Posted on December 00, 0000 in Family Law

A newborn baby girl was recently found on the steps of the Nazareth Family Center in Chicago. A cleaning person allegedly found the child wrapped in a blanket around 3 a.m. How long the child was on the steps is not clear. She was treated at St. Mary’s and was then taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital. The child is reported to be in good condition. The Department of Child and Family Services is now the child’s guardian and, along with the police, is investigating the situation.

Abandonment

New parents who are unable to provide adequate care for their newborn children may abandon their infants in unsafe circumstances where they may be vulnerable to the weather or other dangerous conditions. Under Illinois law, parents who abandon their children face civil liability and criminal prosecution. To provide a safe alternative for parents who cannot care for their babies, Illinois has a Safe Haven law.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Child Support

In Illinois, Courts have discretion to include, as part of a child support order, a requirement that parents contribute toward post-secondary education expenses of their non-minor children. Historically, the guidelines for determining whether such support could be required were vague and confusing. The passage of the Family Law Reform Bill addresses these concerns by creating a new protocol for determining when non-minor support is appropriate.

Existing Law

The current version of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act allows a Court to order educational support for a child, including college or professional training expenses, as part of a custody agreement. Previously, Courts were only instructed to consider the following when making their determination:

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Children of Divorce

Thinking about a divorce or separation? If children are involved, one of the most important considerations is protecting the children from the stress and turmoil of the divorce and ensuring that their interests are represented. Generally, children benefit from both parents involvement in their lives and good relationships with both parents. However, sometimes in a custody dispute, one parent harms the children’s relationship with the other parent.

Alienation

Parental alienation occurs when a divorced or separated parent tries to turn the children against the other parent. This may include:

• Disparaging the other parent to the children;
• Telling lies about the other parent;

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Divorce

Issues such as adultery, drug use or alcoholism may lead to a couple's divorce. However, a recent study has exposed one more cause — Facebook. According to the study, Facebook, which allows users to “friend” long-lost friends and ex-love interests, is the root cause of one out of every seven divorces.

Facebook and Divorce

One's casual “friend request” to a long-lost love could reignite an old flame. Another's connection with a stranger in a Facebook group might lead a spouse to abandon his or her marriage for a new “love.” Still, such scenarios do not mean that all married couples must give up Facebook or other social media sites entirely. Nor does it mean that you will leave your spouse just because your are in touch with an ex. However, if you are investing too much time on Facebook and not enough in your marriage, the following signs may suggest trouble.

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