Tag Archives: Illinois law
Is Filing for Divorce First Helpful?
If you are considering a divorce, one of the first things you should do is contact a qualified family law attorney. Attempting to go through divorce on your own can be overwhelming can may lead to financial challenges in your post-divorce life. There are several other things you can do that can help to secure your desired outcome. Even as you try to decide if divorceContinue reading
Modification of a Family Court Order
When a family court has issued a ruling or the approval of an agreement in an allocation of parental responsibilities case, it may seem like the case is closed. In many situations, however, things are just getting started. Illinois law allows for either parent to ask the court to modify the order in the future if and when an update becomes necessary. Before a modification will beContinue reading
Helping Your Child With College Costs
With spring right around the corner and summer to follow soon after, school-aged children are beginning to look forward to a long break. For many high school seniors, it is also a time to start making preparations for college or other types of post-high school education. Of course, this also means figuring out a way to pay for it. If you are the parent ofContinue 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
How Long Will I Need to Pay Child Support?
If you are divorced parent who has been ordered to make child support payments, you probably realize that your contributions are intended to help the other parent cover your child’s basic needs. Your child support order may also include considerations for you son or daughter’s education, medical care, and other expenses. As you make your payments each month—or see them deducted from your paycheck—you may beContinue reading
Will an Illinois Divorce Court Punish a Cheating Spouse?
It is very difficult to know for sure what percentage of people have ever cheated on their spouse. Part of the reason is due to the various definitions that couples may have for “cheating.” What one person may see as unfaithful behavior, another person may not, and vice versa. From a practical standpoint, large-scale statistics mean very little to a person who recently discovered thatContinue reading
Wrongful Conviction Settlement to Be Treated as Marital Property
A few weeks ago, a post on this blog talked a little bit about how personal injury settlements and similar awards are typically handled in divorce cases. In most situations, a settlement is considered to be part of the marital estate if the cause for legal action arose during the marriage—even if no money changes hands until after the divorce. Conversely, an award is usually non-marital if the causeContinue reading
Changing Your Child’s Last Name Following a Divorce
When you adopt a child, it is understandable that you would want the child to take on your family’s name, so a petition for changing the child’s last name would be likely be granted. The situation is much different, however, when a parent wishes to change his or her child’s last name following a divorce. A person’s name—including his or her surname—is a big partContinue reading
Can I Stay in the Marital Home After Divorce?
For many couples, their home is the largest investment they will ever make. During a marriage, of course, the marital home can also take on a great deal of sentimental value. When a marriage ends in divorce, there is often much debate regarding which spouse, if any, will keep the home and continue to live in it once the divorce is completed. If you are considering divorceContinue reading
Proceeds of a Personal Injury Verdict or Settlement in Divorce
If you are considering a divorce, you probably understand that you and your spouse will need to divide your marital propertyduring the process. In an ideal situation, the two of you would be able to reach an agreement on your own. Otherwise the court would be required to intervene and make property division decisions for you. Illinois is an equitable distribution state which means that theContinue reading