Posted on December 00, 0000 in Children of Divorce

Although divorce is never easy, most couples feel a sense of relief when the divorce is finalized and each party can move on to the next phase of his or her life. But for the thousands of Illinois children whose post-divorce life is dictated by the terms of a child custody agreement, there is no sense of relief. Divided homes, blended families and constant uprooting due to visitation agreements can leave children feeling angry, hurt, and confused. There are, however, things you can do to help ease the transition for your children.

Make sure your children know they are not at fault. Children often believe they caused the divorce. As parents, your most important job is to let them know the divorce is not their fault. If possible, both parents should sit down together with their children and break the news of the divorce to them. Answer any questions they have as honestly as possible without going into more detail than necessary.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Premarital Agreement

The fact that roughly 50 percent of all first-time marriages end in divorce is common knowledge. However, you may be surprised to learn that 67 percent of second marriages (and 73 percent of third) do not make it “’til death do us part” either. There are no firm reasons why, but one aspect is clear — if you are contemplating taking a second trip down the aisle, you should have an Illinois prenuptial agreement.

Illinois Premarital Agreements

A premarital agreement, more commonly known as a prenuptial agreement (or pre-nup for short), is a voluntary agreement entered in to by both parties prior to marriage that becomes valid once the couple is married.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Division of Property

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Divorce

When a couple decides to end their marriage, one or both spouses may file for divorce. However, in some cases, a marriage can end when one spouse simply walks out and leaves the other spouse wondering what went wrong and questioning his or her spouse's whereabouts. In this situation, the spouse who was left behind is placed in a difficult position. The commencement of all civil actions, including divorce, requires that the other party be served with the petition. Therefore, if one does not know where his or her spouse is, how can he or she serve the spouse with divorce papers? Although challenging, divorcing an absent spouse can be accomplished.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Division of Property

According to Schaumburg, Illinois-based American Veterinary Medical Association, 51.8 percent of Illinois residents are pet owners. For many of these residents, their animal companions are more than pets — they are four-legged family members and are as beloved as children. And like children, deciding who receives custody of the pets in a divorce can become heated.

Obtaining Custody of Pets in Illinois Divorce Illinois Courts consider pets as personal property, no different than bank accounts, vehicles or other household belongings. This means they are just another asset to consider when determining the most equitable way to divide assets. The Court will not conduct a custody hearing, and there will not be “best interests” factors to consider when deciding who should receive the pet. However, there are steps you can take to increase the likelihood that the Judge will award you custody of your pet. Retain copies of all receipts. Because pets are personal property, you must be able to prove a greater ownership interest than your spouse in regards to your pet. Documents showing that the pet was registered in your name, receipts from veterinary bills (especially if paid from your separate property) or other evidence showing as you as the pet’s primary caretaker can help prove that the Court should award you the pet. Prove your ability to care for the pet. Even though pets are property, they are different from a car or bank account — they require active care. Being able to show that you are better able to care for the pet than your spouse may help sway the Court’s decision. Other determining factors which may help prove you are in a better position to care for the pet include your spouse having a job that requires frequent travel, his moving into an apartment or rental home that does not allow pets or evidence of allergies. Agree to a custody schedule. Although the Court will not engage in a custody determination the way it will with children, this does not mean it will not consider a custody arrangement if one or both of the parties present one. For couples with children, it may be helpful to keep the pets on the same visitation schedule as the children. Obtain a pre- or post-marital agreement. Though not an option if you are in the middle of a divorce, either a pre- or post-marital agreement will allow you to address the issue of who will receive the pet in the event of divorce. Palatine Divorce Attorney If you are planning on filing for divorce, or if you have just been served with divorce papers from your spouse, contact Palatine divorce attorney Nicholas W. Richardson today for a free consultation. With more than a decade worth of experience handling divorce and other family law matters, Nicholas W. Richardson understands the complex emotions that can arise and knows when to approach each issue in the spirit of compromise — and when to dig in and fight. Call the Law Office of Nicholas W. Richardson, P.C., today to discuss your case.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Divorce

Getting divorced means deciding how to divide the assets. However, before you can agree upon the division of assets, you must first assign a value to those assets.

Valuation Date for Illinois Divorce Assets

Under Illinois law, assets in a divorce are valued as of the date of trial, or as close to it as possible. Assigning value to an asset can sometimes be difficult, either due to circumstances (the trial date is postponed the day before) or the type of asset (stock prices fluctuate based on changing markets).

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Child Custody

Illinois Fathers and Sexual Assault

An Illinois law enacted in 2014 denies child custody or visitation rights to men who father a child through sexual assault or sexual abuse, regardless of actual criminal conviction for the assault. Prior to enactment of the new law, a man usually had to either be convicted of, or pled guilty to, any type of criminal sexual assault to automatically be denied custody of, or visitation with, his child.

As previously written, custody or visitation could only be denied if the father had been convicted in a criminal Court of law. Recognizing that many women choose not to press charges against their rapist, and that an acquittal in a criminal Court means only that the prosecution could not prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt – not that the accused was innocent – the Illinois legislature chose to revise the law.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Divorce

When many couples divorce, the relationship is severed entirely, and neither party has a kind word to say about his or her ex. Others, particularly those with children or mutual friends, are able to maintain a civil relationship. Yet while their interactions are minimal (usually regarding child custody issues or chance encounters at social engagements), they are, at the very least, cordial. However, some couples are able to do the unimaginable – remain friendly with not only their ex-spouse, but with their ex-spouse’s family as well. Piano man Billy Joel and his ex-wife, supermodel Christie Brinkley, are the most recent high-profile example of a couple able to maintain a respectful, even friendly relationship following the divorce.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Children of Divorce

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Divorce

A new law, scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2015, will change the way Courts can award spousal support (also known as alimony or maintenance) in Illinois divorce cases.

Current Illinois Spousal Support Guidelines

The current law governing spousal support payments in Illinois divorce cases authorizes the Judge to award spousal support to either spouse after weighing a number of factors, including:

• Duration of the marriage;
• Income and education level of each spouse;
• Lifestyle established during the marriage;

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