Posted on October 30, 2015 in Divorce

When you and your spouse have decided that your marriage is over and that divorce is the best option, you may be tempted to handle the situation on your own. You are both reasonably intelligent people and the process is pretty straightforward, right?  While you and your spouse may be intelligent, such an assumption is flawed for several reasons. First, the laws surrounding divorce and related concerns are not always as clear as they may seem, and, more importantly, it is impossible to predict all of the potential obstacles and roadblocks that may arise before the divorce is finalized.

By hiring a divorce attorney, even it is only to review your pre-negotiated agreement, you can experience a number of possible benefits. Consider:

• Ongoing training: Most family law attorneys take advantage of continuing education programs and seminars to keep abreast of the latest updates to and interpretations of the law. For example, major changes to divorce and matrimonial law were passed by the Illinois legislature this year, but a quick Google search cannot explain to you how courts will apply the new laws;

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 Posted on October 27, 2015 in Property Division

Everyone knows that when you get divorced, your ex-spouse gets half of everything—unless you have a prenuptial agreement. That is just the way it works, right? Well, not exactly. Not in Illinois anyway, along with about 40 other states. The idea of an equal 50-50 split applies only to the nine states that maintain a standard known as community property in divorce. The remaining states, including Illinois, use what is called an equitable distribution standard, which may vary slightly from state to state, but generally requires a more in-depth consideration of a divorcing couple’s property and circumstances.

Determining and Valuing the Marital Estate

The equitable distribution guidelines in Illinois are contained in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. The process begins with establishing which assets belong to the couple and which belong to each individual spouse. Those that belong to the couple include all property acquired by either spouse during the marriage with limited exceptions for gifts, inheritances, and judgments. Assets owned by either spouse prior to the marriage, along with the exceptions to marital property, are non-marital property and not subject to division. The value of the marital estate must also be determined, which may require the assistance of various experts, including real estate appraisers, financial advisors, and other professionals.

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 Posted on October 23, 2015 in Spousal Support

When a divorce leaves one spouse economically disadvantaged, courts in Illinois are granted the discretion to award spousal maintenance, or alimony, for a period of time following the dissolution of marriage. The purpose of such an award is to provide an opportunity for the spouse receiving maintenance to regain financial independence, if possible, or, if not, to help maintain some semblance of the lifestyle to which he or she was accustomed during the marriage.

Making a Maintenance Determination

In deciding whether or not maintenance is needed or appropriate in a given situation, the court must look at a number of relevant factors regarding the marriage. According the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, these considerations include, but are not limited to:

• Each party’s needs and individually-owned property, including that being allocated in the divorce;
• The needs and earning capacity of each party;

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 Posted on October 16, 2015 in Child Custody

A Michigan judge made headlines earlier this summer when she ordered three children – ages 14, 10, and 9 – to spend time in a juvenile correctional facility when they refused to have lunch with their father. Such an extreme case of parental alienation syndrome is quite rare, but PAS is common in most DuPage County child custody disputes, to one degree or another.

Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Lisa Gorcyca issued the order in a six-year-old divorce case between a General Motors engineer father and a pediatric eye doctor mother. Much of the rancor in the case stems from an August 2010 incident at a West Bloomfield park; the township is an upscale Detroit suburb. Apparently, the mother locked two of the children in a car to “protect” them against their father; a third child climbed to the top of a piece of playground equipment to escape his father who, according to the child, threatened to kill him if he did not come down.

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 Posted on October 13, 2015 in Divorce

The only way for two spouses to end their marriage is by getting a divorce. But, what many people do not realize is that common law marriages also require a divorce before either spouse is free to marry someone else. How do you know if you have a common law marriage?

Illinois and Common Law Marriage

The state of Illinois does not recognize common law marriage. The only way to get married in Illinois is to obtain a marriage license and have a legal ceremony. Common law marriage, however, is recognized in many other states.

In states with common law marriage, a couple is considered to be legally married when they hold themselves out to be married and have lived together for a certain amount of time. Each state is permitted to create its own requirements regarding exactly what constitutes such a marriage. Some, like Illinois, have no criteria under which a common law marriage is assumed to exist.

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 Posted on October 06, 2015 in Child Support

When you are subject to a court order regarding child support, it is obviously very important to meet your required obligations. Your child deserves, at the very least, financial support from both parents, and your payments are intended to help provide him or her with basic necessities including a home, food, and clothing. As time goes on, however, the life situations change. Some changes may be dramatic, such as the loss of a job or serious illness, while others are more gradual, including a rising cost of living and the child’s evolving needs. For this reason, the law in Illinois permits the modification of child support orders to adapt to changing situations.

Significant Change in Circumstances

The most obvious basis for a child support order modification is a drastic change in the life of either parent or the child. A sudden loss of income can make it extremely difficult for you to continue making your required payments. Similarly, if your child is diagnosed with a serious medical condition, his or her financial needs may change significantly in a very short period of time. In such cases, either parent may petition the court for an order modification, while showing the significant change in circumstances and the need for reconsideration.

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 Posted on September 29, 2015 in Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements

As the age at which Americans enter their first marriages continues to rise, each partner is likely to bring more personal history and property to the marriage than those of previous generations. Individuals spend more time as single adults than ever before, often starting careers, buying homes, and investing in various business interests. For many entering marriage for the first time, a prenuptial agreement may be appropriate to help establish what belongs to whom in the event the marriage does not succeed. For those entering a subsequent marriage, however, a prenuptial agreement may be virtually necessary to account for even more complex personal situations.

Second and Third Marriages

If you are considering remarriage, one of two things have already happened: you have been widowed by the death of a spouse or you have been through the process of divorce. Therefore, you probably have a pretty good understanding of many of the complexities that can present themselves. A prenuptial agreement, as you probably realize, can help remove a great deal of uncertainty through cooperation while the spirit of togetherness is alive and well between you and your soon-to-be spouse. Drafting a prenuptial agreement is not betting against your marriage any more than a life insurance policy equals betting against your life. At some point, your marriage will end, either by divorce or death, and a prenuptial can address both realities.

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 Posted on August 28, 2015 in Child Support

The battle for child support does not always end in the courtroom. In some cases, after child support is determined by the court, the non-custodial parent refuses to pay the expected amount. This defiance of a court agreement can cause the custodial parent financial strain and emotional trauma as he or she attempts to recover the required support payments.

Wage Garnishment an Important Tool

Though the Illinois Public Aid Code authorizes the state to post the photographs and names of those parents who owe more than $5,000 in support payments, and though a list of the most egregious offenders is kept up by the Illinois Child Support Services, much of the monies for support payments are still not collected. Therefore, a solution must be found, such as direct wage garnishment. While this tool is especially effective, family law attorneys need to be aware of the new stipulations enacted by the Illinois Supreme Court regarding procedures for notices of garnishment.

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 Posted on August 25, 2015 in Divorce

If you took your husband’s last name when you got married, you will be faced with a potentially difficult decision upon your divorce. Of course, the divorce process includes many challenging decisions, but you may find deciding what to do about your name to be among the most conflicted. From an official, legal perspective, changing your name back is easy, but the impact of your changing your name can affect you on a much deeper, emotional level.

While there are examples of divorce decrees requiring a woman to change her name after divorce, for the most part, nobody can force you into a decision. It is a very personal consideration impacted by a wide range of factors, and the right answer is whichever choice satisfies you. In making the decision about changing your name, think about some of the concerns that countless other women have considered:

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 Posted on August 11, 2015 in Child Custody

Child custody and visitation plans can be some of the most challenging and potentially contentious aspects of a dissolution of marriage proceeding. Additionally, the composition of the modern, blended family can present additional challenges when there are stepparents involved in or impacted by custody agreements.

Visitation and Custody Agreements in Illinois for Natural Parents

In Illinois divorce cases involving children, it is typical that one parent is designated as the primary or residential parent of the child(ren). This is to ensure continuity for administration of a legal mailing address and school district qualifications.

The residential or custodial parent is most often the parent with whom the children spend the majority of their time. It is important for parents to understand that joint custody agreements do not automatically equate to an even split of the parenting time between both parents. The non-custodial parent will receive, unless there is a reason to deny the request, visitation rights to foster their relationship with the child(ren) and provide him or her with parenting time.

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