Posted on July 15, 2014 in Divorce

Two separate studies have concluded that if a bride or groom develops "cold feet" before the wedding takes place, it could be a sign that there may not be a living happily ever after ahead.

During one of the studies, conducted by University of California, 232 newlywed couples were interviewed. In order to participate, all couples needed to meet the following criteria:

• The marriage is less than six months old;
• This is the first marriage for both spouses;
• Neither spouse has any children;
• Both spouses are over 18 years of age, but wives are younger than 35 years of age;
• Both couples have at least a 10th grade education.

Of the 464 people the study interviewed, 47 percent of the men and 38 percent of the women admitted to being uncertain about getting married before the wedding. The conclusion of the researchers was that marriages where at least one spouse had doubts had poorer staying power after four years. Marriages where the wife had expressed doubts had two and a half times higher the divorce rate.

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 Posted on July 11, 2014 in Adoption

Determining whether or not adoption is the right path for you takes careful consideration. It is not a decision you will reach quickly, because your decision may affect the child, you and your spouse, and the birth parents. There are some tough questions to ask not of the adoption agency but of yourself.

Planned Parenthood, a trusted healthcare provider of women around the globe, offers a list of questions to potential adoptive parents to encourage considerations before moving forward with your decision to adopt a child into your life and your home.

• Am I ready to become a parent?
• Do I have adequate finances to care for a child?
• How will adoption affect my future?
• Will I be haunted by the fact that I am not the biological parent?
• Is adoption something I feel I should do or is it what I want to do?

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 Posted on July 09, 2014 in Divorce

One of the most important steps in going through a divorce is choosing your attorney. Having the right attorney can help determine how smooth, or how wrought with delays and frustrations your divorce will be.

When choosing an attorney, you should consider several candidates. Get referrals from several sources. If you have friends who have recently gone through divorces, ask them. Depending on how their divorces went, some may even recommend their ex-spouse's attorney instead of their own. It is also a good idea to get referrals from other attorneys. If you have an attorney you consult with for business or an estate planning attorney, contact them and ask them for a referral. You can also visit the websites of your local and state bar associations to get names of family law attorneys.

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 Posted on July 02, 2014 in Divorce

With the advancement of the internet, it is possible to enjoy all the goods and services we have become accustomed to without ever leaving home. We can order our groceries, style a new wardrobe, do our banking, pay bills and chat with our doctor all from the convenience of our homes. However, the internet does not make us all experts on everything. It is not recommended that you file for divorce online, where scams and false information can be common.

If you are contemplating divorce, the American Bar Association hosts an informative research page providing answers to frequently asked questions and a divorce term glossary. Reputable sites can be helpful but beware of lesser sites offering a quick and affordable online divorce options.

Websites offering you a quick, affordable online divorce can prove perilous for the following reasons:

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 Posted on June 30, 2014 in Child Support

Latchkey kids. For many, these children live in single family homes either due to divorce or explanatory absence of one parent. The concept of latchkey kids dates back to World War II, when fathers left to serve and mothers entered war effort industries. Often awarded a key, dangling from a piece of string placed around their necks, latchkey kids arrived at an empty home and waited for mom to finish her shift. World War II moms often opted for the swing shift, requiring them to lock the door and slip off to work while their children slept. The country realized this was an issue, and promptly set up community centers where Latchkey Kids could safely await mom’s arrival.

These types of programs ended shortly after the war, leaving Americans still wondering how to work, support families and ensure the safety of their children. Sixty-nine years later, latchkey kids remain a societal issue of today’s generation.

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 Posted on June 24, 2014 in Divorce

Cohabitation before marriage is becoming more common than in the past. Nearly 50 percent of all women have chosen cohabitation, often putting off marriage for up to two years, according to US News & World Report.

Studies have shown that for some, this living arrangement has proven to be a better option. Today Health reported that cohabiting couples appear happier and hold greater self-esteem than their married counterparts. Why? It is believed that cohabitation allows for increased independence and personal growth while in a committed relationship.

Of course in any relationship, ground rules are important. If you are opting to cohabitate, these quick tips may establish your personal boundaries, leading to a healthy and happier existence.

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 Posted on June 20, 2014 in Child Custody

According to a new study, there is a growing trend of shared child custody, with fewer courts awarding sole custody of children to the mother.

The study was done by researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The team examined the data from Wisconsin family courts from 1988 until 2008. They looked at more than 10,000 divorce cases.

In the late 80’s and early 90’s, very few custody arrangements involved shared custody. Instead, the mother was typically awarded sole physical custody with the father awarded visitation, or parenting time.

However, the data revealed as time went on, there was a marked decrease in the amount of mothers who received sole custody and a significant increase in the amount of shared custody decisions made by judges. In the two decades of statistics the study looked at, the percentage of mothers awarded sole custody dropped from 80 percent to 42 percent.

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 Posted on June 17, 2014 in Divorce

According to a study that spanned 35 years and was published in Social Behavior and Personality, just under 25 percent of women who married in the 1990’s kept their maiden name. In the 2000’s, this number leveled off at around 18 percent. More women in the Northeast (20 percent) keep their maiden names than women in the Midwest (4 percent).

When going through a divorce, women are given the option of keeping their married last name or going back to their maiden name. For women who are undecided at the time of the divorce, it’s important to make sure that it is clearly spelled out in the final divorce decree that they may do so in the future. Otherwise, it will be necessary to go back to court in order to have the divorce decree amended.

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 Posted on June 13, 2014 in Divorce

For those residing in Illinois, divorce papers can either be served in person by a spouse, or through a process server. It is best to retain an experienced Illinois divorce attorney to assist you in determining the best option for your situation.  Your attorney will request the filing of a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage or Precipice for Summons with the circuit court to begin the process.  

Illinois state law, Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5),  requires that any defendant of a lawsuit, which includes your spouse if you are the filing party, must be informed of any pending legal action. You must "serve" your spouse with a notice of divorce or service of process.

Illinois has requirements for this process and all must be satisfied before you can move forward with your divorce action. The following is a brief description of state requirements for informing your spouse of the divorce:

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 Posted on June 10, 2014 in Divorce

Aside from the direct impact of divorce on your children and the emotional toll on your psyche, perhaps one of the most important questions that requires your immediate attention is, "What do we do about the house"?

If you reside in Illinois, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5), states that there should be equitable distribution of all marital property in a divorce. Marital property covers everything from the marital home, finances, vehicles and recreational toys down to all household content acquired during the marriage. Although the decision regarding the family home may prove the most difficult.

Your divorce attorney will review your overall situation, including all variables playing into the decision over the home. Depending on your family needs, you and your spouse may decide that you will remain in the marital home with the children, but you will need to order an appraisal to determine your buy out cost to satisfy your spouse’s interest in the home. If on the other hand, you are open to placing the home on the market and once sold, you will be able to equally split the proceeds with your spouse.

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