Posted on January 03, 2014 in Divorce

Child Custody agreements for any family can become a convoluted, strenuous battle that can take several years to finally be resolved. A prime example of the stress that encompasses child custody disputes is the case Redmond v. Redmond, which involves a local Illinois woman who became engaged in a child custody battle with her child’s father, a citizen of Ireland.

The Battle Overseas

The couple in this case, Mary and Derek, met each other in Ireland. Although they were never married, they lived together in Ireland for 11 years. Their son, however, was born in Illinois, but the three of them returned to Ireland 11 days after the birth.

A few months later, however, Mary moved back to Illinois against Derek’s wishes. Although their child is a citizen of the United States, Derek argues that he should have joint custody of their child. The U.S. Appeals Court ultimately held that their son should be returned to the United States while the custody order is pending. With the various legal complexities, including unmarried parents and parents with different citizenships, this case may take several years before it is finally resolved. The Redmond case proves just how costly and exhausting child custody cases may become, and how many different issues can arise in each unique case.

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 Posted on December 25, 2013 in Divorce

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 Posted on October 22, 2013 in Divorce

If the department managing child support has handed down a decision in your case that you do not agree with, you can appeal via a written request to the department within the time frame listed in your notice by working with your family law attorney. When you receive your notice, keep track of the contact information and dates listed in that documentation. Staying on top of the dates and being prepared goes a long way towards getting you a fair child support appeal hearing. You can only request an appeal or a change in child support amounts when there are significant circumstances in your life or the life of the child that warrant such a change. For example, a job loss or a reduction in income for the non-custodial parent is an adequate reason for an appeal. If you do appeal for an additional hearing, the review of your request will depend on submitted documentation. Some examples of commonly submitted documents include an amended or new court order and copies of any circuit clerk payment ledgers that have not previously been provided by you. Crafting a letter to the department will initiate your appeal hearing. You must include the reason you are appealing and details about the initial finding from the department. When you submit these documents, be sure to include our name, Social Security number, the name of the custodial parent, the order docket number, and your child support case number (this one starts with a "C"). These details should be included in any communication and documentation send to the child support department. If you are missing some of the documents needed to start your appeal, do not hesitate to send in what you have already, since the time frame for appealing is a firm deadline and could terminate your option to appeal at all if you do not adhere to it. Going through a child support case, and especially finding out that the determination obtained is not what you were expecting, can be difficult. Knowing the steps in a child support case and determination is important for putting your mind at ease. If child support will be an issue for you, contact an experienced Kane County family law attorney today to schedule a consultation about a child support appeal.

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 Posted on August 07, 2013 in Divorce

Getting back into the dating game after being in a marriage for a long tim can be interesting, to say the least. While there are laws about things that you should and should not do, according to the Huffington Post, there are a few things that you should keep in mind as you are preparing for the single life. Do not Focus on What Your Ex is Doing This is not the time that you need to keep up with your ex. Do not worry about whom they are dating or how many dates they go on weekly. You absolutely do not have to prove anything by one upping them on the dating game. This is not a race and you should not put any pressure on yourself to go on dates until you are ready. Do not force it. Know What you Don’t Need While you are getting acclimated to life after divorce and not sharing your space with a significant other, do not fool yourself into thinking that all change is bad. There is nothing wrong with spending some time alone. You do not need a new boyfriend or girlfriend to be there with you all the time. This is a time of healing. If you do not afford yourself the time to heal, you will only be carrying baggage into the new relationship. Save the Intimacy for Later Loneliness can make you do crazy things. After going through a break up of any kind, you will love getting attention from the opposite sex. Attention is fine, but that does not mean that you should jump into bed with the first person or the first few people that give you that much needed attention. Being in a long-term relationship can cause you to lose a little bit of yourself. Take this time to get to know you before introducing yourself to the dating world. While your Kane County divorce attorney may not give you dating tips, they can definitely help you with any questions that you have regarding your divorce.

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 Posted on July 26, 2013 in Divorce

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 Posted on May 13, 2013 in Family Law

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 Posted on March 27, 2013 in Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements

According to a report by News One, NBA icon Michael Jordan is ready to tie the knot again. He recently sent out wedding invitations for his April 27th wedding to fiancée Yvette Prieto. The invitation came with stipulations and so does the marriage itself. Guests who received the invitations also received a card that asked that they do not speak with any member of the media and that they do not divulge details of the ceremony to anyone. They are also asked to leave their cameras and phones at home because they do not want any photos taken or info sent out over social media outlets. In 2006, Michael divorced his then wife Juanita Vanoy Jordan who walked away with a $168 million settlement, the house and the kids. He apparently has asked that his new wife to be to sign a prenuptial agreement that protect him from losing his shirt in case the marriage to his 33 year old girlfriend doesn’t work out. The prenup states that they will both retain any assets that they bring into the marriage. It also states that in the event of a divorce, Prieto will walk away with a generous $1 million for every year she spends in the marriage. In addition, if the marriage lasts over 10 years, she will be given an even more generous $5 million settlement for every year of marriage to Jordan. Sources state that Prieto was reported as saying that she feels very good about her relationship with Jordan. They have reportedly been together since 2009. If you are contemplating marriage and are bringing a large amount of assets into the marriage, the smart thing to do is to have a qualified Illinois divorce attorney assist you in drafting a prenuptial agreement that will protect your finances in the case of a divorce.

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 Posted on February 15, 2013 in Divorce

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