Marital dissolution apportionment does not have to be equalJanuary 2006Illinois Law Update, Page 16On November 9, 2005, the Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District, affirmed the decision of the Circuit Court of Sangamon County, dividing the marital estate of Jason and Stephanie Thornley in favor of Stephanie and providing for maintenance payments to Stephanie.
Collaborative divorceBy Helen W. GunnarssonNovember 2005Lawpulse, Page 558It isn't mediation, but it can minimize the conflict in divorce, proponents say. Find out why collaborative divorce is on the rise in Illinois.
Correspondence from Our ReadersNovember 2005Column, Page 554Poor lawyer image - incivility not the culprit? Mediator as peacemaker.
New law fine-tunes child rep statuteBy Helen W. GunnarssonOctober 2005Lawpulse, Page 498A new act seeks to clear up confusion about the differing roles of attorney, GAL, and child representative, and expressly authorizes judges to order divorcing spouses into counseling.
Section of the Adoption Act violates Equal ProtectionOctober 2005Illinois Law Update, Page 506On August 1, 2005, the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, reversed the decision of the Circuit Court of Cook County, terminating the parental rights of the defendant.
Family Law: A Crucible for ChangeBy Robert K. DownsSeptember 2005Column, Page 436If we want to improve the image of our profession, let's improve the practice of family law.
Maintenance proceedings revised in IMDMA - PA 094-0089September 2005Illinois Law Update, Page 446Effective January 1, 2006, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (Act) (750 ILCS 5/101 et seq) is revised to provide that "any maintenance obligation, including any unallocated maintenance and child support obligation, or any portion of any support obligation.
Living in a two story houseBy Helen W. GunnarssonAugust 2005Lawpulse, Page 382Can parties be "separate and apart" for purposes of filing for divorce while still living under the same roof?
Till death us do part?By Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2005Lawpulse, Page 226Suppose Michael and Terri Schiavo had resided in Illinois after she became incapacitated, and suppose Michael had wanted (or been willing) to divorce her – would Illinois law have allowed it?
Illinois Supreme Court 2004: Taking on the Tough IssuesBy Nancy J. Arnold and Tim EatonApril 2005Article, Page 174Last year the court confronted contentious issues that matter not just to lawyers but to the public at large.
Personal goodwill is not to be included in a division of marital assetsApril 2005Illinois Law Update, Page 170On January 21, 2005, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the appellate court and upheld the circuit court's determination that personal goodwill be excluded in the valuation of the former husband's dental practice.
You take the sofa, I'll take the Fifth...By Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2005Lawpulse, Page 162Forget about dirty laundry; what if your divorcing client did – or might have done – something criminal? Here's advice about advising clients how and when to take the Fifth.
A Family Lawyer's Guide to BankruptcyBy Peter C. AlexanderFebruary 2005Article, Page 80Divorce and financial distress often go hand in hand. Here's a bankruptcy primer for matrimonial lawyers.
The ABCs of QDROsBy Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2005Article, Page 18QDROs are an increasingly painful – and important – part of practice. And ignoring them won't make the pain go away.
Language in marriage dissolution agreement must be given its plain meaningDecember 2004Illinois Law Update, Page 620On September 16, 2004, the Illinois Appellate Court, Third District, reversed in part, affirmed in part, and remanded for further proceedings the judgment of the Circuit Court of Mercer County.
Sexual Morality and Children of DivorceBy H. Joseph GitlinSeptember 2004Article, Page 468How does parents' post-marital sexual behavior affect their right to custody and visitation? A look at Illinois law.
Attorney fees, family law and In re Marriage of KingBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2004Lawpulse, Page 118The Illinois Supreme Court has given divorce lawyers one more reason to get as much of their fee up front as possible.
