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June, 2012 - Chicago Illinois Family Law Blog Archive

Attorney Leslie Fineberg Explores Pre- and Post-Divorce Parenting Issues

By Nottage and Ward on June 29, 2012

Regardless of the type of divorce, whether it is a heated court battle or amicably mediated, when there are children involved, a parent must do all he or she can to ensure a positive adjustment. Leslie Fineberg, an experienced divorce lawyer in Chicago at the Illinois family law firm of Nottage and Ward, has years of experience in helping divorcing couples come to the best arrangement for their children, but there is so much more that can affect how a child adjusts to his or her new lifestyle than the divorce agreement.

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Attorney Jeffrey Knipmeyer Discusses Issues Surrounding Divorce and Economy

By Nottage and Ward on June 25, 2012

Jeffrey Knipmeyer, an experienced family law attorney with the Illinois law firm Nottage and Ward, understands the impact of economic recession on married couples more than most. Financial issues are a common cause for divorce, but the difficult financial state of some married couples may have other effects, including the postponement of divorce and even the decision for recently divorced couples to cohabitate until they obtain financial security individually. Living with your ex can be very stressful, which is why it is important to keep a few ground rules in mind. The Huffington Post offers these five tips for cohabitating with your ex while still trying to move on with your life:

  1. Plan out who pays for what. Financial issues may have been a factor in your divorce, and they can continue to create problems. The last thing you want is a stressful and even hostile living arrangement.
  2. Be considerate. Clean up after yourself, always ask to use something that is not yours and just generally practice good manners.
  3. Read more…

Actress Halle Berry Ordered to Pay Ex $20,000 a Month in Child Support

By Nottage and Ward on June 22, 2012

In the celebrity world of divorce, alimony and child support, everything is on a grander scale due to the exorbitant salaries and lifestyles of the rich and famous. This fact is perfectly demonstrated by a recent news article in NewsOne.com, which states that Hollywood actress Halle Berry has been ordered to pay her French-Canadian model ex-boyfriend $20,000 a month in child support for their daughter Nahla, now four years old.

Berry and Aubry had met in 2005 while Aubry was modeling on a photo shoot. Nahla was born in 2008 and then the couple ended their relationship two years later. Since then, they have been involved in an ongoing court battle, first to recognize Aubry’s paternity and then onto child custody and support. Tensions between the couple had increased amidst allegations that Aubry endangered their daughter’s health and safety in connection with an incident involving the child’s nanny, whom Aubry allegedly pushed into a wall while she was holding Nahla. Child endangerment charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.

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The Five Hardest Parts about Being a Single Mom

By Nottage and Ward on June 20, 2012

One of the most contentious aspects of a divorce involving children is child custody. In some cases, the child will live with both parents throughout the year, while in others, the child will permanently reside with one parent while being granted visitation by the other. Raising a child on your own is no easy task, however, and many single parents find that there are a lot of obstacles that make it harder than it would be with a spouse. To help you be prepared for the toughest parts of being a single mom or dad, CircleofMoms.com has come up with the five toughest parts of single parenting:

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Learning from Celebrities’ Divorce Mistakes

By Nottage and Ward on June 18, 2012

Celebrity marriages and divorces are in a class all their own. Not only do celebrity marriages and splits occur at a much higher frequency, but they are also much more extravagant. Much more money and much more media attention make celebrity divorces very different from those experienced by average people. But that does not mean we can’t learn a thing or two from the mistakes celebrities make. When considering marriage, or divorce, avoiding these celebrity mistakes can make things move much more smoothly in your relationship.

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Who Gets Custody of the Dog after Divorce?

By Nottage and Ward on June 15, 2012

Pets have become a large part of people’s lives, much more so than in the past; they are considered part of the family, whether it is a dog, cat, rabbit, snake, or even guinea pig. So what happens when a marriage ends? Divorcing couples regularly fight over property division and who gets the kids, but where does pet custody come in?

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, pet custody issues in divorce have become more and more common, thanks to the evolution of societal views on animal companions. But the courts do not consider pets like children who must have a custody arrangement. Pets are considered property that will be awarded to one spouse or the other unless they come up with their own shared custody agreement.

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Divorce Hotel a New Option for Troubled U.S. Marriages?

By Nottage and Ward on June 13, 2012

The Divorce Hotel, a company based in the Netherlands, offers married couples a different option when deciding what to do about their divorce, and it is often the cheaper option, at least in the Netherlands. A couple takes a long-weekend trip to a hotel, married, and returns home as exes. According to The Huffington Post, the Divorce Hotel will be making its way to Los Angeles and New York sometime in the near future.

The Divorce Hotel is not actually a specific physical hotel but a partnership between the company and multiple “boutique” hotels. The Divorce Hotel helps divorcing guests feel at ease by, on the one hand, making them feel at home in a comfortable, homey environment, while, on the other hand, taking them out of their comfort zone, which also frees them from partners and/or in-laws. None of the hotel’s other “regular” guests know who is there for a divorce and who isn’t. All divorces happen in specific departments of the hotel and all conversation concerning the divorce proceedings occur in private. Staff members are always around for divorcing couples who may find the process more emotional.

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Family Law Attorney Leslie Fineberg Discusses Common Summertime Parenting Issues

By Nottage and Ward on June 1, 2012

As an experienced family law lawyer with the Illinois law firm Nottage & Ward LLP, Leslie Fineberg is well aware of the many problems that can arise when divorcing spouses try to come to an agreement regarding child custody and support. Whether the ultimate arrangement is reached by the court or by the couple through mediation, it can be a highly contentious subject. Who will the child live with? How often can the non-custodial parent get visitation? When the kids are on vacation during the summer, who do they live with?

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