Posted by Erin Birt | Feb 12, 2021 | 0 Comments
It’s a good idea to prepare for your divorce attorney consultation in advance to make sure your meeting is productive and you get the most out of it.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Jan 04, 2021 | 0 Comments
For most people, 2020 was a challenging and tumultuous year. If you are considering a divorce or have already begun the process, these challenges could be amplified dramatically. Dealing with legal hearings or managing visitation can be particularly difficult in the face of a global pandemic. Thankfully, the right attorney can ease these burdens and assist you with obtaining a fresh start in 2021.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Nov 06, 2020 | 0 Comments
The holidays should be a joyful time of year — they can also be stressful for divorced families. With so many celebrations and family gatherings in November and December, parents understandably want to spend more time with their children. Many parents might think the only way they can modify their holiday parenting plan is through the court. However, a divorce court will rarely consider a parenting time pleading filed during the holiday season to be an emergency, and it could even take weeks before your case is heard.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Oct 07, 2020 | 0 Comments
Divorce is not only hard on the spouses — it can be devastating for kids, too. If you’re thinking about ending your marriage, you might consider mediation instead of litigation. Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution method that can reduce stress, minimize time spent in court, and allow you to be in control of the outcome of your divorce.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Sep 23, 2020 | 0 Comments
Using a parenting coordinator in your DuPage divorce can reduce conflict and help ensure the best interests of your children are met.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Aug 18, 2020 | 0 Comments
If you’re considering bankruptcy while you’re also considering or pursuing a divorce, the good news is that you can pursue a bankruptcy and a divorce at the same time in Illinois. But whether to file—and which one to pursue first—may depend a lot on your situation.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Jul 15, 2020 | 0 Comments
Spousal support, also known as alimony or maintenance, is a legal obligation for one spouse to financially support the other after a divorce is final. In many litigious divorces, the issue of alimony is one of the primary roadblocks. The good news is that, like with all financial issues in a divorce, it may be possible to resolve the issue of spousal support through the collaborative divorce process.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Jul 01, 2020 | 0 Comments
COVID-19 has changed many aspects of divorce in DuPage County. The pandemic has had an impact on custody, parenting time, domestic violence, court procedures, and the way that divorces are initiated and carried out. The effects of COVID-19 have also increased virtual services and new ways for matrimonial attorneys to serve their clients.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Apr 14, 2020 | 0 Comments
Around the world, divorced and divorcing parents are finding themselves stuck. Courts are closed as their families are dealing with new pressures, such as agreeing on safety measures for children or managing custody schedules thrown into chaos during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our firm is still operating at full efficient capacity and we invite you to learn more about how Collaborative Divorce with Birt Law can help you and your children today.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Apr 06, 2020 | 0 Comments
To help a child struggling with the Shelter in Place Order throughout Illinois and in DuPage County, parents should follow their consistent parenting plan, compromise to put the child first, and use available resources to help the child engage with their parents and remain connected with others.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 23, 2020 | 0 Comments
Now that the Governor of Illinois has issued a Shelter in Place Order, what is the impact of the order on Visitation and Parenting Time exchanges in DuPage County and beyond? There are two emerging positions to consider how custody agreements are impacted by the Executive Order to Shelter in Place. Some feel the child stays with the parent currently in possession of the child when the Shelter in Place Order went into effect. Others feel that travel for the purpose of complying with a parenting time order is essential travel and thus parenting time and visitation exchanges shall still occur.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 20, 2020 | 0 Comments
Don't let the recent news and orders prevent you from seeking divorce and family law services to help you live a better family life for yourself and your children. During these challenging times, we recommend a shift away from the traditional ways to divorce and co-parent and toward utilizing the time-tested and proven-effective alternative dispute resolution options that Birt Law has been successfully practicing for over 15 years.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 19, 2020 | 0 Comments
DuPage County Divorce Court Operating on Limited Basis The DuPage County Divorce Courthouse is currently operating under various restrictions and all civil matters, which include all DuPage County Divorce Cases and all DuPage County Parentage Cases, previously scheduled through April 17, 2020 ar...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 16, 2020 | 0 Comments
Coronavirus, COVID-19, is having a significant impact on all families and businesses, including law firms and the court system, and during these confusing times you should not have to worry about putting off your legal goals or worry about the progress of your family law or divorce case. Our firm remains open to assist you and to work toward resolving your case.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Feb 20, 2020 | 0 Comments
According to the newly released 2018 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Illinois ranks #13 for highest average cost for a divorce with or without children. Learn why divorce can be expensive and tips for controlling divorce related costs in DuPage County and throughout Illinois.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Nov 18, 2019 | 0 Comments
With the winter months quickly approaching, clients are planning their 2019 Holiday Visitation Schedule and Parenting Time Schedules. We thought it would be a good idea to highlight some of our clients top DuPage County Divorce Tips for 2019 Holiday Visitation and Parenting Time.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Nov 04, 2019 | 0 Comments
There are emerging new trends in the DuPage County Uncontested Divorce Prove Up Hearings that you must know to complete your divorce. Learn more about why it is important to have a DuPage County divorce attorney that is familiar with the Judge Assignments, the Judge's preferences, and the current local court rules.
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Posted by Erin Birt | Sep 23, 2019 | 0 Comments
You might feel like your DuPage County Divorce will never end. You seem to have endless paperwork to complete, telephone conferences with your Divorce Lawyer, and emotional conversations with friends and family. You often wonder: When will my divorce be over? In this blog, we will summarize 3 signs that your DuPage County Divorce is finally over.
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Posted by Erin Birt | May 21, 2019 | 0 Comments
If you are contemplating divorcing or asking for child support, you are likely thinking about the cost to hire a child support attorney, whether custody mediation is worth it, and how much are the estimated costs for a child custody case in DuPage County? There are many similar questions, and in ...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Apr 15, 2019 | 0 Comments
Recently the DuPage County Bar Association's Family Law Committee focused on Parental Alienation from a Child's Perspective in Illinois which we will highlight in this post. In a previous post, I focused on the Illinois case law that further explains Parental Alienation and in this post I will hi...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 18, 2019 | 0 Comments
In Illinois, divorcing couples need to prepare emotionally and financially for both the divorce process and life after divorce. When preparing emotionally, you may speak with a friend, family member, or trusted counselor. When preparing financially, your friend or family member might not be able...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 12, 2019 | 0 Comments
We have previously discussed how courts look at assets and how different methods of divorce disclose and find assets. Do you know, however, that most couples don't even know what assets make up their total marital estate? So if you don't know what assets make up your marital estate, how do you k...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Mar 03, 2019 | 0 Comments
A contested DuPage County Divorce can last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years or more in the court system. In an earlier post, I highlighted Tips for Your Final Divorce Hearing, but what if you need help getting to your final divorce hearing? By hiring DuPage County Divorce Attorney Erin Birt yo...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Feb 20, 2019 | 0 Comments
Child custody exchanges between parents can be happy, peaceful, awkward, or downright horrible, depending on the relationship or issues between you and your ex-spouse. Family mediation might be needed in very difficult situations, but below are some general tips to make safe and stress free child...
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Posted by Erin Birt | Feb 12, 2019 | 0 Comments
Your divorce planning is done and your final divorce hearing, or Prove Up Hearing, has arrived. This is when the divorcing parties formally request that the judge approve the terms of their settlement, enter a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage, and finalize the case. Below are some tips for y...
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