The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) uses the information your child provides regarding your financial situation to determine your child’s financial aid eligibility. For parents that are married or reside together, FAFSA takes into account both parents incomes and assets. If parents are divorced and live apart, only the custodial parent is considered…Read More
Family Law Issues Spike During the Pandemic
Family law attorneys across the country have seen an increase in family law matters since mid-March ranging from financial support and custody modifications to inquiries regarding divorce. Working from home, especially with children in the house, has been a source of increased stress for many married couples, and may well be the final straw for…Read More
When Divorced Parents Disagree on Child Relocation
Following a divorce one parent may want to relocate with the children to take a job opportunity in another state or move so that they can be closer to extended family. If you share parenting responsibility and parenting time with your ex-spouse, you may be in for an uphill legal battle unless he or she…Read More
Illinois Parenting Plans for a Special Needs Child
Today family courts handle an increasing number child custody cases involving children with special needs, some of whom suffer from common neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit disorders, depressive disorders, and autistic spectrum disorders which present complex challenges to families and family law professionals trying to craft parenting plans and child support provisions…Read More
Interstate Child Custody Jurisdiction
The Netflix movie, Marriage Story, chronicles the divorce of two devoted parents of a young boy involved in an interstate custody dispute. In a fictional account that mimics real life, the story begins with a marriage on the rocks and a subsequent move by the mother and son from NY to CA to take a…Read More
Petition to Modify Allocation of Parental Responsibilities
Illinois allocation of parenting responsibilities, formerly known as custody, refers to parenting time and the authority to make significant decisions regarding minor children such as religious upbringing or education. When a divorce is finalized, an Allocation Judgement will be entered either by agreement or by a judge’s ruling, which will set forth the parenting time…Read More
Guardian Ad Litem Role in Determining Parenting Time and Responsibility
Deciding how parenting time and parental responsibilities will be structured to best meet the needs of your children during a divorce is perhaps the most important decision divorcing parents will make. Parental responsibility means making major decisions affecting your children such as education, religion, medical care and more. Parenting time means how much time children…Read More
Co-Parenting Following a Divorce? There’s An App For That.
Raising children consumes so much of our time, energy and attention. Parents not only provide a home and sustenance, but also coordinate many educational and social activities in between. From helping kids get their homework done to scheduling and keeping play dates or doctors’ appointments, parenting is a full time job. When parents’ divorce, juggling home…Read More
Child Custody When Children Are Very Young
When trying to determine what is in the best interest of a very young child in a contested child custody proceeding, judges will look at many factors. Continuity of care often weighs heavily in a judges determination when it comes to young’s kids who cannot make heads or tails out of a divorce, let alone…Read More
Does Having a Criminal History Impact Child Custody?
An arrest or conviction may affect your parental rights in Illinois. Having a criminal history can lead to challenges when trying to gain custody or visitation with your children, referred to in Illinois as allocation of parenting time and responsibility. Courts consider the best interests of the child when making child custody determinations. Typically, a…Read More
