Blog

The recent Illinois Appeals Court case In re Marriage of Perez shows that the courts now favor a decision of joint custody (often without naming a custodial parent) for minor children in divorce cases.  Yet this is not always the best outcome for the children, writes Champaign County Circuit Judg...

For divorcing families, the mediation process can be extremely helpful but also quite stressful. If anyone in the family struggles with alcohol abuse, they may manage their anxiety by coming to sessions under the influence–making the process more challenging for the mediator as well as the partic...

Father's Day for divorced dads can be anything from bittersweet to devastatingly sad, depending on child custody and visitation decisions. According to a recent article on the website Divorce360, “Depression for men is more closely tied to the loss of children than it is to the loss of the marria...

Here are summaries of two recent family law cases from the Appellate Court of Illinois. PAYMENT OF OVERDUE CHILD SUPPORT – In re Marriage of Rocha When this couple divorced in 1998, the husband was ordered to pay child support of $150 per week. In 2001, three years after the initial “Judgment...

In a recent Huffington Post article, 12 Things Kids Think About Divorce But Are Too Afraid To Say, family therapist Tara Kennedy-Kline outlines what your kids probably want to tell you about the divorce, “but don't have the world experience to say directly.” She developed this list after counseli...

Being a parent is often challenging; parenting after a divorce can be even more so for both custodial and non-custodial parents. Creating the right parenting schedule can make this very difficult situation that much easier. From a recent article on the site SinceMyDivorce.com, here are some tips ...

For lawyers and non-lawyers alike who live in DuPage County, Illinois, the DuPage County Bar Association (DCBA) is a valuable resource offering educational seminars, community service programs and even social functions to bring people together. HISTORY AND MISSION STATEMENT The DCBA was charter...

Mediation has become a successful tool for settling family law cases such as divorce or child custody. It's actually just one part of a broad range of processes known as Family Dispute Resolution or FDR. There is a positive outlook for Illinois Divorce Mediation Services. Over the last 25 years,...

In an on-going effort to share helpful information for anyone currently or previously involved in Illinois divorce proceedings, here are summaries of two recent cases from the Appellate Court of Illinois concerning paternity and a Motion Regarding Finding No Paternity. REMOVAL OF A CHILD FROM IL...

There are many reasons why it happens, but sometimes a spouse chooses to end a marriage with little or no warning to their significant other. For the unsuspecting party who didn't see it coming, this sudden life change can leave that person shocked, angry and depressed–often meaning they have no ...

Social media (Facebook, Twitter, texting and more) has become a favorite way for people to share information about their lives in real time.  However, if you're involved in a divorce and/or child custody case, what you post or text can have a huge effect on the ultimate outcome, and you need to b...

Today's mobile society often creates difficult decisions for divorced parents and their children, particularly when a parent needs to move out of the state where the children reside. Last October, I wrote a blog about the importance and value of collaborative divorce for couples with children, wh...

Many people believe that a divorce mediator will resolve the issues that are stalling their Illinois divorce process. However, successful divorce mediation results from the commitment and involvement of the parties involved in the divorce, not the mediator alone.  A recent article by Sandra Crawf...

Below are summaries of two recent cases from the Appellate Court of Illinois. Each one has something worth noting, whether your Illinois divorce proceedings are beginning soon, presently in process, or already completed. This post will focus on child support expenses, grandparent visitation right...

If your Illinois divorce includes child visitation or custody arrangements, you may be assigned a Guardian Ad Litem, often referred to as a GAL. This post will help in understanding the role of a GAL in DuPage County, Illinois. In Family Court, the role of this specially trained, court-appointed...

After a divorce many couples realize that although some decisions looked great on paper, they don't always work in real life. This is particularly true for child custody agreements.  Once everyone has actually lived with the agreement, one parent may decide that they would prefer sole custody of ...

Most people think that divorce is a long, drawn-out process that takes years to be finalized. The truth is that with some practical planning and professional assistance, it is possible to have your DuPage County divorce completed quickly and with a minimal amount of stress. Therefore, this post w...

For some of us, the end of the year is the time to leave painful memories behind and focus on new beginnings in the coming twelve months. This is particularly true if you've experienced a separation or divorce–even if it was amicable.  In my blogs and posts this year I've shared advice and tips o...

Illinois couples creating a postnuptial–similar to a prenuptial or premarital–agreement should carefully develop this document to ensure it will be valid and enforceable in the event of a divorce. As noted in the recent case In re Marriage of Iqbal and Khan, it's important that the document does...

Illinois has enacted progressive adoption laws that protect the rights of birth parents (as well as adoptive parents) throughout the adoption process. This post will focus on Rights of Birth Parents In Illinois Adoptions. The document Birth Parents' Rights and Responsibilities in Illinois define...

People dealing with divorce or mental health issues have a great deal on their plates. Whether I'm working out a parenting plan through divorce mediation or performing addiction counseling, I love helping my clients find the path to a new (and hopefully happier) life. When asked, my clients are ...

For divorced couples and their families, Thanksgiving can be anything but a day of celebration. While it may always be a difficult day, creating new traditions can eventually help Thanksgiving to again become a special rather than a dreaded time of year. Thanksgiving Traditions After Divorce: H...

One of the most difficult issues for divorcing couples in Illinois is how to handle the debt that has been accumulated during the marriage. It is definitely not as simple as “handing it off” to one party or the other. This post will focus on Resolving Divorce Debt Issues Through Mediation. While...

Custody issues in divorce are no longer just about children. As shown in a recent web article, hostile and passionate battles are now often fought over placement and/or visitation rights for pets in many divorce cases. This is another situation where divorce mediation can find a solution that wor...

Divorcing and divorced couples with children have a little extra planning to do for the holiday season; namely, when and where those children will connect with each parent for holiday visitations. If not thought out well in advance, issues with visitation schedules can increase everyone's stress ...