In my almost 28 years on the bench — most of which I spent presiding over family matters in the Circuit Court of Lake County in Waukegan — I had a front-row seat for an amazing display of human nature. I met families in crisis, parents in stress, and children in trouble. They arrived in
In today’s economic environment, it is a very difficult decision to opt for a divorce and end a dysfunctional relationship. Today there can be enough stress in people’s lives to make them hesitant to compound that problem by adding the stress of a divorce. However, there is a proven and slowly growing alternative to the
As working parents’ roles in the lives of their children evolve with the demands of the modern economy, so too do their parental rights as divorced parents. Traditionally, a child’s custodial parent would be the primary residential parent and child support recipient and the non-custodial parent would pay child support and be granted “visitation.” Those
“Family values” is a buzzword these days. We read about it in the newspapers and hear about it in political speeches and debates. From a Torah perspective, we applaud the espousal of these social values and national policies as they represent a return to our own traditional values. Judaism has always preached that the fate
Myth: Mediation allows one spouse to dominate another. Fact: A good mediator pays close attention to the power balance between the spouses and uses specific techniques to address any imbalance. If one spouse persists in dominating behavior, the mediator will call a stop to the mediation rather than allowing it to continue. One caveat: Even
Divorce. It’s right up there with death of a spouse for the most stressful life events we can experience. Yet just as you cannot escape the paperwork and financial issues after the death of a loved one, you can’t afford to ignore the financial aspects of a divorce, as you are setting the foundation for
Bridal expos have long provided attendees with knowledge about what’s hot for the wedding process; but what’s out there for those dealing with the harrowing situation of divorce? The “Start Over Smart” expo, the first divorce expo in the U.S., promises to put a friendly face on the process. The two-day event, held in New
The generation that once embraced the smiley face and peace symbol as cultural logos is now divorcing in historic fashion. Divorce rates are higher for baby boomers than for any previous generation, while rates are declining, slightly, for society as a whole. New research and census data reveal an unprecedented trend of Americans splitting apart
Anuradha Venkataprasad decided to return to Hyderabad after severing her seven-year-old marriage in USA. Anuradha had already become a US citizen when she applied for the divorce in a Florida court in USA. She was awarded alimony by the courts in Florida, in accordance with US statutes. When she had to file an Income Tax
Q: My lawyer keeps talking to me about “temporary orders.” I have no idea what she is talking about, and her explanation makes less sense each time we talk. Can you tell me what these are? A: If she cannot explain “temporary orders,” you have a serious communication issue. Unfortunately, many lawyers forget that “lawyerspeak”
