Cohabitation: What Are My Rights?
It has become very popular in recent years for unmarried couples to live together. This is known as cohabitation. Some cohabitating couples opt to get married after living together for a few years. Others choose to end their relationships and move on separately, which can create confusion about personal property and its division among unmarried partners.
Children and Divorce: How to Help Your Child Work through Your Marital Breakup
Divorce is hard for families. Amid discussions of property division, alimony, new living arrangements, and changing relationships, children can feel like they have lost control of their lives. This can lead to feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety, and even regret and guilt for some children. During this difficult time, your children need your support more than ever. Be there for them as you and your spouse work through your divorce and move forward with your changed lives.
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Adoption: Rights to Your Birth Certificate
If you were adopted or one of your parents was adopted, you might be interested in your biological relatives. Though you may love your adoptive parents or grandparents, there may be a question in the back of your mind regarding those to whom you are related. Or, you may wonder about your genes, family illness or history. You can find this out by requesting a copy of your original birth certificate, which may even put you in direct contact with biological parents, depending on their wishes.
Visitation Rights in Illinois
Although the court strives to give every divorcing parent custodial time with his or her children, this is not always feasible. In cases where this cannot be achieved, the noncustodial parent is usually granted visitation rights with his or her children. Visitation rights are court-ordered visits between a parent and child that are meant to maintain the bond between the parent and the child.
Same-Sex Marriage in Illinois
American society is in a constant state of change – especially the field of family law. Just a decade ago, same-sex couples could only dream of getting married in most of the United States. Today, homosexual and heterosexual couples alike have the right to marry in 37 states.
Orders of Protection: Legal Protection When You Need It
If you are a victim of domestic violence or constant harassment from your current or former partner, you can obtain an order of protection to protect yourself from him or her. An order of protection is a court-ordered set of rules regarding how an individual may interact with the individual who sought the order. It is a criminal offense to violate this set of rules. If you feel that you need to file for an order of protection from your spouse or another member of your household, contact an experienced attorney to learn more about what such an order can and cannot do.
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A Glossary of Divorce Terms
Divorce is a common legal process that many couples will have to go through. However, as with many legal proceedings, the terminology can often form an unnecessary obstacle to people’s understanding it. This glossary of divorce terms should help people cut through the legal jargon to understand what is going on in their own divorce case.
Child Support Modification in Illinois
If you can not afford to make your child support payments, do not simply stop paying. Failure to pay your child support can lead to fines, loss of your driver’s license, wage garnishment and other monetary seizures, and even jail time. As a parent, you are legally required to financially provide for your child.
The Blended Family: A New Post-Divorce Dynamic
Following a divorce, many individuals are anxious to put their previous relationship behind them and move forward. For some, this may mean reestablishing themselves as a single person and dating casually. Others may find themselves in another serious romantic relationship and heading toward remarriage. As with many aspects of a post-divorce situation, remarriage can present an interesting combination of emotions and experiences to those involved, especially for children and divorced parents with any type of shared custody arrangement. These emotions can intensify with the prospect of blended family situations, as well.
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Adopting Children in Illinois
Lots of parents in Illinois choose to expand their families by adopting children. Every family has its own reason for choosing this route and for many, it is a deeply personal and often emotionally-charged decision. Adding a child to your family through adoption can be one of the most rewarding choices you will ever make, creating the parent-child bond that lasts a lifetime and changes a family forever.