Posted on May 21, 2020 in Child Custody

For many, a divorce may be their first experience in a courtroom with a judge making decisions for them. While you have probably seen television shows that depict court proceedings, this is not an accurate representation of court and the characters’ actions are likely something that you should avoid following. No matter the reason you are in court, your conduct can greatly affect the outcome of the case. This is especially crucial for those discussing parenting arrangements for their children. In these parenting cases, the way you hold yourself is your first impression on the judge and likely the most important. Courtrooms and legal proceedings often make those who are unfamiliar with the process nervous and uncomfortable, causing them to act differently than they do in normal life. While you may not be able to keep yourself from being on edge, keep in mind the following tips that can help you present yourself in a good light:

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 Posted on May 10, 2020 in Family Law

Prenuptial agreements are known to have a certain stigma to them. When someone says the word “prenup,” you often think about wealthy, Hollywood couples who are not meant to last together or people getting married for the second time who have significant assets from their previous marriage. This stereotype is far from the truth as more and more couples are selecting to sign a prenup before saying “I do.” These legal agreements have become more normalized in the past decade as couples decide to get married later in life, with more financial assets in tow. What you may not have heard of is a postnuptial agreement. This serves the same purpose as a prenuptial agreement, but it is signed after the marriage has begun. You may think that it seems crazy to sign a “divorce agreement” before or after getting married, but there are situations where it benefits you to have a postnup:

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 Posted on May 03, 2020 in Family Law

Adopting a child can be one of the most rewarding decisions you can make. Not only are you giving a child a home, but you are also expanding your family and building a special bond with another child. There are a number of things that you should complete before you finalize the adoption. Of course, there are fun things to do, like build a nursery and pick out baby clothes, but there are also a number of practical things that you should consider. These may not be as exciting as decorating the home your baby will come home to, but they are exceedingly important since the first year with a new child can be a busy one.

Talk to Your Workplace

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 Posted on April 30, 2020 in Child Custody

During a divorce, parents must decide how they will continue to parent their child moving forward. This can be difficult for parents since they are likely used to seeing their children on a daily basis. Ideally, courts try to keep both parents in the child's life since this is often deemed beneficial for the child. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. If the court determines that you are unfit to take care of your child alone, they may grant you supervised visitation or deny you from seeing your child at all. Typically, the court will allow supervised visitation before taking such drastic actions as banning you from spending time with your child. Having another party in the room while you are taking care of your kids can be uncomfortable, and the nerves may bring out the worst in parents. Staying calm and having a game plan for your supervised visit is the best way to move towards removing those restrictions.

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 Posted on April 17, 2020 in Domestic Violence

Unfortunately, domestic violence is all too common in the United States and across the world. According to the data from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in seven men are victims of domestic violence. Many believe that women are the only victims of abuse, but this is not the case. Though more women suffer from abusive relationships, men are not excluded from this unfortunate reality. Abuse includes more than just physical violence against another person — there are many types of abuse and knowing the tell-tale signs is a good way to make sure that you are not in an unhealthy, toxic relationship.

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 Posted on April 10, 2020 in Divorce

When you think of divorce, you may imagine a recently married couple quickly realizing that they were not ready for marriage — or maybe you picture an ugly custody battle between two parents with young children. This may be a common depiction of divorce on TV or in movies; however, getting divorced at an older age is becoming more and more common. This is known as “gray divorce.” Given the false assumption that older people have life “all figured out,” many people are surprised to hear that older couples are getting divorced more frequently as each year passes.

Common Reasons for Gray Divorces

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 Posted on April 03, 2020 in Child Custody

After getting divorced, many individuals will choose to have a fresh start, and for some, this means moving to a new place in a new location. For those going through the major life changes that inevitably come with divorce, this fresh start can be a good way to move forward towards a future that is focused on their happiness. However, for those with children, it may not be that easy. Divorcing couples with children will forever be connected by their shared kids. With parenting time agreements and child support payments, it may feel as if this new beginning may never start. Making the decision to move with your children may be restricted depending on the circumstances, and it is important to avoid violating this restriction as it can lead to serious legal consequences.

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 Posted on March 23, 2020 in Divorce

After deciding to cut ties with your spouse, it can be difficult to imagine a life without them. You may know that divorce is the best decision for you both; however, that does not always mean that the transition is seamless. You experience being truly on your own for the first time since getting married, both emotionally and financially. While the emotional transition can be a rollercoaster of highs and lows, adjusting to a single income can be the most difficult change of all. Maybe you were a one-income household with one parent staying home, or perhaps you both had a steady income. Regardless, getting used to living off one paycheck, while working on the emotional distress that comes with divorce, can be enough to send someone into a spiral. Fortunately, spousal maintenance can supplement your finances if your former spouse has a greater income than you.

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 Posted on March 20, 2020 in Divorce

Many people do not realize the number of steps included in the divorce process, and this number only increases when children are involved. While many may think dividing your belongings is the most difficult portion, formulating a parenting plan can often create the most conflict between divorcing couples. Learning to “share” your child with your ex when you do not live together is difficult for every parent. From the outside, it may seem obvious how you should divide the parenting time; however, this can change during the divorce proceedings. Understanding what is included in a parenting plan and what the various options are is a good idea before stepping into your legal meetings.

What Is in My Plan?

There are numerous details included in parenting plans, many of which you may not even think about before they are brought up in court. The first determination that must be made is how you will allocate your parental responsibilities to your children. Will you and your former spouse have shared parenting or will one of you take on all of the parenting responsibilities? If you decide to have shared responsibilities, both parents will have the ability to make decisions for your child. Outlining your rights to medical and health care information and authority is also important. This may be something that you take for granted as a married couple; however, when you divorce you must designate who has access to medical information, who can make these decisions, and who will provide your child with healthcare. Aside from these legal decisions, some co-parents will include parenting guidelines in their plan that lay out the details about how they will raise their children together even if it is under different roofs.

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 Posted on March 17, 2020 in Family Law

Much like physically having your child, there are various tasks that must be completed before your family can grow through adoption. For those who have chosen to adopt, there is a long checklist that is required of them before even getting approval to adopt a child. All adoptions require a home study to be conducted to ensure that the applicants are fit to adopt. The interview portion of the adoption process can determine your eligibility to adopt, making it crucial to be prepared for this step. In order to help prospective parents get approval to find their future child, we have prepared a home study guide for those considering adoption.

1. Locate a Provider: Depending on where you are looking to adopt from, the home study process and the available agents vary. Those adopting domestically through an agency may have a home study agent assigned to them that works with the agency themselves. If you are not adopting through an agency or the agency does not have their own representatives, you will need to find a social worker or outside agency that performs home studies. Those adopting internationally will want to search for a provider that is Hague-Accredited. Those with this accreditation follow the U.S. government’s rules for international adoption.

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