Posted on November 22,2022 in Kane

If you are getting or have already gotten divorced in Illinois, chances are that you are receiving or paying spousal maintenance payments. Also known as alimony or spousal support, spousal maintenance is less common than it used to be but is still common enough that it is important to be aware of the laws that regulate this area of family law. One of the questions that spouses frequently have after divorce, whether they are making or receiving alimony, is whether certain actions or events could cause alimony to end. Like most legal issues, the answer in a specific case is, “It depends.” Read on to learn more. 

What Can End Alimony Payments? 

The most common reason that spousal maintenance payments terminate is that the court order requiring one spouse to make payments comes to an end. While the court order for spousal maintenance is renewable or fixed, it has a firm or potential end date. It is important to not stop making payments without a court’s explicit permission. 

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 Posted on November 18,2022 in Main

Every child deserves to have a safe, comfortable home in which to grow up. When parents get divorced, one of the court’s main duties is to make decisions that will benefit the children of the marriage. Often, this means that one of the spouses will be compelled to make child support payments to the other in order to help them raise the children.  

When Is Child Support Awarded? 

Child support is almost universally granted to one of the spouses during a divorce that involves the parents of minor children. Illinois courts base their child support decisions on an “income shares” model. This model considers both parents’ incomes and the number of children, as well as the amount of parenting time each parent has. The amount of child support is based on an estimation of the total cost of raising the child. This cost is then equitably divided between the parents based on each of their respective net incomes. The parent with more parenting time will usually receive the support payments.  

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 Posted on November 09,2022 in Kane

On the whole, couples today are considering the potentially negative impacts of divorce more carefully than couples of the past, especially when there are children involved. This means fewer marriages end in divorce, and, when they do, couples are more conscious about the way they choose to separate. Many people are children of divorced parents themselves and have experienced the pain of high-conflict divorce first-hand. Others have simply read the research and know that divorce does not have to be a catastrophic experience when adults can work cooperatively together. Whatever the reasons may be for you, if you are considering collaborative divorce, the time to approach an attorney committed to helping you with the process is now.

Do Not Wait Until You File for Divorce

Some couples figure they will wait to file for divorce and then hire attorneys to finish representing them throughout the process. However, this is usually not a good idea; the way you file for divorce has the potential to impact the rest of the divorce proceedings. For example, if you and your spouse have not already resolved issues like child support, asset division, and alimony, you will not be able to finalize your divorce and may need to litigate these issues on a temporary basis.

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 Posted on November 07,2022 in Main

Although students are often the focus of sexually harassing behavior on Illinois’ university campuses, the truth is that employees of a university may be subject to sexually harassing behaviors as well. Studies on the subject show that universities tend not to screen applicants for histories of sexual harassment or prior misconduct, potentially leading to hiring employees with a clear tendency towards sexually predatory behavior. Such behaviors could come from fellow employees, department managers, or even bold students. Sex-based discrimination may also be more subtle, such as being passed up on a promotion because you are pregnant or might become pregnant. 

University employees who are being sexually harassed or discriminated against because of their sex may wonder whether they should file a complaint under Illinois’ laws or a Title IX complaint.

Illinois Has Laws Against Sexual Harassment

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 Posted on October 31,2022 in Main

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Illinois for nearly 10 years, letting Illinoisans of every orientation pursue a legally recognized relationship with the person they love, including the traditional financial and governmental benefits of marriage. Unfortunately, LGBTQ individuals’ relationships are susceptible to the same shortcomings and downfalls as their heterosexual peers’, meaning gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer spouses may need to dissolve their marriages through a divorce as well.

Fortunately, LGBTQ divorces are managed in nearly the same way as heterosexual marriages, meaning that the pathway through divorce is usually clear. Here are some answers to common questions about LGBTQ divorces in Illinois.

Can We Get Divorced in Illinois if We Got Married Somewhere Else? 

Yes. Marriages are federally recognized, and LGBTQ people can get divorced in any state as long as they meet that state’s residency requirements and are legally married in any other state.

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 Posted on October 21,2022 in Main

Even after many years of discussions, trainings, and high-profile media cases regarding sexual harassment, this terrible behavior continues in many different scenarios. Sexual harassment can affect victims so significantly that they no longer feel safe coming to work or performing their work duties. It may create a hostile, intimidating, or offensive workplace. 

Fortunately, state and federal law prohibit sexual harassment and provide avenues for legal relief for victims who are suffering from this behavior at work - even if it comes from people who are not the victim’s coworkers or managers. If you are being sexually harassed at work by a customer or client, read on. 

What Can I Do if I Am Being Sexually Harassed By a Customer? 

If you are being sexually harassed by customer, it is important to know that you are protected by the law and you have rights. You do not have to tolerate this unacceptable behavior. Begin by trying to address the issue directly with the customer. This may be difficult, but it is an important part of the process; without informing the customer that their actions are bothering you, it may be more difficult to bring a case later on.

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 Posted on October 17,2022 in Kane

You may have known that divorce would be inevitable for a long time, but now that you are finally here, it can be difficult to know how to proceed. While divorce is never easy, for people who are married to high-conflict spouses who seem to thrive on confrontation, anger, and blame, the divorce process can be an absolute nightmare. And while most divorces are moving away from litigation in favor of mediation or collaborative divorce, for high-conflict relationships, alternative dispute resolution methods may simply not be an option. 

If you are facing divorce with a high-conflict spouse, it is essential to retain an attorney with experience in high-conflict and complex divorces. The strategies that you will need for your case will likely look different than those used by other people you know who have gotten divorced. Read on to learn how you can protect yourself during a high-conflict divorce, and then schedule a consultation with a skilled Illinois high-conflict divorce attorney. 

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 Posted on October 17,2022 in Main

Many workplaces have employees who have flirty, fun relationships with each other. Although a professional might counsel people not to engage in this behavior just to stay on the safe side, as long as everybody consents, this behavior may not be a problem. 

But for some, a teasing or light-hearted workplace attitude toward sexual jokes, innuendo, or flirting may be a problem because it opens them up to subtle sexual harassment. Without obvious behaviors that are easy to identify as sexual harassment, victims can struggle to put their finger on why certain behaviors make them uncomfortable. They may feel pressure from their colleagues to “lighten up” or “not make a big deal out of it.” Unfortunately, this can make things worse and eventually lead to the kind of hostile or offensive work environment that the Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits. If you suspect you are the target of sexual harassment, read on to learn about subtle ways sexual harassment may appear, and then learn how you can take action by contacting an Illinois sexual harassment lawyer. 

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 Posted on October 16,2022 in Main

 Child support payments may be an important part of your life, long after the divorce, and while most parents are happy to support their children financially, life can sometimes get in the way of being able to pay the same amount of support that you had in recent years. If you have experienced a substantial change in circumstances, such as a job change or loss, you may need to ask a court to modify your child support obligation. It is important to understand when and how child support orders can be modified and an experienced Illinois family lawyer can help. 

Why Might a Child Support Order Be Modified? 

Parents cannot simply unilaterally change child the amount of their support payments; this would be a drain on state resources and lead to an unacceptable lack of predictability for both parents and children who are dependent on support payments for their well-being. Courts require a “substantial” change in a parent’s circumstances before hearing a child support modification petition. These may include, but are not limited to: 

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 Posted on October 06,2022 in Main

Even when a parenting plan has worked well for years, children get older, parents’ living and work arrangements change, and everyone may find that an existing parenting plan no longer works. If you are interested in changing your parenting plan - especially if you believe your child’s other parent may not agree to the changes - it is important to understand when parenting plans can be modified and what your options may be. Read on to learn more about this important topic, and then contact an Illinois family lawyer for help. 

Understand What You Need to Change

Parenting plans in Illinois are made of two separate but important components: The allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time. Parental responsibilities is the term for describing which parent has the authority to make important decisions on behalf of the child regarding healthcare, religious upbringing, education, and extracurricular activities. You and your ex may share parental responsibilities, or you may each make decisions in a particular area. Parenting time is simply the schedule that describes the time each child spends with each parent, including weekend and holiday schedules. Your circumstances may necessitate a change in parental responsibilities, parenting time, or both. 

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