If you have been ordered to take a parenting class by a judge, it does not mean anyone thinks you are a bad parent.  In Illinois, every person with a minor child who is involved in a divorce, custody, visitation, or paternity case is required by the Illinois Supreme Court to participate in a parenting class. If the thought of taking a class on parenting skills sounds intimidating, hopefully this quick overview of the process will help ease your concern.

Whether individual parents originally wanted to share custody with their ex or not, they often find themselves in formal, court-ordered joint custody arrangements. Each parent needs to figure out how to make the best of the situation for themselves and, more importantly, for their children.

Social media currently plays a major role in our society. More and more people of all ages are signing up for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media websites. Many people increasingly turn to social media during their divorce to voice their feelings, meet new people, or in hopes of gaining support from loved ones. As much as you may enjoy using Facebook or another preferred social media platform, it is important to understand that certain actions on social media websites may be used against you during your divorce.

Whether there is an ongoing custody battle or you and child’s other parent have a long and settled co-parenting relationship, issues may arise regarding attempts to take children out of Illinois. Understanding and abiding by rules set forth in Illinois law can help ensure you do not lose the chance to spend time with your kids.

There are a multitude of articles and blog posts expressing opinions about the consequences of people dating during the divorce process. The problem is that most of those posts contain conflicting information, and include some facts and a lot of fiction. This post aims to explain a bit about what issues dating during divorce may actually pose.

These days, many people contemplating marriage consider entering into a prenuptial agreement. This legal document was traditionally used almost exclusively by the very wealthy in order to protect their assets in the event of divorce. However, it is increasing in popularity among people with average income today in order to set expectations and come to an agreement on certain terms in the event of divorce long before a marriage ever breaks down.

Advice for the Children

Municipal Equality Index Report

Developments and changes are constantly made in the legal world. Whether they be changes to relevant law, local procedure, or evaluating a constitutional challenge, rules and procedures can and do change over time in addition to new laws coming into practice. This is just one of the reasons hiring an experienced attorney to handle a legal matter can be so important. It is part of a lawyer’s professional responsibility to keep up to date on the latest changes and decisions in the law, and this is especially true for the area of law in which an attorney practices. One such change may have an …

In Illinois and likely in other states across the country, many court systems are hearing arguments by groups and other organizations advocating for equal parenting time in child custody cases. These groups make their case based on reason, as well as appeals to emotion, to some extent. It is often argued that a child benefits the most from having an ongoing, consistent relationship with each parent. In many cases, this makes sense, and even those who are adamant that equal parenting time is in a child’s best interest acknowledge there are certain exceptions to this general rule. However, a …

Practical Advice

The holidays are often a stressful time for families, regardless of whether relationships are strained. Often, the hassle of traveling, shopping, cooking, and preparing meals takes its toll on all individuals involved. However, in families who are going through a transition, either because of a new marriage, or perhaps because of a divorce, the holiday season may be one in which tensions are running particularly high. According to a recently published news article, the key to keeping emotions in check over the holidays is managing expectations with family.