2025 Articles

2025 Statutory Changes in Child Support Imputation By Rebecca Melzer March 2025 On January 1, 2025, SB 3284 became law. As part of that bill, it amended the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act to add specific criteria in the statute for determining child support if a parent is unemployed or underemployed. It further added the requirement that a court is required to conduct an evidentiary hearing to impute income to a party.

3 comments (Most recent March 29, 2025)

ABA’s February 2025 House Resolutions and Their Intersection with Family Law By Olivia K. Basu March 2025 ABA’s House of Delegates held its February 2025 Midyear Conference in Phoenix. During the meeting, the ABA House of Delegates passed several key resolutions that intersect with the field of family law. The most influential resolutions are explored in this article.

Bridging the Gap: Why Seasoned Attorneys Should Bring Younger Attorneys Into the Courtroom By Staci Balbirer October 2025 A note about the benefits of more experienced attorneys engaging with newer attorneys to provide mentorship and ensure professionalism and competency standards continue in the profession.

Chair Column By Staci Balbirer November 2025 Spooky isn't just for Halloween! Learn more about what family law practitioners say is "spooky" about family law.

Chair Column By Staci Balbirer August 2025 A note from the Chair on how to avoid burn out in the final weeks of summer.

Chair Column By Staci Balbirer July 2025 A note from the new incoming Chair, Staci Balbirer, as she discusses her plans for the Family Law Section in the upcoming bar year.

Chair Column: Why AI Cannot Take the Place of a Family Law Attorney By Staci Balbirer September 2025 A note from the Chair of the Family Law Section Council, exploring the role of AI in modern legal practice.

Chair’s Column By Jessica Patchik June 2025 A note from the outgoing chair, Jessica Patchik, introducing the incoming chair, Staci Balbirer.

Chair’s Column By Jessica Patchik May 2025 A note from the chair: "From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of my fantastic, beautiful 'Family Law Peeps' for giving me such a cool experience."

Chair’s Column By Jessica Patchick April 2025 A note from the chair.

Chair’s Column By Jessica Patchick March 2025 A note from the chair.

Chair’s Column By Jessica Patchik February 2025 A note from the chair.

Chair’s Column By Jessica Patchik January 2025 A note from the chair.

Child Support in Illinois—Multiple Answers to a Single Question By Nancy Chausow Shafer February 2025 This article discusses allocation of the dependent tax exemption and designation of the majority-time parent—two tax-related choices often misunderstood and used incorrectly.

Cohabitation—Will We Know It When We See It? By Christopher Bohlen January 2025 The issue is cases with similar fact patterns, but different results leave the parties involved with maintenance in a quandary. What is the meaning of residing in a continuing conjugal relationship? Recent cases have been able to define the concept. It is a de facto marriage. It is not an intimate dating relationship. But what is the bright line between those two concepts? Is it answered by Justice Stewart’s concept of “I know it when I see it”? More importantly, is the termination of maintenance based upon cohabitation so fact-specific and unpredictable as to argue for its elimination?

The Ethical and Practical Realities of Maintaining Authorized Contacts for Clients By Matthew Benson May 2025 A discussion on why practitioners should establish procedures for authorized contacts.

“Harassment” Under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, Hope Cards, and Karina’s Law By Olivia K. Basu August 2025 A look at recent developments in Illinois law that offer additional protections to survivors of domestic abuse.

Hitting It Big: The Rise of Online Sports Betting and Its Inevitable Impact on Divorce Proceedings By Michael J. Levy January 2025 While the specific issue of online sportsbooks has not yet reached the appellate court level in Illinois, prior decisions regarding other forms of gambling offer insight into how a court might treat a party's sportsbook app and the funds it contains.

Holiday Planning for Families By Erin Wilson & Juliana Brannan November 2025 Get ahead of the holiday stress and be proactive with your clients regarding holiday schedules. Many families may be adjusting to a new normal this holiday season, and it is important that family law attorneys ensure this transition is as smooth as possible for clients.

Homeschooling in Illinois By Erin Wilson & Juliana Brannan June 2025 Illinois public schools educate thousands of children each day. These schools are directly regulated and reviewed by the state, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). However, many homeschooled children's education slips through the cracks in Illinois. Most states have some type of regulations and monitoring in place, yet Illinois is in the minority with the fewest regulations and no monitoring regarding homeschooling.

How Family Law Attorneys Should Properly Preserve an Issue for Appeal By Annette Fernholz August 2025 A quick reference guide for family law attorneys on the best practices to properly preserve an issue for appeal.

1 comment (Most recent August 28, 2025)

How To Deal With Difficult Personalities as a GAL By Erin Wilson, Juliana Brannan, & Emily Ruwe July 2025 When a Guardian ad Litem ("GAL") is appointed on a case, they must interact with many individuals to conduct a thorough investigation. This can involve having difficult conversations with individuals who are experiencing significant emotional distress, conflict, or just general challenges.

Illinois Courts Are Altering the Fee Waiver Statute By Michael Strauss October 2025 This article explores the importance of holding courts accountable in appropriately applying the fee waiver statute for indigent litigants.

Illinois State Bar Association’s 2024 Annual Midyear Meeting: A Resounding Success! By Genevieve E. Miller, Esq. January 2025 The ISBA's 2024 Midyear Meeting lived up to its reputation as one of the premier events on the legal community’s calendar. Held at the JW Marriott in downtown Chicago on December 12 and 13, the two-day event provided a perfect blend of professional development, networking, and celebration for attorneys, judges, and legal professionals across Illinois. Attendees engaged in a full schedule of substantive section council meetings, dynamic CLE courses, and lively social gatherings.

Immigration Considerations for Family Law Lawyers By Rachael Toft March 2025 The evolving political landscape has resulted in drastic changes to immigration enforcement that must be accounted for by family law lawyers. A client that has an uncertain immigration status should be warned that their status can have significant impacts in both divorce and parental responsibility cases.

Impact of Rescission of Laws on DEI in Family Law: Implications to Access to Justice By Arlette G. Porter April 2025 The recent rescission of DEI laws has already had a profound effect on access to justice. It has had a tangible and perhaps detrimental consequence in the family law arena. Revocation of DEI initiatives significantly hinders divorcing parties’ and parentage parties’ access to justice, particularly those in vulnerable positions.

Is a Divorce Judgment a Judgment? By Michael Strauss February 2025 The Second District Appellate Court vacated the ruling denying statutory interest in the 2024 case of In re Marriage of Hyman. That part of the court's ruling is the focus of this article.

ISBA 2025 Solo and Small Firm Conference Photos October 2025 The Illinois State Bar Association hosted the 2025 Solo and Small Firm Conference: The Innovative Lawyer: Smart Strategies for Small Firms in the Age of AI on September 25–26 at the Embassy Suites in Naperville, IL.

LAWPAC Needs You! January 2025 The Illinois Lawyers’ Political Action Committee (LAWPAC) needs your help to fulfill its mission to support the legislative goals of the ISBA and Illinois’ legal community.

Marital Settlement Agreements: The Devil Is Still in the Details By Hon. Tamika Walker September 2025 When drafting Marital Settlement Agreements, details matter. In re Marriage of Tronsue highlights the pitfalls that may arise when special care is not afforded to specific details of a written settlement agreement.