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The decision to end your marriage is never an easy one, but your situation may be even more complex if you or your wife is pregnant, and one of you is contemplating divorce. You might even wonder if it’s possible to initiate divorce proceedings in Illinois when there is an expectant child – especially when the case may not even be complete before the child’s birth. You also might have questions about how a divorce affects paternity, which is a concern when the pregnancy was the result ...   Read more ...  

  Published in the Thursday June 4, 2020 edition of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin   By Michael C. Craven and Marla Levie Craven   Michael C. Craven is a family law partner at Harrison & Held LLP. He is a member and officer of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and has long been fascinated by the world of legal marketing. Marla Levie Craven is the wife of family law attorney Michael Craven. She spent decades as the owner of a marketing consulting company. Many of he...   Read more ...  

In Illinois, it’s common for unmarried parents to share custody and visitation of minor children, legally termed the allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time. However, even when you agree on the relevant issues and include details in your parenting plan, unforeseen circumstances can disrupt the arrangement. Schedules change, emergencies arise, and other factors may make it impossible to meet your obligations. Also, your ex may have conflicts. To account for this scenario, Ill...   Read more ...  

For many people involved with divorce and family law matters, one of the first questions they ask is “Will my case go to trial?” It’s an understandable question since you want to know what to expect. Though providing a definite answer is impossible, you should know there are benefits for avoiding trial through agreement. You have more control over the outcome, so many lawyers will aim for settlement where it properly protects your interests. Although most cases settle, agreement isn’t po...   Read more ...  

There are situations where you just don’t click with someone, whether due to personality conflicts, disagreements, or other factors. It can be frustrating in any context, but your circumstances are especially challenging when communications with trust or confidence in the attorney you’ve retained to handle a family law matter breaks down. You have a business relationship with this individual, but it’s one which centers on very personal, emotional issues.   As such, when yo...   Read more ...  

When you think of divorce, you might picture a hostile, bitter court battle that involves endless hearings, constant fighting and protracted litigation. While this may be true for some, many other divorcing couples are able to move through the process more smoothly through compromise. Fortunately, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act does allow – and even encourages – parties to come to an agreement on the primary issues in a divorce case. In doing so, you experience numerou...   Read more ...