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Is a Pretrial Hearing Right for Your Case? Divorce outcomes are often determined by a judge, however throughout my years as a divorce attorney, there have been many times that pretrial hearings have been used as a less formal way to resolve cases before a final divorce trial. Pretrial hearings are a valuable step within many divorce cases. They help familiarize the court with the pertinent issues of a case. They can assist in settling a divorce case before the case goes to trial.   What Is...   Read more ...  

Prove-up Hearing in Chicago Divorce How a Prove-Up Affects Your Divorce  Divorces can go many different directions. Obviously, some divorces are going to be very contentious, akin to how the media likes to portray them. However, in my many years as a divorce attorney I have witnessed far more divorces ending amicably with a settlement than acrimonious ones.   What is a Prove-Up Hearing? A prove-up is a specific type of hearing during which the parties to a divorce proceeding “prove-up,�...   Read more ...  

Changing law changes lives Discourse on Divorce As featured in the November 14, 2018 edition of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin By Michael C. Craven   In this column, I want to reflect on how the law has changed the world, and in particular, family law in Illinois.   There aren’t many occupations in the world that have the ability to change so many peoples’ lives, but one that does is law. As someone who has spent more than 30 years practicing law, I am constantly amazed and astound...   Read more ...  

Divorce lawyers often focus a lot of attention on how divorce affects parental responsibilities. Parenting plans are one of the most important and contentious parts of divorce. However, splitting up assets is a close second. Equitable Distribution States handle divorces differently. Some states divide the assets 50/50 no matter what. This means that it does not matter what the cause for divorce was, the assets are equally divided. Illinois is an “equitable distribution” state, meaning the Co...   Read more ...  

Divorce is never easy, but the holidays have a way of making it even harder. Especially when you are navigating religious waters while also trying to co-parent. It’s important to remember that the holiday season is supposed to be a time for togetherness. It’s when memories are created, so instead of dreading the upcoming holiday season, here are a few tips for working together to co-parent effectively. Make a game plan ahead of time Planning in advance who your children will spend the holi...   Read more ...  

Whenever the question of adoption arises, the law must examine the rights of both biological parents. There are multiple situations in which an adoption may alter the biological parent’s rights. We will examine some common types of cases.   Stepparent Adoptions   In today’s world of blended families, there are many scenarios in which a stepparent would want to adopt a stepchild.   Illinois does not allow a child to have three legal parents, so there are two ways a stepparent w...   Read more ...