (even your own) causes you emotional distress. Continue at your own risk.
The marriage of Laura Campbell and Patrick Bakke, once solemnized in Chicago on August 17, 2019, now finds itself poised for closure under the weight of irreconcilable differences. On April 16, 2025, Campbell filed a verified petition for dissolution of marriage in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, through her attorneys at Taradash Given, P.C.
According to the filing, the couple has lived separate and apart for no less than six months—a requirement firmly grounded in Illinois jurisprudence and substantiated by precedent cases such as In re: Marriage of Kenick and Dowd. The petitioner affirms that reconciliation has been attempted but ultimately proved futile, and that further efforts would be neither practicable nor beneficial to either party.
Now 37, Campbell asserts that both she and the 36-year-old respondent have established sufficient residency in Illinois and are gainfully employed. The marriage, while devoid of children or ongoing maintenance needs, saw the accumulation of shared financial holdings, including bank and retirement accounts. The petition calls for a fair distribution of these marital assets and debts, while separately awarding non-marital property to each party.
Notably, Campbell requests that the court bar Bakke from receiving maintenance and that the division of assets and obligations be guided by equitable considerations rather than rigid formulas. Her plea concludes with a call for such additional relief as the court may find fair and appropriate. As the case proceeds in a jurisdiction increasingly reliant on remote hearings, its outcome will unfold, quietly, on a digital stage.
Please contact VowBreakers for access to documents related to the case.
