2026 Articles

2025 Joint Midyear Meeting Photos February 2026 The Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Judges Association proudly co-hosted the 2025 Joint Midyear Meeting on December 11–12 at the JW Marriott Chicago, bringing members of the legal community together for two days of connection and collaboration.

2026 Annual Meeting Photos July 2026 ISBA members and guests gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis on June 11–12, 2026, for the Annual Meeting, which featured outstanding CLE programming, networking, and business meetings. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the Annual Meeting a success!

An AI “Girlfriend” Is Still a Girlfriend By Jennifer Cunningham Beeler June 2026 While AI has become an increasingly prominent topic as it relates to the practice of law, AI is seeping into family law in a unique way with the introduction of AI girlfriends and potential dissipation claims. AI girlfriend platforms are replacing the Match.com and Bumble monthly subscriptions for seeking romance outside of the marriage.

Are Civil Petitions for Rule to Show Cause Filed in Domestic Relations Matters Pleadings or Motions? By Judge James A. Shapiro, Judge Mitchell B. Goldberg, & Alison Rimkus September 2026 Correctly determining whether a court filing is a pleading or motion can have profound implications on the appropriateness of the responsive filing. A serious review of the differences between pleadings and motions and an understanding of the specific requirements of Petitions for Rule and the considerations involved in civil contempt, makes clear that Petitions for Rule are motions; they are not pleadings and, thus, not subject to dispositive motion practice.

1 comment (Most recent September 17, 2026)

Book Review: We the Women…the Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America By Norah O’Donnell By Judge Naomi H. Schuster July 2026 As we enter the 250th anniversary of America, it's important to remember the American heroines who helped change the course of history. We the Women follows 35 women throughout American history, across the span of 50 years, to discuss their contributions to and influences on our country.

Boundaries AKA How to Survive the Practice of Family Law By Matthew Benson August 2026 This edition of the Chair's Column discusses the importance of setting boundaries in family law and offers a few ideas of how to set your boundaries in your own practice.

A Broken Clock Is Right Twice a Day and Other Things Your Mother Tried To Teach You: Tips for Young Lawyers By Kathleen M. Kraft April 2026 The lessons you learned as a child can still be equally applicable in the practice of law.

Chair Column By Staci Balbirer May 2026 Learn more about the new incoming Chair of the Family Law Section Council, Matthew Benson!

Chair Column By Staci Balbirer February 2026 A note from the Chair of the ISBA Family Law Section Council.

Chair Column By Staci Balbirer January 2026 A note from the Chair of the Family Law Section Council.

Chair’s Column By Staci Balbirer March 2026 Budgeting before, during, and after divorce: a roadmap for you and your clients.

Chair’s Column: A Glimpse Into a Family Law Section Council Meeting By Staci Balbirer April 2026 A look into the Family Law Section Council's discussion on companion animals and the role of pets in family law cases.

Changes Are A-Coming: SB3524 Child Support Changes By Nancy Chausow Shafer May 2026 Child support disputes have often been dominated by "the Cliff," or the change in child support if the parenting time of each parent is at least 146 overnights. SB3524 would alter the current child support landscape, by providing additional adjustments for 110 to 146 overnights.

Competing Interests: The Interplay Between Mental Health Protections and the Best Interest Factors By John C. Wroblewski June 2026 The Illinois Legislature adopted the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act in 1979 to protect the confidentiality of mental health treatment records and communications. The Illinois Supreme Court acknowledged the importance of confidential mental health treatment in the case of D.C. v. S.A., and family law attorneys and child advocates should be familiar with the Act, particularly when it comes to examining best-interest factors for child-related issues under the IMDMA.

Detinue: A Remedy for Recovering Personal Property in Illinois When an Unmarried Ex Won’t Return the Dog! (Or Other Belongings) By Kelli E. Gordon September 2026 Dealing with family law matters that may involve contentious personal property issues necessitates knowing the difference between detinue and replevin actions. To bring a detinue claim, be sure to identify property with specificity, gather evidence of superior possessory right, make formal demand, file verified complaint, and be prepared to prove value.

Deviation From Maintenance Guidelines Is Supported With Sufficient Findings By Christopher W. Bohlen January 2026 When dealing with a deviation from guideline maintenance, the court must make specific findings as to the amount and duration of non-guideline maintenance, as well as justify why the court chose to depart from guidelines.

Domestic Violence and Attorney Solicitation By Maxwell Sharkey July 2026 Illinois Professional Rule of Conduct 7.3 covers the solicitation of clients by attorneys; however, attorneys are still able to solicit prospective clients in domestic relations cases. This can remove autonomy from the filing spouse from being able to share the news in a safe manner, necessitating rule amendments that create time limitations for solication in domestic relations cases.

2 comments (Most recent July 29, 2026)

Effective Email Etiquette for Esquires By Matthew Benson September 2026 With digital communication becoming a necessary component of the practice of law, be sure you are representing yourself in a formal, professional way.

Emergency Parental Responsibility Remedies By Dana Jakusz April 2026 An exploration of the relationship between the IMDMA and the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, focusing on how each statute can be utilized to restrict parental responsibilities. A divergence between the two acts arises when considering the permanency of restrictions under each act.

Exclusive Possession of the Marital Residence Pursuant to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act By John D. Winters & Lena Goretsky Winters July 2026 Seeking exclusive possession of the marital residence is an extraordinary remedy. A successful motion for exclusive possession generally requires evidence of either physical violence, credible threats, or compelling proof that continued cohabitation is causing concrete and ongoing emotional harm that cannot reasonably be remedied while the parties remain in the same residence.

Federal Student Aid Changes Effective January 1, 2026: Consequences for Family Law Clients By Rebecca Berlin Melzer May 2026 The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's changes to federal student borrowing may have significant impacts on clients relating to contribution to secondary educational expenses under section 513 of the IMDMA. Without additional federal borrowing, true out-of-pocket costs to families are increasing. It is imperative that clients understand the changes, to be able to make more informed decisions on the selection of school based on the child’s and parents’ resources given the new borrowing limits.

From 146 to 110: Public Act 104-0733 and Illinois’ New Shared-Care Child-Support Regime By Steve Rakowski September 2026 On July 31, 2026, Illinois enacted Public Act 104-0733, effective January 1, 2027, amending sections 505 and 510 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, and making five changes of immediate importance to family-law practitioners: it lowers the shared-care threshold, introduces “overnight equivalents,” expands the minimum-support category, creates a detailed incarceration procedure, and requires annual exchanges of income information.

From Paper to Practice: Turning Karina’s Law Into Action By Genevieve Miller March 2026 A recap of a recent domestic violence CLE.

GAL Lists Across Circuits By Amy Schellekens February 2026 Even though the Illinois Supreme Court has a rule that specifically governs GAL qualifications, many circuits throughout the State of Illinois have adopted their own rules regarding GAL appointments. The differences between each circuit may pose difficulties in enacting the reciprocity requirement of Supreme Court Rule 906.

Illinois Court Jurisdiction in Allocation Cases: When Does It End? By Matthew A. Kirsh March 2026 While not as obvious as you might think, it does seem that a court in the state of Illinois only has jurisdiction over a child for purposes of allocation issues until the child turns 18.

Illinois Family-Lawyers Ethical Obligation to Our Clients’ Children By Sandra Crawford, J.D. March 2026 While Illinois attorneys may not have an explicit ethical duty to protect a client's child, ethical rules governing an attorney's behavior establish responsibilities to promote, safeguard, and avoid harm to children involved in family law matters.

The Illinois Supreme Court Wants Parents To Resolve Parenting Disputes By Sandra Crawford, J.D. April 2026 Mediation is a requirement when parents are involved in a parenting allocation dispute. The sooner that you explain this requirement to clients, as well as the benefits of mediation, the less clients will feel defeated or caught off guard when a court inevitably orders the parties in a parental allocation matter to mediation.

The Impact of In Re Marriage of Tronsrue on the Equitable Division of Certain Federal Pensions and Payments By Judge Arnold F. Blockman, (ret.) June 2026 There are certain federal pension and other payments that by federal statute and federal law are not divisible by state courts in family law proceedings, including military disability retirement payments, V.A. disability pensions, social security benefits, certain railroad retirement benefits, and other payments. However, the Illinois Supreme Court analyzes this issue in In re Marriage of Tronsrue, 2025 IL 130596.

The Imposter Takes the Chair By Matthew Benson July 2026 A note from the new chair of the Family Law Section Council, addressing the upcoming bar year, Imposter Syndrome, and the current Newsletter issue.

Love and Marriage Go Together Like… By Sandra Crawford, J.D. July 2026 Although divorce is, by its nature, emotionally exacting and often accompanied by pain, anger, and betrayal, it need not be conducted without dignity or care. By engaging one another with empathy, respect, and cooperation, modeled by their lawyers and other professionals, people may “divorce well,” minimizing harm and laying the groundwork for healthier post‑marital relationships.