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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...

Divorce is often the best solution for a troubled marriage–but what if one spouse is not ready to accept that conclusion or one party simply wants to make the divorce process long and difficult out of spite or anger? Some couples spend months negotiating a settlement for an amicable divorce in Il...

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 couples dealing with adultery should know that it is not used in an Illinois divorce court except in very specific circumstances. In other words, it's often not relevant unless there are children involved or funds are being used to support the affair. This post will focus on Is Adultery ...

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 ...

Divorce is a decision that comes with its own set of challenges, not the least of which is how to pay for the services of a divorce attorney. Thankfully, there are legal firms in DuPage County–such as The Law Firm of Erin N. Birt, PC–that offer flat fee options for family law services to help mak...

For couples who turn to mediation for resolving divorce issues in Illinois, it's essential to know whether or not the mediation agreement is enforceable as divorce settlement agreement. A common question is: is a Divorce Mediation Agreement Legally Binding? A recent Illinois Appellate Court case...

From online law companies to firms like the Law Firm of Erin N. Birt, PC, there are many ways to get legal services in DuPage County and Illinois as a whole. However, it can sometimes be difficult to know which option will provide the best results for your particular situation. Here are some impo...

When couples find it difficult to agree on the legal aspects of their separation or divorce because of ongoing conflict or emotional issues, divorce mediation is a proven way for both parties to come to terms on the issues that matter most to each of them.  This post will focus on how Divorce Med...

For couples with children, one of the more difficult aspects of the divorce process is creating a workable parenting solution where both parents can regularly participate in their children's lives. Any contention between the divorcing couple often leaves one parent or the other on the short end o...

Ask many divorced people about their experience of the process, and you'll likely hear that it was just too much–too much aggravation, too much time, too much money. Even uncontested divorce, where both parties have reached an agreement before going to court, can be time-consuming, expensive and ...

Beginning January 1, 2015, significant changes will take effect in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. For divorcing couples in Illinois, 2015 will bring standardized rules for determining the amount and length of court-ordered financial support payments (aka spousal maintenanc...

At some point, everyone needs the assistance of an experienced legal professional. This is especially true for couples experiencing separation or divorce and their attendant issues of child custody, property division and support payments. In these situations, it can be great to have a DuPage Cou...

Anyone who has gone through a divorce will agree that it's one of life's most challenging experiences, with lots of opportunity for conflict and contention. But rather than fighting, how would it be to actually talk out the issues and come to a compromise that all parties can accept? Believe it o...