When you find yourself in the middle of a custody dispute, it can be hard to figure out where to start addressing your case. After all, you might feel like you’re being personally attacked by the other parent, and you might struggle to find ways to fend off...
Administration
Belleville Family Law Blog
Our Practice Areas
Modifying child custody
Residents of St. Clair County often wonder if a court order entered during the divorce, say setting a level of child support, can be modified after the final judgment has been signed by the judge and entered by the clerk. The answer is usually “yes,” but the party...
What you should know about establishing paternity in Illinois
Many of our readers here probably know that child custody and support can be some of the most heavily contested family law issues in Illinois. After all, these issues deal directly with the most important thing to most people: their children. However, before these...
Parenting time, parental responsibilities and your parenting plan
Illinois law no longer officially uses the term "child custody." Instead, it recognizes two concepts: "parenting time" and "parental responsibilities." These two aspects of parenting are separate, but they interact with each other. In this blog post, we'll give a...
Who gets to keep the mortgage in your divorce?
In many divorces, one of the big questions is "Who gets to keep the house?" Recent developments have added a new wrinkle to this common question, and many divorcing couples are now asking, "Who gets to keep the mortgage rate?" As part of its efforts to slow inflation,...
What should I do to prepare my finances for the divorce?
Before initiating the process, you and your former spouse could take measures to prepare mentally and emotionally for the divorce, such as discussing the situation as a family and reaching out to other relatives for support. This process can also require you to plan...
Do you have to prove fault to file for divorce in Illinois?
Spouses cannot end their marriage just because they want to. Before they can file for divorce, they must have legal grounds to do so. Sometimes, these grounds are forms of misconduct, such as adultery or cruelty. Nonetheless, this does not always mean a spouse must...
Five ways to defend against a child custody modification
Although a child custody arrangement might seem like it’s going okay, you can suddenly and unexpectedly be hit with a modification request, filed by your child’s other parent. This motion can feel like a punch to the gut, threatening to reduce or even eliminate the...
Should you seek an attorney for your Illinois divorce?
The decision to enlist an attorney for your divorce largely depends on your unique situation. Whether you choose to seek legal counsel or navigate the divorce process on your own is entirely up to you. However, this significant choice warrants careful consideration as...
The difference between biological and legal paternity
Knowing the nuances between biological and legal paternity is essential in understanding family law, genetics and paternal relationships. It allows families to understand how to enforce parental rights and responsibilities and make informed decisions toward furthering...