Chicago Illinois Family Law Blog
Your Facebook Profile May Be Used Against You in Family Court
Social networking has become part of our day-to-day lives, and although some people infrequently engage in online social networking, others religiously share their thoughts, emotions, frustrations, joys, and, not to mention, pictures for every occasion. The most popular social media site to do all this is Facebook. The problem? What happens on Facebook does not necessarily stay on Facebook. If you are currently in the divorce process or in a child custody battle, what you have on your Facebook profile may be used against you, according to an article in The Legal Intelligencer.
Though the law journal article discusses how Facebook is used in Pennsylvania family law cases, the fact is that Facebook has become a relevant factor in family law cases in courts nationwide. The decisions a court makes concerning divorce, maintenance, child support, and child custody may all be impacted by what is on a party’s Facebook profile, although, if the separating couple files for a no-fault divorce in Illinois, proving that one spouse cheated on the other using Facebook pictures and posts will have little to no impact. Child custody cases may be a different story, however.
Springfield Civil Union Benefits Reversal Vote Thrown Out by Judge
In January, the decision to deny spousal benefits to Springfield city employees in civil unions was reversed by a unanimous vote of the Joint Labor/Management Health Care Committee. After the vote was initially denied in December, Springfield Mayor Mike Houston publicly declared his support of awarding spousal benefits to city employees in civil unions. Soon after that public announcement, the committee reversed its decision and granted benefits. Unfortunately, that reversal vote has since been thrown out by a Circuit Court Judge for violating the Open Meetings Act, according to The Windy City Times.
An Illinois Times reporter had filed suit after the Committee held a closed-door vote on extending spousal insurance benefits to civil union spouses in January. The Committee did unanimously vote to extend the benefits, but, because the Committee was a public committee, they were required to hold open meetings. Because the vote was conducted behind closed doors, a Judge ruled in favor of the reporter’s suit, which made the vote void.
Post-Divorce Recovery May Just Take 7 Steps: Part 2
In last week’s blog post, we discussed the first four steps of coping post-divorce by using the Vendetta Technique, which was developed by celebrity weight-loss coach Valerie Orsoni. Today we present the last three steps to move on with your life, happily and confidently, after divorce:
- Step 5: The Vendetta Diet – There is strong correlation between looking good and feeling good, and vice versa. It gives you confidence that you may have lost after the divorce. Toss out all junk food, fill the fridge with fresh and natural foods, especially veggies, and establish a new exercise routine, even if it is just taking a walk with your friends every day.
- Step 6: Reward Yourself – You’ve set up goals, now create your own Vendetta Treasure Chest, a box with promise notes for rewards, like “Buy new shoes” or “Get motorcycle riding lessons,” when you reach those goals. Once the Treasure Chest is empty, you’ve reached all your goals and have achieved your Vendetta.
- Step 7: Time to Celebrate! – Throw a party for yourself with your closest friends, take a trip, or even symbolically destroy all memorabilia of your ex that you don’t want any more to celebrate achieving your goals.
Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Legalize Gay Marriage in Illinois
It has been almost one year since the civil union law went into effect in Illinois and now some lawmakers feel it is time to take the next step and authorize same-sex marriages, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Last week, three legislators filed a bill, HB5170, entitled the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act,” which would remove the explicit prohibition of same-sex marriages from state law and make marriage legally available to gay couples. In addition, the new measure would allow religious groups to make their own decisions concerning the types of marriages they perform. One of the bill’s sponsors is not sure whether the Legislature will give it serious consideration, but, if trends across the country are any indication, Illinois may consider same-sex marriages sooner rather than later.
Post-Divorce Recovery May Just Take 7 Steps: Part 1
Getting over a divorce is a long emotional process, whether it was a mutual decision or not. Every person has their own methods of coping with divorce, and no one way is the right way, but wallowing in depression should never be one of those methods. If you have recently been divorced and are trying to find a way to be happy with yourself and your life again, the Vendetta Technique, developed by celebrity weight-loss coach Valerie Orsoni, may be the way, according to Shape magazine. In this two-part blog series, we will be outlining the essential seven steps of this technique and how they can help you move on with your life in a healthy way.
The goal of the Vendetta Technique is to drive yourself to becoming a better and healthier person, not to actually hurt your ex, but to gain control of your life and your emotions. These are the first four of the technique’s seven steps:
Housing Market Crash Causes Problems for Divorcing Couples
The real estate market crash made and still makes life difficult for homeowners across the country. House values have plummeted and people are left with loans that are worth more than their homes, making it nearly if not completely impossible to keep up with expensive loan payments or even to sell. According to a Yahoo! Finance article, approximately 3.5 million homeowners are behind on their mortgage payments while another 1.5 million have already begun the foreclosure process. In the next two years, it is estimated that there will be 3.6 million foreclosures.
What Consistent Behaviors in Your Marriage May Lead to Divorce?
There are many potential factors that contribute to a divorce. The most common of these are usually infidelity, financial issues, and conflicting goals. Lying and cheating are obvious behaviors that can lead to divorce, but there are also a handful of less obvious behaviors which, if consistent, can end a marriage.
According to The Huffington Post, although there are countless reasons why a relationship ends, researchers identify five behaviors that, if repeated over time, have the power to end a marriage:
Illinois’ Turn for Child Support System Overhaul: The Proposed System
In Monday’s blog post, we discussed the shortcomings of the current Illinois child support system, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. This child support payment system may make the family court’s job easier, but it can make things tougher and more frustrating for families.
The new income shares system aims to be more centered on the particular situation of the family. The income shares system still assumes that the child of a divorced couple is entitled to financial support equal to that he/she would have received if his/her parents stayed together. But, unlike the current system, this would be determined by how much each parent earns. Higher income means higher child support contribution. The amount of time a non-custodial parent spends with the child will also be taken into account. With the added level of fairness in this new system, long and contentious disputes would likely take less of the court’s time and alleviate any bitterness between the parents.
New University of Arizona Study Finds Correlation between Divorce and Early Death
Even a divorce that is necessary can have negative effects on a couple. Most often, the effects people think of are depression, uncertainty, loneliness, and/or financial insecurity, but, according to USA Today, there is another serious effect of divorce, as demonstrated in the findings of a University of Arizona (UA) divorce study: higher risk of an early death.
The UA study, or rather review, was published in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science. After examining 32 case studies involving 6.5 million adults in 11 countries over 27 years, researchers found that divorced adults suffer a higher risk of early death than married adults. More specifically, divorced adults have a 23 percent greater chance of dying early, and for divorced men, it is more than that.
Illinois’ Turn for Child Support System Overhaul: The Current System
Child custody and support are two of the most contentious aspects of a divorce and can lead to ongoing bitter disputes that are definitely not in the best interests of the child. Illinois aims to remedy these common situations by implementing a new child support payment system, which will be better for all parties. In this two-part blog series, we will be discussing the shortcomings of the current system and the remedies of the new system.
According to the Chicago Tribune, an advisory committee to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services is supporting a complete reconstruction of the state’s child support payment system, which really does not allow for the best arrangement, for parents or children, in its current state. A bill is being drafted to change the current system to an income shares system, a trend that is already in place in 38 states.
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