Archive for category - Articles

Happy Halloween!

Posted on October 31, 2009 by John Steele

Hope everyone has a safe Halloween, and enjoy the kids (if you have any).  Halloween is one of those quasi-holidays for parenting time purposes.  Parents who fight over such things as having the kids for their own birthday, and minor holidays such as Memorial Day just do not get it. Read the rest of this entry »

, , ,

No Comments

The Judge is Always Right

Posted on October 10, 2009 by John Steele

Maybe not, but I promise you won’t win the argument!

I just read about an attorney (who shall remain anonymous) who was suspended for one month for his behavior in court.  Suffice it to say that despite the increasingly lax atmosphere of Cook County courtrooms, judges still do not like being disrespected. Read the rest of this entry »

, , , ,

No Comments

Principle costs Principal

Posted on August 25, 2009 by John Steele

It is not cost effective to pay an attorney $250 to fight over $20.  Such an obvious truism loses against the rocks of emotion in a divorce.  While some attorneys see such silliness as an opportunity to make their mortgage payment early, I thinks its dishonest to promote such behavior. Read the rest of this entry »

No Comments

Maintenance

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Jason Schneider

The statutory scheme for Family Law is not perfect and there are a lot of things that could be changed or added, but one of the most irksome problem is the maintenance provision. 750 ILCS 5/ is the statutory authority that governs dissolution of marriage proceedings. Read the rest of this entry »

, ,

No Comments

Home State for Child Custody Purposes

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Jason Schneider

Many people do not know what a Home State is, but according to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (“UCCJEA”) a child’s Home State is one of the most important factors in a Child Custody case, particularly if the child has moved out of state. Read the rest of this entry »

No Comments

Divorce and the Internet

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Jason Schneider

Social networking sites have hit the mainstream and many of us have made it a daily routine to check and update our Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter profiles. These sites can be a great tool to allow us to stay in touch with friends and family and to keep them up to date on our lives. Read the rest of this entry »

,

No Comments

Child Support and the State Disbursement Unit

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Jason Schneider

The Court, in Illinois, at the request of either party, will order that the payments either be taken directly out of the non-custodial parent’s paycheck and sent to the State Disbursement Unit; or order that the payments be made directly to the State Disbursement Unit by the non-custodial parent. Read the rest of this entry »

No Comments

Staying Connected with Your Lawyer

Posted on June 22, 2009 by John Steele

In today’s hyper connected world, with a smart phone in everyone’s pocket, people twittering in real time, blogs, Facebook, and of course a person’s life story one Google search away, I am surprised that it is still hard for clients to reach their lawyers and vice versa.  Read the rest of this entry »

No Comments

What Protects one FROM Orders for Protection?

Posted on June 20, 2009 by John Steele

Although impossible to know, I often wonder what percentage of Orders for Protection filed in Cook county are legitimate.  Not very many would be my guess.  Soon I shall once again go to court for another client who has been accused of violence against their significant other, amazingly filed at the exact same time as divorce paperwork! Here is how the (scam) OFP works: Read the rest of this entry »

No Comments

Supervised Visitation

Posted on June 18, 2009 by John Steele

Judging by a typical day at family court, you would think the typical child in Cook county is lucky to make it to 18!  Its amazing how a person’s ability to parent seems strangely connected to their relationship. Read the rest of this entry »

No Comments