Monthly Archives: February 2017

Determining the Value of Real Estate in Divorce

The division of property in an Illinois divorce is based on the principle of equitable distribution. This means a court is not legally required to divide a couple’s marital property 50/50. Rather, if a couple cannot resolve any outstanding division of property issues on their own, a judge will make a “fair” distribution taking into account a number of factors. Of course, before the court can divideContinue reading

Legal Guardianship of a Child

When a divorce involves children, it is not uncommon for parents to become entrenched in a lengthy, stressful dispute over parental arrangements regarding their children. Illinois courts always seek to allocate parental responsibilities—formerly known as child custody—based on considerations that will promote the child’s overall well-being. As a result, courts do not consider the mother to be the default parent following a divorce and will hearContinue reading

Protective Orders in Illinois

Domestic abuse is a reality for a surprising number of Illinois residents. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that one out of every three women (33 percent) and one out of every four men (25 percent) will be victims of domestic violence in the United States. To prevent instances of domestic violence from occurring – and to prevent victims of domestic violence from beingContinue reading

Frequently Asked Questions About Legal Separation

It is not uncommon for people to use the word “separation” when referring to a stage in their divorce process, but very few people ever actually obtain a legal separation. What most people refer to as a separation is considered by Illinois law to be spouses who are simply “living separate and apart” and requires no legal action on the part of either party. A legalContinue reading

Going Back to Work After Divorce

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), approximately 40 percent of mothers with children under the age of 6 years old do not work outside the home. Considering the high number of divorces that occur each year in the United States, there are a large number of those stay-at-home mothers who will be forced to enter the workforce sooner than they may have planned whenContinue reading

Understanding Parental Responsibilities, Part 2; Parenting Time

Making decisions about parenting in the wake of a divorce can be extremely difficult. It is impossible to predict what the future holds, so your only option is to create a parenting plan that will facilitate cooperation between you and your former spouse for years to come. In a previous post, we discussed the concept of significant decision-making authority and how each parent may be assignedContinue reading

Understanding Parental Responsibilities, Part 1; Significant Decision-Making

Last year, the laws regarding divorce and child custody in the state of Illinois were almost completely overhauled. The update represented the most comprehensive family law reform in nearly four decades. The intent was to bring the state’s family law statutes in line with the needs of today’s families. Among the most significant changes was to considerations for child custody. In fact, the new law all butContinue reading

Is Divorce Contagious?

Humans are social creatures. We are easily influenced by the behavior of those around us, and not always in a positive way. Peer-pressure, for example, is often cited as a source of many problems for teens and young adults. However, it seems that full-grown men and women may also be susceptible to the influence of others, even when it comes to something as personal as divorce.Continue reading