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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 Pre-Trial Conference in Family Law: Why It Matters, How It Works, and How To Make It Better By Hon. Bernadette Barrett & Rhonda J. Thompson January 2026 Pre-trial conferences are an integral part of family law, built into the statutes that govern domestic relations matters. Judges and attorneys can take steps to ensure that pre-trials are as successful as possible in protecting children, resolving financial issues fairly, and reducing the collateral damage of litigation.

Preparing Your Clients for Court Ordered Mediation and Interviews With the Guardian ad Litem By Laura Miroballi April 2026 Be sure to educate your clients about the purpose, role, and scope of Guardian ad Litems and mediators. Not only does this allow your client to feel more secure and educated going into the initial meeting, but the sessions can be more productive if the Guardian ad Litem or mediator does not have to waste time educating the client on the purpose of the meeting.

Putting the Cart Before the Divorce: Pre-Decree Relocation Under 750 ILCS 5/603.5 and 5/609 By John P.M. Peskind February 2026 The relocation statute presumes that an Allocation Judgment has already been entered in a matter; however, family law practitioners know that seeking relocation during the pendency of a proceeding is sometimes necessary. If, after considering the potential impact of a relocation on the non-relocating parent, a court finds that a relocation would serve the children’s best interest—then the children should relocate. It is difficult to see why the pre- or post-decree status of the case should have any bearing on this analysis.

Restriction of Parental Responsibilities By Judge Maureen Schuette March 2026 An overview of the statutes, legal standards, and necessary language to include in orders to restrict parental responsibilities from the perspective of a sitting judge.