NOTE: As of July 2017, the law governing child support in Illinois has changed. Please see our Child Support page for more information.

The idea of adopting a child may seem overwhelming at first because there is so much you need to know and so many choices to make. However, there are a number of basics that you should understand and become familiar with if you plan on bringing a new child into your family in Illinois

The Chicago Tribune recently reported on a hearing that took place in front of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee. The committee heard testimony from juvenile justice advocates who were pushing for reform of the rules around juveniles being forced to wear arm and leg shackles during court in some counties.

When thinking about a divorce, many people are naturally concerned about the cost. There are many variables that can affect how much a divorce will cost. The person that is responsible for paying these fees is usually decided by the couple or worked out in the divorce. To be sure, there exist a number of variables that will make the cost of a divorce go up or down.

The website Central Illinois Proud recently reported on several stories of people winning the lottery before their divorces were finalized. The main question that comes up is whether the soon to be ex-spouse is entitled to any of the winnings. While it seems like this would be a rather basic question, like many parts of the law it is not as straightforward as it seems.

During a divorce, one of the things that need to get allocated is the marital debt that the parties have accrued during the marriage. Indeed, it is important to understand debt allocation and how debt allocated during a divorce can be affected by the original contract that created the debt.

When a minor is charged with a crime in Illinois, he or she may be diverted to the juvenile justice system. Whether the minor faces the charges in adult court or through the juvenile justice process depends on the age of the minor and the crime committed. Youth 15 years and younger will be in juvenile court and youth 16 years and older will start in juvenile court but may be moved to adult court if it is a very serious crime, such as first-degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or aggravated battery with a firearm. It is important to remember that youth in the juvenile justice …

If you are considering or in the process of divorce and there are kids involved, you also need to think about the tax consequences of different options regarding maintenance, child support and parenting time. To be sure, there exist some important tax considerations that may apply to divorced or divorcing parents and their children.

Divorce can be a long and difficult process, but some divorces are longer and more complicated than others. One of the simpler and (usually) less time-consuming kinds of divorce is an uncontested divorce.

Sometimes the news will report on celebrities who are getting married and speculate on their prenuptial agreements. Premarital – or prenuptial – agreements may seem like something that only wealthy people need to worry about, but in reality prenuptial agreements are an important legal tool all individuals can take advantage of. Indeed, there are numerous reasons that many couples may wish to craft a prenuptial agreement before getting married, regardless of their wealth.

In many cases, one parent is ordered to pay child support to the other upon completion of (or during) the divorce. However, sometimes the payor parent does not pay the child support that he or she owes, based on certain circumstances. There are many consequences for failing to pay child support and it is important to understand these if you have a child support obligation in the state of Illinois.

If you have a disabled family member or other loved one, you may wonder whether he or she needs a guardian. Illinois law provides a way for the court to appoint guardians for some disabled people. Ultimately, it is important to understand who may be eligible for guardianship and what guardians do.

For many divorcing couples, retirement plans are one of the largest assets they have. Pensions and defined contribution retirement plans are generally subject to division during the divorce. That means that if a couple is married when benefits accrue, then the benefits should be considered in the division of property even if it will be awhile before the benefits are actually paid. This is one of the most complex subjects in asset division. For specific answers for your situation, contact a knowledgeable property division attorney.