2024 Articles

Adjudication vs. ADR in Family Law: In Search of Deeper Dialogue and Understanding By Sandra Crawford March 2024 Conflict resolution practitioners must be able to convey the benefits and drawbacks to different models of conflict resolution since the model a client uses to address disputes can have a profound impact on the process and outcome.

Beware of AI Pitfalls By Michael Strauss January 2024 An artificial intelligence-generated article about a non-existent Illinois Supreme Court Rule, which serves as a cautionary tale for attorneys to do their own research and not blindly rely on anything generated by AI.

Cases and Issues to Watch By Raleigh D. Kalbfleisch April 2024 Summaries of cases and issues of interest to family law practitioners.

Don’t Be a ‘Wimpy’ Lawyer By Rory T. Weiler April 2024 Advice on how to collect fees from uncooperative clients.

FAIR Is the Four-Letter ‘F-Word’ in Divorce By L. Steven Rakowski April 2024 During a divorce, one way to ensure your client is happier with the outcome is to manage expectations and attitudes.

How DCFS Appeals Can Give Law Students Valuable Litigation Experience By Joe Lehman March 2024 The rules of the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services allow non-lawyers to appear before administrative law judges. Law students and firms that employ them should capitalize on this allowance to give law students valuable litigation experience.

In re Parentage of A.H, A.H., & A.H. v. Harlow H. By Hon. Jeanne M. Reynolds February 2024 A summary and analysis of In re Parentage of A.H.

Leveraging AI and ChatGPT as a Divorce Attorney in Illinois: Ethical Considerations and Practical Applications By Rachael Toft March 2024 Although artificial intelligence can be useful to attorneys now, it will have limitations until newer products are developed specifically for attorneys.

Navigating Parenting Time Restrictions Under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act By Agnes Zielinski Olechno January 2024 Parenting time restrictions under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act serve as a crucial mechanism to ensure a child's safety and well-being in contentious family law cases.

Navigating the Sale of a Marital Residence During the Pendency of a Case By Rebecca Berlin-Melzer February 2024 Understanding the various legal options for handling marital property in divorce under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act will help lawyers give clients quality, comprehensive advice.

Order of Protection Against Transphobic Parent Upheld By Peter Sullivan April 2024 In its recent opinion in In re A.A. v. Nita A., the appellate court addressed the issue of transphobia within the family and cleared a path for the issuance of orders of protection against a family member who harasses a transgender child for being transgender.

The Partner Abuse Intervention Program: An Important but Underused Tool By Tanya Witt February 2024 A look at the distinctions between anger management and the Partner Abuse Intervention Program.

The Value of a Narrative Response in Family Law Cases By Judge James A. Shapiro & Adam R. Heusinkveld January 2024 The failure of many family law practitioners to appreciate the distinction between pleadings and motions results in the common practice of using the “admit/deny” format in responding to motions.