Unfortunately, some Chicago divorces or Chicago child custody disputes involve domestic violence. There are three categories of orders of protection.
Order of Protection for Domestic Violence
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Tanya Witt
Key Differences Between Illinois Prenups and Post-nups
Illinois Premarital Agreements Most people have heard of premarital agreements (often referred to as "prenups"). The law defines prenups as contracts drafted and signed by a couple prior to their marriage. Illinois has a statute, known as the Illinois Uniform...
Divorced Parents Disagree over Covid Vaccines
Some divorced parents disagree as to whether their children should receive the vaccine. Some parents disagree as to whether a child should spend time with an unvaccinated parent or other relative. If you find yourself in such a dispute, this article briefly discusses how you may resolve the matter.
5 Common Divorce Myths You Might Believe Too
Too often, when contemplating divorce, people believe some common divorce myths that are seemingly based on common sense. However, the facts are often different than what people think. It can be detrimental to your case if you enter into divorce proceedings without...
Filing An Appearance In An Illinois Divorce
If you have been sued in an Illinois divorce case, a Sheriff deputy, process server or other authorized person could serve you in person with the Petition and Summons (the "divorce papers"). The Sheriff deputy or process server might serve you at your workplace or in...
4 Steps To Successful Holidays For Divorced Parents
Here are some helpful tips for navigating the holidays for divorced parents: Create New Traditions The holidays will feel different after divorce. Embrace the new chapter by creating new traditions. Some creative and rewarding ideas to consider are running a charity...
Domestic Violence Orders of Protection
Illinois law offers legal protection from domestic violence. Domestic violence is abuse committed by a family member or a member of the victim's household. Illinois law broadly defines household to include, among others, people who previously dated, former spouses,...
Expensive Mistakes When Divorcing To Avoid
An Appellate court case demonstrated the legal mess and expensive post-divorce litigation that can occur when a non-attorney serves as a divorce mediator.
Co-Parenting Solutions for Pandemics
The pandemic has brought new challenges. Most separated and divorced parents never envisioned having to navigate a pandemic with their former spouse. Parenting judgments (formally known in Illinois as "Allocation of Parental Responsibility Judgments") spell out the...
Depositions in Contested Chicago Divorce and Chicago Custody Cases
Discovery is the process by which parties inform themselves of important information and documents, such as the other party’s financial statements. Discovery is used used to obtain information which can help a parent make a decision on custody terms. One of the...
Calculating Illinois Child Support
Since 2017, Illinois has calculated child support using an "income shares" model. This means Illinois child support is based upon the combined income of both parents. The current model aims to provide children with the standard of living they would have enjoyed if...
New Statewide Financial Statement Coming in 2016
Whether you file for divorce in Cook County, Lake County, Kane County or another county in Illinois, one of the first steps after filing will be to complete a form in which you disclose your income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Each county currently has its own...
Major Changes to Illinois Divorce and Custody Law in 2016
There are major changes to Illinois divorce and Illinois child custody laws that take effect on January 1, 2016. Starting on January 1, 2016 we will not even use the term “custody” any longer. What was referred to as “sole custody” or “joint custody” will become the...
Chicago Divorce – Step Three
In previous blog entries, we have briefly summarized Steps One and Two in the usual Chicago divorce process. At this point in the Chicago divorce process, the parties will exchange financial disclosure statements. To have the best Chicago divorce process possible a...
Chicago Divorce – Step Two
In a previous blog entry, we discussed Step One in the usual Chicago divorce process. Of course, some cases may require different steps but this blog provides a general overview of the Chicago Divorce process. At this point, one spouse’s attorney has filed the...
Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert’s Divorce – A Legal Perspective
News sources have been commenting on how quickly the divorce between Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert was finalized. Sources indicate that their Oklahoma divorce was finalized quickly because they had a prenuptial agreement and they are following the terms of their...
Removing Children from Illinois After the Custody Judgment is Entered
Life may seem easy for parents once a divorce or custody case is concluded. The judgment is entered, no more court dates are scheduled, and the parents are exercising their rights as outlined in their final Custody Judgment. Oftentimes, one of the parents announces...
U.S. Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Gender Marriage
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it violates the U.S. Constitution to deny same-gender couples the right to marry. Marriage bestows a host of legal and financial benefits. Gay couples in all 50 states should now be entitled to the same rights and...
The Best Chicago Divorce Attorneys
The best Chicago divorce attorneys use good judgment, attention to detail and good timing. In this post, we are going to discuss the best divorce timing.
The Importance of Financial Statements in a Chicago Divorce or Custody Case
One important step in a Chicago divorce or Chicago custody case is the discovery process. In discovery, parties may be required to respond to questions and provide documents regarding their past and present financial situation. Without at least standard, initial...
Delaying Divorce can be Risky – Understand the Risks
It is good to be prepared for divorce but delaying divorce, especially for an extended period, is fraught with risk. Once spouses have mentioned the possibility of divorcing, delaying it can provide a spouse with the opportunity to strengthen his or her legal and...