Posted on July 15, 2014 in Main

According to survey information, over two million people in the United States get married every year. As two households are merged into one, spouses often share a home, automobiles, income, and other property. Illinois law characterizes property as either non-marital property or marital property. Although the question of whether someone's property is considered marital property or not is usually only pertinent when the property is divided—such as upon death or divorce—individuals and couples may benefit from understanding how courts are likely to characterize their possessions.

Non-Marital Property

According to Illinois law, non-marital property may include:

• Real and personal property acquired by either spouse before marriage. This may include such items as a home, a business, a vehicle, furniture, jewelry, or the like.

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 Posted on May 20, 2014 in Main

If you have found "the one," the special person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life; if the ring has been purchased and your beloved has said "yes;" if you've already started planning the celebration of your big day, then an important next step is to examine the marriage requirements for the State of Illinois and make sure that you follow them before you take that trip down the aisle.

Getting the License

First, parties who intend to marry must go to the County Clerk's office in the county in which they wish to be married to obtain a marriage license. The Director of Public Health is charged with prescribing the form for a marriage license application under 750 ILCS 5/202. The application itself is pretty straightforward, but requires some very specific details about the parties. These details include:

• The name, sex, & occupation, of each party;

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 Posted on January 29, 2014 in Main

Remarrying after a divorce can be a challenging endeavor; this is even more so when you also have children from that previous marriage. Readjusting to a new life and lifestyle after a divorce is difficult for both parents and children. Adjusting to the idea of a parent remarrying, however, can be particularly difficult and traumatic for children.

According to the American Psychological Association(APA), children can begin to feel competitive or even abandoned as their parent begins to spend more time with a new spouse. Teenagers may feel uncomfortable witnessing romantic gestures or expressions of physical attraction between their parent and a new stepparent. Therefore, parents have to be careful to balance the relationship with their children and the relationship with their new spouse.

Additionally, stepparents face the numerous challenges presented by caring for children that are not their own. This is particularly so with younger adolescents (ages 10-14), as this age group tends to have a more difficult time adjusting to a stepparent than children in other age groups. The APA suggests that stepparents attempt to bond with their spouse's children in a friendly manner (akin to a camp counselor or mentor) before attempting to become a disciplinarian with them.

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 Posted on January 07, 2014 in Main

Divorce has many serious and far-reaching consequences, many of which are well-known: changing the make-up of a family home, altering the amount of time children spend with parents, etc. One area people may not consider, however, is the effect a divorce can have on a family-run business.

The first step in protecting a family business interest is to draft a quality pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement which addresses the way a business will be divided in the event of divorce. These types of agreements can include clauses that define and control how businesses are valued. For example, if the business increased in value during the marriage, that profit could be shared by both spouses. But if the agreement states that premarital property (in this case, the value of the business) retains its character, then that profit would not be divided and would remain the non-marital property of the owning spouse.

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 Posted on December 13, 2013 in Main

Facebook now boasts over one billion users worldwide, and Twitter hosts more than 50 million tweets per day. In an age where so much information is shared online, and with so many potential ramifications because of that outpouring of information, it is of the utmost importance to maintain some privacy if you are considering filing for divorce.

Information that you or your spouse post on Facebook, Twitter, or other social networking websites may be discoverable and used as evidence in divorce proceedings. Because of the sheer volume of information we've started to share online, the amount of information that can be used against you or your spouse is potentially quite vast. This can include information or documentation relating to drug or alcohol use, romantic involvements, information on new partners, negative comments about a spouse, money and other assets spent on affairs, documentation of how assets are being used, and even potential evidence of hidden assets. All of this information can have a significant impact on a divorce case. In a study from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the organization found that 80 percent of surveyed lawyers used Facebook data in preparing divorce cases, and 66 percent considered Facebook the most important source of evidence in divorce cases.

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 Posted on December 05, 2013 in Main

Family law practitioners often encounter couples who have been living separately for quite some time without either party having started the process of filing for divorce. These long-term informal separations can last for years, but not only do they have no legal basis (only a formal legal separation is recognized in Illinois), they can also have serious financial implications for the parties. While living separately without going through the formal divorce process may seem like a good idea at the time, and may be the “easiest” route for a couple and their family, these long-term separations can have disastrous financial effects. In determining whether to take the plunge and begin the divorce process, it is important to keep in mind the following:

1) Control over marital assets.

If you are living apart from your spouse, you may not have control over some of the marital assets or debt. For example, you may not know what your spouse is earning, how money is being spent or invested, or what debts are being incurred by that spouse. Furthermore, Illinois is an equitable distribution state. This means that the marital assets and debts are equitably (i.e. “fairly”) distributed between the parties, without regard to marital misconduct. Courts consider a wide range of factors when distributing debt. Hence, if you have any joint debt with your spouse, you could potentially be held liable for any additional debt accumulated during your separation. You also may not have any control over the use of marital assets and any decrease in value of these assets, which may affect your property distribution when you finally do divorce.

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 Posted on November 18, 2013 in Main

For many companies, autumn marks the open enrollment period for employment-provided benefits. According to USA Today, “open enrollment is typically a period of several weeks during which you can opt into your company's benefits programs, from health insurance to a retirement plan.” Enrollment periods also apply to changing any benefits you currently receive. Knowing what benefits you're eligible for and wish to enroll in or change, both for yourself, your spouse, and your family, is important, especially if you have to make a decision by a certain deadline, as with open enrollment. This process is all the more complicated if you're going through, or think you might soon be going through, a divorce.

For those who are going through a divorce, separating one spouse from the other's benefit program can be one of the most painful and expensive aspects of the whole divorce process. It also tends to be more difficult for women, who are less likely to work outside of the home and are more likely to be enrolled in their husband's employer-provided benefits. Staying on an ex-spouse's health insurance plan after divorce is not an option. However, with many employer's provided plans, an ex-spouse has a certain period of time in which he or she can opt to enroll in a similar plan on their own. State and federal law dictates which employer provided plans are subject to this option and when the enrollment must take place. In addition, minor children can always stay on an employee's benefit program, regardless of a divorce or who is awarded custody.

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 Posted on October 10, 2013 in Main

A recently publicized news story involving the interplay of immigration laws and divorce has the legal community anxiously awaiting a verdict. At issue in the case, out of southern Texas, is whether a former husband can be legally responsible for paying maintenance (alimony) to his former wife based not on divorce law but on a rarely-enforced immigration provision.

The parties in the case were married in 2003; the wife was a citizen of Mexico. In order for her to obtain a green card to stay in America, her then-fiancé signed a document in which he agreed to financially support his soon-to-be wife at 125% above the poverty level (currently, the poverty level for a single person is approximately $11,500.00 annually). The document, known as an I-864 Affidavit of Support, is theoretically a contract between the person who signs it, the spouse, and the United States Government. The purpose of the Affidavit is to ensure that the person receiving the green card will not become a public charge—someone who relies on government assistance for support.

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 Posted on October 02, 2013 in Main

From both a financial and an emotional standpoint, divorces are inherently complex. When a divorce is paired with a substantial financial portfolio, however, the plot thickens. Headlines regarding high net worth divorces—and the financial consequences for the spouses—are frequent. For example, a recent article on CNN Money reported that the CEO of Best Buy sold stock to help pay for his divorce settlement; CNBC also lists some of the most costly breakups. Unfortunately, however, such costly divorces are not limited to celebrities and multi-millionaires. Whether you are a famous celebrity, a successful business owner, or someone with significant assets for another reason, it is important to understand how to protect yourself in the event of a divorce.

What to do Before Marriage

Preparing a prenuptial agreement is a great way to protect assets before a couple even gets married. Also known as a premarital agreement, this written contract becomes effective once a couple is married and may address topics such as:

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 Posted on August 20, 2013 in Main

Often in family law matters, including divorce, mediation can be a viable method for resolving disputes in a mutually-agreeable manner. The mediation process, governed in Illinois by the Uniform Mediation Act and by various local court rules, has a sole purpose – to provide a forum for reaching voluntary agreements between parties without resorting to contested litigation. According to DuPage County local rules, mediation is “an informal and non-adversarial process. The role of the mediator includes, but is not limited to, assisting the parties in identifying issues, fostering joint problem solving, exploring settlement alternatives and reaching an agreement.” When family law matters do arise, mediation can be the basis for creating a comprehensive agreement to help families move forward in the best possible direction.

Generally speaking, a mediator works with both parties to discuss the issues and facilitate the creation of solutions and arrangements that are agreeable to both parties. Because the mediator works with both parties, he or she must remain neutral and cannot advocate specifically for one side or the other. Although Illinois does not have a formal certification process for mediators, it is a good idea for parties to select an experienced certified mediator who uses best practices and ethics guidelines in conducting mediation. Having a well-trained, experienced, professional mediator can help parties avoid the difficult and stressful process of litigation and come to a prompt, amicable resolution of issues.

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