Posted on November 22, 2016 in Divorce

Choosing the right mediator for your divorce mediation can be a crucial factor in whether your mediation is ultimately successful. If you are going through a divorce or considering mediation, your family law attorney in DuPage County can advise you regarding whether mediation could benefit your case, and what considerations are important when choosing a mediator.

Who Selects the Mediator?

Either the parties or the court can select your divorce mediator, and the choice may depend on whether the mediation is voluntary or court-ordered. It is also common for the court to give parties the opportunity to agree upon a mediator of their own choosing (from a list of court-approved mediators), and to only assign a particular mediator if the parties cannot reach an agreement.

Since mediation is required by Illinois law for all divorcing parents who have a point of disagreement regarding parenting responsibilities and rights, there are many DuPage County court-certified mediators to choose from to serve as a neutral party in parenting plan disputes.

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 Posted on November 17, 2016 in Family Law

In Illinois, a guardianship is created when when the court grants legal decision-making authority to an individual on behalf of another person who is incapable of or cannot reasonably make such decisions themselves. Persons subject to guardianships include minors, since they lack the legal authority to make such decisions, adults with severe mental or physical disabilities or impairment, elderly persons suffering from dementia or mental decline, and adults suffering from severe mental health conditions, among many others.

How Does Guardianship Differ from Parenting Rights and Responsibilities?

A guardianship can include the right to act as a parent and take on parental responsibilities for minor children, but it does not apply to the child's natural parents, who may seek parenting time without establishing guardianship.

Typically, persons who seek guardianship of minor children include stepparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, adult siblings, extended family or close friends of the family when a child's parents have died, or are unable or unfit to continue serving as caregiver.

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 Posted on November 14, 2016 in Divorce

When selecting a mediator for your divorce case in Illinois, one of the most important factors is whether the mediator may have a conflict of interest with your case. Your experienced DuPage County divorce attorney can look into whether any potential mediators may be barred from serving as a neutral party mediating the contested issues in your divorce.

Our firm's family law attorneys are skilled at identifying potential conflicts of interests and will work diligently to make sure your mediator is qualified and unbiased.

Who Determines Conflicts of Interest for Mediators?

The DuPage County court rules prohibit mediators from serving as neutral parties in cases with which they have a conflict of interest. While the burden of determining whether a conflict of interest exists and disclosing that conflict to the parties and the court falls ultimately on the mediator, it is important for the parties and their respective divorce attorneys to also be aware of any conflicts of interest that could potentially cause the mediation to be stopped midway through the process, wasting everyone's time and resources.

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 Posted on November 10, 2016 in Divorce

With so many factors to worry about during a divorce, maintaining your existing health insurance - and that of your dependent children - may not make the top of the list. However, it is very important to make sure that, if necessary, your health coverage remains protected throughout the divorce process - and after - especially since health care costs can be so high and losing your coverage during such a difficult time can be incredibly stressful.

While you will not want to stay on your former spouse's plan forever, your divorce attorney in DuPage County can help you bridge the gap until you can obtain your own coverage, whether through an individual plan, your own employer, or through Medicare.

Illinois Spousal Continuation Coverage Law

Under the Illinois Spousal Continuation Coverage law, spouses who would otherwise lose their coverage due to a divorce from the covered employee have the option to keep and continue it, for a limited amount of time, though they will still be responsible for paying their premium.

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 Posted on November 08, 2016 in Divorce

As social media use becoming nearly ubiquitous in this day and age, it is wise for parties going through a divorce or who are subject to a final divorce decree to evaluate their social media use with an eye towards understanding how social media conduct may be viewed by the court. Your experienced family law attorney in DuPage County can discuss with you guidelines for handling social media appropriately.

Avoid Posts That Could Affect Your Divorce or Parenting Case

Refrain from posting anything on social media that could be used against you in your divorce case or parenting dispute. Some of the types of posts that can potentially get parties into trouble throughout the process include:

• Threatening or violent posts;
• Anything suggesting criminal involvement, such as drug use;
• Inappropriate material;

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 Posted on November 03, 2016 in Child Custody

Like many aspects of a divorce, your parenting plan arrangement is typically finalized at the time of the divorce, but it can still be subject to modification, should the need arise. Your DuPage County family law attorney can advise you regarding whether a parenting plan modification may be appropriate.

What Types of Parenting Plan Modifications are Available?

Parenting agreements focus on two main types of parenting rights: parenting time and parenting responsibilities, and modifications can be sought for either or both kinds parenting arrangements, including changes to:

• Parenting time: one parent is seeking more time in-person with his or her children;
• Legal parenting and decision-making responsibilities: one parent is seeking increased or equal parenting rights when it comes to having the authority to make important decisions about schooling, medical care, and religion, among other things.

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 Posted on October 27, 2016 in Child Custody

Being a teen parent can pose unique challenges, both from a practical and legal standpoint. Whether you are a teenager expecting or parenting a child, or a parent of a minor who is themselves a parent, an experienced family law attorney in the DuPage County area can work with your family to protect the best interests of the minors involved - both parent and child.

Legal Issues That Can Arise Related to Teen Parenthood

Some of the legal issues facing teenage parents stem from being unmarried, since most teens ultimately decide not to marry when expecting a child. Teen parents and their legal guardians should discuss with their family law attorney issues related to:

• Paternity - In Illinois, paternity is not automatically established for an unmarried father, and neither is simply signing the birth certificate enough to create legal fatherhood. Your family law attorney in Illinois can advise you regarding the steps necessary to determine paternity, depending on whether both parents agree about who the father is.

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 Posted on October 25, 2016 in Domestic Violence

Domestic violence and abuse are not always as obvious as one might think. In fact, a victim could be in an abusive relationship for a number of years without even being aware of it. Certain domestic violence situations do not occur at the start of the relationship; instead they develop over time. It is important to be mindful of these following warning signs to not only protect yourself, but to keep your family safe as well.

Abuse may take the form of a manipulative or overly controlling partner. If you are worried about such issues in your relationship, look for some of the possible warning signs, including:

Your partner overly romances you. A controlling partner is going to want to make you feel special in order to build your trust quickly. This way, the bond will grow and he or she will be able to persuade you into believing him or her without a second thought. The gifts and abundance of attention may also just be a distraction of the abnormal behavior to which he or she is prone.

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 Posted on October 20, 2016 in Family Law

Technology has become an integral part of our lives so it should come as no surprise that evidence mined from smartphones, computers, and social applications are being used in divorces and custody battles across the country. But just how frequently is technology being used in family courts? And what does it all mean? Could your text messages, photos, or social media posts lead to potential problems down the road?

Increased Reliance on Digital Data

According to a recent survey of American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 97 percent of members reported an increase in the submission of technology-based evidence. Phone logs, call histories, internet and browsing histories, and GPS information were all said to have been used by members, but the bulk of evidence came from emails, text messages, and social applications. More specifically, 41 percent of AAML members cited the use of Facebook information, 17 percent reported the mining of Twitter accounts, and 16 percent reported the submission of evidence from Instagram.

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 Posted on October 18, 2016 in Child Support

Determining child support during divorce proceedings in Illinois is typically fairly straightforward, since the state has established a formula for child support guidelines. However, for very high-income parents, this formula sometimes turns out not to be the best tool for determining appropriate support.

High-asset and high-income divorces can be much more complex than divorces for more standard-income families, and this goes for determining child support, as well as other matters, like asset-division and spousal support.

If you are a high-income family member going through divorce proceedings, you will want to work with an experienced family law attorney in the DuPage County area who is familiar with when the support guidelines under Illinois law may not be right for high-income families, and how more appropriate child support can be determined.

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