RSSOctober, 2012 - Chicago Illinois Family Law Blog Archive
What Happens When Dual Citizenship is Thrown into Divorce?
Divorce can be a very complicated and heated process in the United States, no matter what state you live in; but the issues you have to deal with in a divorce are exponentially worse when one or both spouses have dual citizenship and are living in another country. According to a Reuters.com article, custody issues have demonstrated the growing trend of problems associated with dual citizenship and divorce.
The President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) states that they are “seeing more parental kidnappings, more conflict, more litigation and simply more to fight about.” He goes on to say that back in the late 1970’s and even the 1980’s, if a woman took her kids with her when she moved out of the country, no one would have contested because the mother would always be awarded custody. Times have changed, however, and parents who are challenging their ex’s right to take their kids out of the country are finding a lot of obstacles in their way. If your husband or wife takes your kids to another country, all you can do is try to open a line of communication to your ex. There’s only so much an American embassy can do to help in a foreign country.
How Technology Can Help You During and After Your Divorce
Technology is having an increasingly significant role in people’s lives; there are apps for just about everything now. You can keep a list of every item in your pantry on your phone, create a shopping list, navigate to and from destinations, find movie times, and even do your banking through apps on your cell phone, tablet, or other device. But did you know that there are also apps to help families through their divorce?
According to The Huffington Post, the following apps can be the extra help a divorcing or divorced family needs to cope with the changes in their lives:
Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer Separate after Nine Years of Marriage
Actor Russell Crowe and his wife, Australian singer Danielle Spencer, have separated after nine years of marriage, according to The Huffington Post. The couple, who had first met 22 years ago on the set of The Crossing, had married in April 2003 in South Wales and have two sons, Tennyson and Charles.
Crowe’s busy work schedule, which has kept him away from his family for the better part of this year, is reportedly one of the reasons for the couple’s split. He has six movies coming out in the next 12 months, including the biblical epic Noah, which he is currently working on. The split is reportedly amicable and the pair remain focused on raising their two sons, who live with their mother in Sydney.
Attorney Jeffrey Knipmeyer Supports Helping Those in Need during Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Attorney Jeffrey Knipmeyer Supports Helping Those in Need during Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is doing its part to raise public awareness of the issue. As an experienced Illinois family law attorney at Nottage and Ward, Jeffrey Knipmeyer recognizes the importance of helping domestic violence victims receive the help and support they need to escape dangerous situations that can have a devastating impact on their health and well-being as well as those of their children.
Domestic Violence Defined
The NCADV defines domestic violence as “the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another.” Such abuse can be inflicted onto a girlfriend, boyfriend, wife, husband, partner, and/or child. The physical, emotional, and psychological effects of such horrible actions have long-term and even permanent consequences for the victim as well as those who witness such violence. Getting victims of domestic violence the support they need to escape an abusive situation and providing them with the resources they need to put their lives back together is essential to facilitating healthy family relationships.
Illinois Family Institute Aims to Defend State’s Ban on Gay Marriage
Two lawsuits, which were later combined into one, were filed by Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois in May against Cook County, claiming the state’s ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. The Cook County State’s Attorney, as well as the Illinois Attorney General, were in agreement with the lawsuits and refused to defend the state ban. Two county clerks were given the right to defend the state’s marriage law in this case.
Now, according to the Chicago Tribune, Illinois Family Institute, an organization that opposes gay marriage and, in fact, worked towards establishing the original ban, aims to intervene and assist in defending the ban in the absence of any state defense. An attorney working in support of the ACLU and Lambda Legal lawsuit claims that the Illinois Family Institute does not represent a large enough stake in the case to actually intervene. She argues that filing a “friends of the court” brief in defense of the state law would be more appropriate, both for the Illinois Family Institute as well as any other organizations that support the current ban.
Trick or Treat? Celebrating Halloween with Your Step-Kids
Trying to figure out how to celebrate Halloween after a divorce is difficult, but what if you’re a step-mom or dad? In the final part of our “Trick or Treat?” blog series, the Chicago family law attorneys at Nottage and Ward discuss some of the issues facing stepparents in connection to Halloween and their overall desire to be an important part of their step-children’s lives.
It’s tough being a stepparent. You want your step-children to accept you as a mom or a dad, but this is often an uphill battle because you don’t want them to harbor ill feelings about the fact that you’ve literally taken the place of their biological parent. While Halloween may be a good opportunity to show your step-kids you care about making the holidays fun for them, you also want to make sure not to force anything. Keeping the following tips in mind can help you be a part of your step-kids’ Halloween without being uncompromising or unfair to the children:
Trick or Treat? How to Be Fair to Your Kids and Your Ex
In the first post of our “Trick or Treat?” blog series, Nottage and Ward LLP discussed the issues surrounding spending Halloween with your kids after divorce. We will continue that discussion in this blog, specifically providing some tips and potential solutions for how you and your family can have an enjoyable Halloween even if you didn’t previously come to an agreement in the terms of your child custody arrangement.
Trick or Treat? Spending Halloween with Your Kids after Divorce
It’s that time of year again. October has arrived, and with it is the start of the fall and winter holidays. Halloween kicks off the season, but this isn’t necessarily good news for recently divorced families. Family law attorney Leslie Fineberg and the legal team at Nottage and Ward recognize that the fall and winter holidays are typically the most difficult time of year for divorced families, which is why we have dedicated this three-part “Trick or Treat?” blog series to helping divorcing and already divorced families get through Halloween.
The Distinction Between Joint Custody and Sole Custody in Illinois
Divorce can be a messy business, especially when there are children involved, but understanding what you want as the terms of your divorce settlement, including the child custody arrangement, can make a big difference in how your divorce proceeds. As far as child custody is concerned, you should be aware of the following definitions: legal custody vs. physical custody and joint custody vs. sole custody.
What Happens If Issues Come Up After a Divorce Is Final?
As an experienced divorce attorney in Illinois, Jeffrey Knipmeyer understands that we do not live in a perfect world. If it was perfect, once a divorce is final, it’s actually finished. Every party abides by the terms of the divorce settlement; they pay maintenance (alimony), on schedule; they never miss a child support payment or visitation; and everything moves on exactly as planned. This is unfortunately not the case for many divorces, which is why a divorce attorney is not just prepared to fight for an equitable divorce agreement, but prepared to provide effective representation in order to modify an already final settlement in post-decree proceedings.
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