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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

There's been little or no fighting. You're on relatively good terms with each other. You actually even like each other. It's just that you don't love each other any longer and divorce is the inevitable outcome. In situations like this–and even ones with more emotion–collaborative divorce planning...

In Illinois, parental alienation is the programming of a child by the alienating parent to believe that one parent is good and the other parent is bad with the goal that the child completely rejects the other parent. In 2012, I discussed the Illinois custody case, In re the Marriage of D.T.W., w...

Are you considering getting a divorce in Illinois in 2019? The first month of 2019 is already over, Happy New Year! 2019 is off to a fast start so today I will provide easy tips to help you finish your Illinois divorce in 2019. In my previous post, When to Get a Divorce, I discussed divorce timin...

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Mackenzie Bezos, have announced that they will divorce after 25 years of marriage.  They made the announcement on January 9, 2019, however, they revealed that their family and friends have known for some time that they planned to divorce.  Reportedly the ri...

Serious mental illnesses such as depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, and schizophrenia impact over half a million adult Illinois residents.  The need to address serious mental illnesses during a divorce is becoming more common and it is important to use an attorney that has experience and ex...

A significant mental health diagnosis or guardianship might result in procedural, emotional, and financial complications during an Illinois Divorce. In a previous post, Mental Health Questions to Ask Your Illinois Divorce Attorney, I discussed questions you need to immediately ask your divorce at...

Major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and serious psychological distress can increase the risk of divorce in Illinois. It is important for the person to receive the appropriate treatment and it is just as important that they have ongoing treatment and support during the divo...