It's important for parents in Illinois to take their children's needs into account when planning a divorce. For instance, it may be best to wait until your child is a certain age before ending your marriage. However, there are many other variables that you should keep...
Cook County Family Law Blog
What you need to know about custody modification
Some Illinois parents find that they need to alter the child custody order after completing the divorce. They would do this by requesting a modification from the court. While it does require some effort, obtaining a custody modification is possible. The best interests...
Challenges you may face in a same-sex divorce
With the introduction of marriage equality after the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, also comes a wave of same-sex couples seeking divorce. If you live in Illinois and your marriage is coming to an end, you likely have unanswered questions about the...
How involved should your child be in the divorce?
As Illinois parents preparing to split, you have a lot of questions relating to your child. How do you break the news to them? Is there a right time and place? Is there a right way to do it? How involved should your child be, anyway? In this information age, it is too...
How to avoid big mistakes with beneficiaries
Estate planning is often a matter of organizing documents and making sure the right person signs in the right place. Nonetheless, it is easy to let things slip or forget to make vital changes. When it comes to beneficiaries, a small mistake here or there could result...
Contributing to college after divorce in Illinois
Illinois law allows courts to order parents to pay for a child's college expenses after divorce. As one of the few states with this law, Illinois extends support for children beyond their 18th birthdays. Parents with young children who are considering divorce should...
Critical documents for estate planning and medical issues
In the best of circumstances, you should complete health-care directives and documents that deal with compliance with HIPAA laws ahead of a crisis and in the clear light of calm reason. For the same reason, you should update critical paperwork for estate planning...
Is it in your interest to establish paternity?
Unwed fathers in Illinois have to go through extra steps to establish paternity. For some, the effort may not seem worth it initially. This is because fathers do not understand how crucial legal paternity is. Today we will look at exactly why this is so crucial. We...
Can joint custody benefit your family?
Illinois parents have to deal with a lot of issues when going through divorce. Your child takes precedent over everything else. You must ensure that what you do will benefit them now and in the future. Because of that, it is important to take care when choosing...
How does shared parenting benefit children
Deciding how to parent your children following a divorce or legal separation in Illinois may be one of the most difficult issues to negotiate in the final settlement. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the judge may award sole-physical custody to the primary...