The holiday season begins, and for many people in a divorce or in the aftermath of a divorce, the season raises concerns and stresses beyond the usual stresses of the holidays. Some of the concerns develop over the sharing of the holidays with children. Which parent will have the children…
In Blisset v. Blisset, 123 Ill.3d 161, 526 N.E.2d 125 (Ill., 1998), the parties attempted to enter into an enforceable agreement whereby the mother waived her rights to future child support from the father in exchange for the father waiving his future rights to visit with the children. The Illinois…
One piece of advice from this news package was particularly good, among a lot of good information… the benefit of a job. Not only can a new job provide much needed new income to the new family system, but the social and emotional benefits of a well selected job can…
The Law Offices of Michael F. Roe practices collaborative law, and our collablaw divorce clients have saved time, stress, and money. Sounds appealing, doesn’t it? How does a collabortative divorce work? First, both spouses meet with their respective collaborative attorneys to discuss individual needs and concerns. Then, the couple and…
One of the reasons that I have been a proponent of alternative dispute resolution systems in divorce (such as collaborative divorce and mediation) derives from the sheer savings that can accrue to the parties by bypassing stressful and costly litigation, and implementing cutting edge alternative strategies that lead to settlement.…
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are sometimes used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent’s duty to care for the child. Residence and…
The Associated Press reports on an interesting case arising in Cook County. The divorced parties apparently have a Joint Parenting Agreement, providing for the parents to consult with each other over the major decisions in the child’s developmental life. Mom, in this case, wanted to have the 9 year old…
I have a number of clients who express concern about their divorce and the impact on their children. Are there any guidleines for parents to follow? Below are some thoughts and guidelines for parents anticipating divorce or in a divorce process. Be mindful that there are alternatives to traditional litigated…
Custody Terminology and the Effect on Divorce Outcomes Terminology in divorce carries weight: Which sounds better: Custody Decision, or Parenting Plan? Senate Bill 2003, approved by the West Virginia Legislature during a special session in June 1999, started an overhaul of the state’s domestic relations system. The bill made changes…
One of the best ways that divorcing parents can faciliate a good joint parenting agreement is to live within reasonable proximity of each other. When both parents live within minutes and miles of each other, the parents and kids benefit. Even the best and broadest parenting agreement can be difficult…