Whether you are unmarried or planning to divorce, child custody matters may be at the top of your mind. In Illinois, child custody is broken down into two main components. The allocation of parental responsibilities is the allocation of decision-making authority over the child. Parental responsibilities address questions such as where the child will go to school or what type of medical care the child will receive. Parenting time is the second component in a child custody case. Parenting time is the time a parent watches the child and is directly responsible for the child’s safety and well-being.   
Child custody…
Continue Reading Child Custody Myths Every Illinois Parent Should Be Aware of

Courts generally presume that both parents are capable of providing adequate supervision and care for a child. Unless there is a reason to believe otherwise, parents are generally given the right to have unrestricted parenting time (previously called visitation) with their child.
However, the child’s best interests are always the top priority in a child custody or divorce case. If there are concerns about a child’s safety or a parent’s ability to provide a safe environment for the child, the court may order supervised visitation.
Supervised Visitation and Other Parenting Time Restrictions
In some family law cases, a parent or…
Continue Reading When is Supervised Visitation Required by an Illinois Court? 

The divorce process can take months if not years – especially if the couple has children or complex finances. Divorcing parents may wish to use a temporary child custody order to decide and formalize their parenting responsibilities during the divorce process. In Illinois, temporary child custody orders are issued to protect the best interests of children and outline parenting time, legal decision-making authority, and other details of the parenting arrangements. Having a temporary child custody order can ensure that both parents understand their child-related rights and responsibilities. A temporary order can also promote consistency in the child’s life and ease…
Continue Reading Temporary Child Custody Orders in Illinois 

For most people, their home is the single most valuable asset they own. Whether it is a house, condominium, townhouse, or another type of property, it is likely that the bulk of your net worth is tied up in real estate. This is one reason that determining what to do with the house during a divorce is so important – and often so difficult.
There are seemingly countless legal, financial, and personal factors to consider when deciding what to do with the marital home during divorce. Selling the home may allow a couple to pay off joint debt and begin…
Continue Reading Should I Keep the House in My Divorce?

In Illinois and throughout the country, same-sex couples now have the right to marry, and with that comes the right to adopt or raise a child together. However, this also means that should these couples choose to separate or divorce, they can face complex child custody disputes.
If you are an LGBT parent facing a child custody dispute, it is important to understand your rights under the law. In Illinois, parents have equal rights when it comes to making decisions about their children’s upbringing—regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This blog post will explain the legal framework surrounding…
Continue Reading Navigating Child Custody Disputes Involving LGBT Parents in Illinois

Domestic violence touches the lives of people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and lifestyles. It can take many forms, including physical abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, financial control, and sexual abuse. Many people who are caught up in abusive relationships live lives filled with fear, anger, and confusion. They desperately wish to get out of the relationship, but they worry about the consequences of doing so.
If you are in an abusive relationship, know that you are not alone and that there is help available. It is important to remember that leaving an abusive partner can be dangerous, as abusers may…
Continue Reading Taking the First Steps to Leave an Abusive Relationship 

A divorce is a stressful process, and it is even more difficult if one spouse is hiding assets or lying about their finances. Divorcing spouses are required to provide an accurate account of their income and assets during a divorce. This information is used to determine child support, divide property and debts, and more. However, some spouses lie about money or hide assets during divorce.
It can be difficult to tell whether your spouse is being truthful during the divorce process, but there are a few signs that could indicate financial dishonesty. Knowing these signs can help you protect your…
Continue Reading Uncovering Financial Lies During Divorce in Illinois

The term “high-conflict divorce” may seem redundant. Afterall, every divorce involves conflict. However, some divorce cases are much more acrimonious than others. When divorcing spouses are unable to move past their anger, frustration and hurt feelings, the divorce process can become a bitter battle. If you are involved in a continuous separation or divorce, you know this firsthand. Here are some tips that may help you navigate a high-conflict divorce and ensure that your rights are protected.
Navigating a Contentious Divorce and Protecting Your Rights
There is no way to completely avoid the stress that comes with a high-conflict divorce.
Continue Reading 5 Tips for Your High-Conflict Divorce

When a spouse starts exploring the possibility of divorce, he or she is often met with confusing legal jargon and complex divorce laws. It can be hard to interpret dense legal information in preparation for a divorce. One issue that causes an especially high degree of confusion is property division. Divorcing spouses are often unsure of what is theirs and what is their spouse’s property. They are unsure of what they will keep after the split and worry about what they will be forced to give up during the divorce. This blog will provide a general outline of…
Continue Reading What Does Equitable Distribution Actually Mean?

Sharing a child with an ex can be exceptionally complicated. Parents who used to be married or in a romantic relationship together often have unresolved feelings of resentment toward each other. Some parents can put these feelings to the side for the sake of their co-parenting relationship. Others cannot.
Parental alienation occurs when a parent deliberately damages the child’s relationship with their other parent. It can be extremely harmful to both the child and the parent. Parental alienation can also influence child custody decisions.
What Does Parental Alienation Look Like?
Parents’ main priority should be caring for their children. Unfortunately,…
Continue Reading Parental Alienation: When Parents Sabotage the Parent-Child Relationship

Paternity or parentage is the legal relationship of a father to his child. Establishing paternity is important because it establishes the rights and duties of both the mother and father to their child. Fathers cannot petition the court for parenting time or parental responsibilities until paternity is established. Similarly, mothers cannot ask the court for a child support order until paternity is established.
In Illinois, there are several ways that paternity can be established, including a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, court order, or administrative order. In some cases, DNA testing is needed to confirm paternity.
Genetic Paternity Testing
DNA testing…
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For many couples, dividing assets during divorce is the most complicated and conflict-filled aspect of the divorce process.  This is especially true in Illinois, where the division of assets is governed by a mix of common law and statutory rules. If you are planning to divorce, you may have questions like, “Who keeps the house?” or “What happens to our bank accounts?” You may also have questions about complex assets like investments and retirement accounts or liabilities like student loan debt and credit card debt. This blog will cover some of the fundamental aspects of property division in Illinois…
Continue Reading Marital And Non-Marital Property In An Illinois Divorce

Massive layoffs at companies like Twitter and Meta have been making headlines across the country recently. Being laid off from your job can cause a lot of stress and uncertainty, especially if you have children. Simultaneously, in what has been called “The Great Resignation,” people are leaving jobs at an unusually high rate. If you or your child’s other parent is unemployed, you may wonder how this will influence your child support order. The answer to this question depends on several different factors.
Child Support Calculations in Illinois
In Illinois, child support payments are determined through a calculation process called…
Continue Reading Does a Parent Have to Pay Child Support If They Are Unemployed?