Section Newsletters

Articles on Family Law

Winner take all: recovery of fees for fee litigation in Illinois By Andrew R. Schwartz Family Law, April 2002 After a lengthy marriage and bitter divorce, the court enters a judgment for dissolution of marriage.
An update on child support issues By Sharon Mobley Family Law, February 2002 The Illinois Appellate Court rendered two important decisions regarding child support payments­one favors child support obligees, and the other favors child support obligors.
Recognizing and protecting against conflicts of interest By Belle Lind Gordon Family Law, January 2002 Most attorneys know that they can be disqualified as an attorney for a party based upon a conflict of the interest.
The Richman Report—the importance of the site visit as part of the business valuation process By Bruce L. Richman Family Law, January 2002 Often I am asked whether or not a site visit is needed in preparing a valuation of a closely held company.
Fractured tales Family Law, November 2001 Normally I suggest to my client to provide a copy of a photo of the spouse to the process server to insure prompt service.
Summary—Irmo Beyer: interim fee award pursuant to 501(c-1) upheld in post decree case By Ross S. Levey Family Law, November 2001 The Illinois Appellate Court, First District, has affirmed a ruling by the Honorable James Gavin upholding his award of interim attorney fees pursuant to section 501(c-1) in a post decree proceeding.
When your elderly clients marry: prenuptial agreements and other considerations© By P. André Katz & Amanda Clayman Family Law, November 2001 This appeal evolves from the divorce of an elderly, wealthy furniture magnate after less than three years of marriage to his much younger wife ... [and we] have no quarrel with the conclusion [of the trial judge] that the wife is not entitled to a $150,000 Rolls Royce.
Chair’s column Family Law, June 2001 By the time this newsletter is circulated, I will be the "immediate past chair" and my distinguished colleague, Alan J. Toback, will be at the helm.
Child support and the high income parent—is the good fortune trust the answer? By Barbara E. Hardin Family Law, June 2001 When making a determination of child support in high-income cases, courts often deviate downwards from statutory guidelines.
Deviation from child support guidelines in parentage cases By Richard D. Larson Family Law, June 2001 Many parentage cases handled by family law practitioners in the later years of the twentieth century differ from the norm because the parties involved are possessed of substantial income(s) and assets.
The judge’s corner By Judge Moshe Jacobius Family Law, June 2001 There has been some uncertainty created by the various provisions regarding attorney fees set forth in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.
Legislative update By M. Lee Witte Family Law, June 2001 The 92nd General Assembly did family law practitioners some good and, we think, very little harm.
Recent cases By Barry H. Greenburg Family Law, June 2001 In Re the Marriage of Mitchell, 2nd District, Appellate No. 2-00-0005, filed March 3, 2001
Recent developments under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 By Cecilia Hynes Griffin Family Law, June 2001 Virtually every family law practitioner has come across a case involving use of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 (the "IDVA").
The Richman report By Bruce L. Richman Family Law, June 2001 Much too involved to give a detail explanation of the tax bill in this column, the following are areas to take notice for tax law changes that can affect your area of practice.
Subchapter S corporation earnings: “income” for child support purposes? By Don C. Hammer Family Law, June 2001 If a child support payor receives income from a subchapter S corporation, the income shown on his tax return may be greater than the amount of cash that he actually receives from the corporation.
Chair’s column By Julie Keehner Katz Family Law, May 2001 As the 2000-2001 term of the Family Law Section Council winds down, we have been inundated with numerous bills for our review.
Editor’s note By Richard W. Zuckerman Family Law, May 2001 You don't have to handle custody case for very long before it becomes clear that cases usually fall into one of three patterns.
The judge’s corner By John W. Demling Family Law, May 2001 From a general standpoint, family law and divorce encompasses many big picture issues involving the relationship of the parties and their children after the entry of a final judgment.
Problems in the enforcement of foreign divorce judgments By Scott C. Colky Family Law, May 2001 We hear on a daily basis the world is getting smaller. We are told we are becoming a global village.
The Richman Report By Bruce L. Richman Family Law, May 2001 We have all heard about "substance over form," but when it comes to transferring IRA's, it is "form over substance."
Substitution of judges as a matter of right under 735 ILCS 5/2-1001 (a)(2) By Belle Lind Gordon Family Law, May 2001 If timely filed, a motion for substitution of judge is absolute. The principle underlying the absolute right to a substitution of judge is that a party should not be compelled to plead his cause before a court who is prejudiced, whether actually or only by suspicion.
Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (H.R. 2883) Family Law, March 2001 The Child Citizenship Act of 2000, which grants automatic citizenship to certain children born abroad who are adopted by a U.S. citizen, took effect February 27, 2001.
Confidentiality in adopt-related proceedings By Don C. Hammer Family Law, March 2001 Most aspects of adoption proceedings are confidential (see section 18 of the Adoption Act), and courts have consistently held that "confidentiality protects the interests of biological parents, adopting parents, and adopted minors."
Upholding the best interest of the child standard in Illinois: a revisit of the Baby Richard case By Gregory A. Kelson Family Law, March 2001 In a Chicago suburb, a four-year-old boy was told by his adoptive parents that he would be moving.
With no strings attached By Roza Gossage Family Law, March 2001 Adoption is purely a creature of statute (750 ILCS 50/ et al). The court must comply with the statute, and is restricted by the language of the legislature as to what it can order with respect to adoption proceedings.
Adoption by one spouse can be in the best interest of the child By Andrea M. Schleifer Family Law, February 2001 Until 1998, someone who was married could only adopt a child if his spouse participated.
Adoption in Illinois by only one spouse: is it in the best interest of the child? By Marta C. Bukata Family Law, February 2001 The uncontroverted ultimate purpose of the Adoption Act is to facilitate a legal action that is in the best interests of the child.
Case law update By Don C. Hammer Family Law, February 2001 In re Adoption of K.L.P. (316 Ill. App. 3d 110; 735 N.E. 2d 1071) The adoption petition alleged that the biological mother was an unfit parent. Mother appeared and informed the court that she could not afford to hire an attorney and requested a public defender.
Chair’s column By Julie Keehner Katz Family Law, February 2001 As the legislative session gets underway, the Family Law Section Council will be inundated, as usual, with proposed legislation for us to review.

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