Law Offices of Michael F. Roe LLC

Our law and dispute resolution practice is focused on complex divorce and custody cases, domestic violence, parentage (paternity) cases, and post decree support and custody modification. Many of the office's cases include issues of contested child custody, property division, restoring visitation with children, modification of support, prosecuting or defending Orders of Protection, and domestic battery cases.

Website: https://www.illinois-attorney.net/
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The custody evaluator is a neutral, court-appointed professional (often a licensed psychologist) tasked with conducting an independent clinical evaluation to provide the court with objective information regarding the child(ren)’s best interests. Their role is to assess the family system dynamics, parenting abilities, and the child’s needs to make recommendations about:
  • Allocation of Parental Responsibilities: This includes decision-making authority (e.g., education, healthcare, religion, extracurricular activities) and parenting time schedules.
  • Best Interests of the Child: The evaluator focuses on factors outlined in 750 ILCS 5/602.5 (for decision-making) and 750 ILCS 5/602.7 (for parenting time), such as the child’s adjustment to home and

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    Continue Reading DuPage Divorce: What is the Role of the Child Custody Evaluator?

    Understanding Dissipation of Marital Assets in an Illinois Divorce: In Illinois divorce cases, the concept of dissipation of marital assets can significantly impact the division of property.
                Dissipation refers to one spouse’s wasteful or improper use of marital assets for purposes unrelated to the marriage, often to the detriment of the other spouse. Understanding this concept is crucial for ensuring a fair division of property during divorce proceedings. Under Illinois law, specifically the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, marital assets are divided equitably, not necessarily equally.
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               Dissipation

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    Continue Reading Kane County Divorce: What is a Claim of Dissipation in an Illinois Divorce?

    Why High-Conflict Divorces with a Narcissist Are So Difficult
    Divorcing a narcissist is uniquely challenging, often escalating into high-conflict scenarios that drain emotional, financial, and mental resources. Narcissistic personality traits (NPD)—such as grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy—create a perfect storm of obstacles that make these divorces particularly difficult.
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    Understanding why these situations are so difficult requires examining the narcissist’s behavior, their impact on the legal process, and the emotional toll on the other spouse. First, narcissists thrive on control and validation, which makes them resistant to compromise. In a divorce, where negotiation and cooperation are

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    Continue Reading Kane County Divorce: Why High-Conflict Divorces with a Narcissist Are So Difficult

    Toxic narcissists often use gaslighting in divorce cases to manipulate their spouses and maintain control. Gaslighting—a form of psychological abuse where the narcissist distorts reality to make their spouse doubt their perceptions, memory, or sanity—serves several purposes in this context:
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  • Power and Control: Narcissists thrive on dominance. By gaslighting, they undermine their spouse’s confidence, making them question their decisions, such as pursuing the divorce or asserting their rights. This can weaken the spouse’s resolve and give the narcissist leverage in negotiations or court proceedings.
  • Deflecting Blame: Narcissists rarely accept fault. Gaslighting allows them to rewrite events, portraying themselves as the

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    Continue Reading DuPage Divorce Attorney: What is Narcissistic Gaslighting?

    Parental alienation is often described in terms of three levels or degrees, which reflect the severity of the alienating behaviors and their impact on the child’s relationship with the targeted parent. These levels were notably outlined by  experts like Dr. Amy J. L. Baker. Here’s a breakdown:
  • Mild Parental Alienation
    • Description: The child exhibits mild resistance or reluctance to spend time with the targeted parent but still maintains a relationship. The alienating parent may subtly undermine the other parent through occasional negative comments, scheduling conflicts, or mild interference.
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    Continue Reading Kane County Divorce: 3 Levels of Parental Alienation

    Parental alienation is a serious concern in divorce and child custody cases, particularly in Illinois, where courts prioritize the best interests of the child. It occurs when one parent intentionally or unintentionally manipulates a child to reject, fear, or distance themselves from the other parent, damaging their relationship. This behavior can have profound emotional and psychological effects on both the child and the targeted parent, often complicating custody arrangements and parenting time disputes. Understanding how Illinois law addresses parental alienation is crucial for parents navigating divorce or custody proceedings.
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    In Illinois, parental alienation is not explicitly defined as a standalone

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    Continue Reading DuPage Divorce: What is Parental Alienation in Illinois law?

    Many of our clients have initial questions about how the major decisions for the minor children will be made after the divorce is completed. While joint decision making is conceptually ideal, in many cases requiring the parties to make major decisions together can create disagreements, leading to further litigation. In some cases, a major decision like religion is not at issue but matters like the children’s extracurriculars and medical/dental or therapy treatments often create discord among parents.  How does the Court assess whether to award a parent joint or sole decision making for the children?
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    The court determines whether to…
    Continue Reading Kane County Divorce: How does the Court assess whether to award a parent joint or sole decision making for the children? 

    A parent seeking resources about divorce and searching for the right lawyer, is involved in a process that is stressful. It’s important to appreciate that an experienced Family Lawyer (such as our firm) along with other resources can make the process manageable and not unduly stressful for the parents or the kids.
    Why Divorce with Children in Kane County or DuPage County Can Be Difficult
  • Emotional Challenges:
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    Continue Reading Kane County Divorce Lawyer: What Makes Divorce with Kids So Stressful?

    Michael Roe has for many years focused a significant part of his practice on Child Custody issues, including Parental Alienation cases. Few lawyers nationally have the background, experience, and dedication to this critical issue in Family Law.  As a long term member of PASG, our firm already looks forward to the PASG meeting this year, with details below.
    One Definition of Parental Alienation:
    Parental alienation refers to a situation in which one parent intentionally or unintentionally manipulates a child to reject, fear, or distance themselves from the other parent without legitimate justification. This behavior often involves actions such as badmouthing

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    Continue Reading Illinois Divorce: One Definition of Parental Alienation:

    While our firm has strong financial expertise, Michael Roe has always had a strong focus on child custody issues, including complex child custody litigation.
    In Illinois law, the term “child custody” has been replaced by “allocation of parental responsibilities” and “parenting time” since January 1, 2016, under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA). The shift in terminology reflects a focus on shared parenting and the best interests of the child, moving away from the older, more adversarial concepts of custody and visitation. Here’s a clear breakdown of the differences:
    • Child Custody (Pre-2016 Term):
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    Continue Reading Kane County Divorce: Child Custody and New Definitions in Illinois Law

    Ilyssa Panitz freely admits she gave up the financial reins when she got married.
    “I did not keep an eye on the money, even though I got married later in life,” says Panitz, 54, who lives in Westchester County, N.Y. “My former spouse worked in accounting and I was taking care of the kids, and I figured ‘This is great’.”
    Then, after 13 years of marriage, says Panitz, who hosts the nationally syndicated radio show, “The Divorce Hour with Illyssa Panitz,” she told her husband she wanted to split up. And she realized her ignorance about their money situation “was…
    Continue Reading Illinois Divorce Lawyer: Record Divorces Among Seniors 

    Feedspot ranks the best Divorce blogs from thousands of blogs on the web and ranked by relevancy, authority, social media followers & freshness.

    Feedspot provides tools like keyword alerts from Google News, local news tracking by city or zip code, and one-click sharing options to platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Pocket, making it a powerful tool for staying informed and managing content efficiently. For businesses or creators, it also offers opportunities to promote content and connect with targeted audiences through its extensive database of influencers and bloggers. Overall, Feedspot streamlines information consumption and supports both personal and professional use cases.

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    Continue Reading Illinois Divorce: Best Divorce Law Blogs from Feedspot for 2025

    In Illinois, divorcing parties fill out a Financial Affidavit statewide form to provide a clear and comprehensive snapshot of their financial situation during the divorce process. This form is a standardized document that helps promote transparency and fairness when it comes to dividing assets, determining spousal support (alimony), and, if applicable, calculating child support. Illinois law imposes legal duties on parties to complete the form truthfully and to make full disclosures of income, expenses assets and liabilities.  
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    The affidavit requires each party to disclose details about their income, expenses, debts, and assets. This information is crucial because Illinois follows an

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    Continue Reading Illinois Divorce: What is the Financial Affidavit used in Illinois Divorces?

    It’s always interesting to read the famous Illinois Supreme Court case of In re Marriage of Bates, 212 Ill. 2d 489. As a younger lawyer I was an attorney on this case, and later was subpoenaed by the trial counsel to testify in the case as an expert knowledgeable in the field of Parental Alienation studies. This case is a landmark case in the area of Parental Alienation, as Illinois recognized Parental Alienation as a factor in a child custody decision.
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    “E, as proponent of the PAS testimony, proffered three expert witnesses and 136 articles from…
    Continue Reading Illinois Divorce: The Early Bates Case: Parental Alienation

    Signs of parental alienation include: badmouthing the other parent, limiting contact with the alienated parent, interfering with communication, forcing the child to choose sides, creating a perception of danger from the alienated parent, asking the child to keep secrets, referring to the alienated parent by their first name, withholding important information, changing the child’s name to distance them from the alienated parent, cultivating dependency in the child, and the child exhibiting a lack of ambivalence or guilt towards the alienated parent, often claiming their negative feelings are their own choice (“independent thinker phenomenon”) while supporting the alienating parent excessively. 
    Key points

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    Continue Reading Illinois Divorce: Signs of Parental Alienation