Family Law Issues

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY

Buffalo Grove Law Offices concentrates its practice in the area of family law. Family law cases include concerns about divorce, separation, paternity, adoption, child custody, child support, college, division of property and debt, family violence and more.We handle family law cases, as well as cases related to the family law setting. These may include real estate closings, short sales, wills, Powers of Attorney for Health Care, Powers of Attorney for Property, and other matters that arise in the context of a family law case. The fact that we concentrate in the family law area gives us the ability to concentrate on issues that arise in the family law area, including case law, prior and new statutes that can affect your case.

Other Areas of Family Law That We Handle

  • Minor emancipation: We can assist in the emancipation of a minor matter, whether we represent the teenager or the parents. Sometimes, it is in the best interest of the minor child and the family that the minor child is emancipated. Sometimes, it is not.

  • Grandparents Rights: We also handle situations regarding grandparent’s rights and responsibilities. These situations are often custody, guardianship, and grandparent adoption.

  • Stepparent Rights: When a parent marries or remarries after the birth of a biological child, the stepparent wants to adopt the child. Stepparent adoptions help to create a stronger family unit. We assist in this type of situation.

  • Guardianships and conservatorships: When someone can no longer care for themselves, someone else needs to step in to be their guardian or conservator. We can assist in this type of situation.

  • Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements: People sometimes need to make critical decisions about the effect of the relationship on assets owned before the marriage, and other issues before they marry. Prenuptial agreements are drafted before a marriage, and postnuptial agreements are drafted during the marriage, when circumstances warrant. Both types of agreements may be contrary to the state of the law, as far as a later dissolution of the relationship is concerned. It is critical for you to know what you can and cannot agree to, and what needs to be included in such an agreement.

Name Change

In a divorce proceeding, you can simply include language that you are entitled to change your name, in order for you to be able to do so. If you do not include this in your divorce decree, you still need an order of the court in order for you to change your name. The court clerk can provide you with documents to begin the name change process, either for yourself or your children. Sometimes a person will not get a name change during the divorce, although they may want to, because they want to maintain the same name that the children have. The court, in a divorce, will allow you to change your own name, but the children will more than likely need to maintain the last name of the other parent. It may be different in different situations, but this is what you can expect.

You need to know that Illinois law requires you to notify the Secretary of State within 10 days if you change your name. You must get a new driver’s license or ID card, vehicle title, and registration documents that show the name change. You will need to bring your current driver’s license (or ID card), and certified documents that show your name change. These documents may include a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or other court order that shows your old name and your new name.

Contact An Arlington Heights Family Law Attorney

Call our Arlington Heights, Illinois office at (847) 772-8579or contact us online to discuss your questions, concerns and options in an affordable initial consultation.

WHEN ARE CHILDREN OLD ENOUGH TO TESTIFY IN COURT?

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | August 6, 2021 | Comments Off on WHEN ARE CHILDREN OLD ENOUGH TO TESTIFY IN COURT?

Circuit Court granted wife a plenary order of protection against her estranged husband as to their 3 minor children.  The order reduced father’s visitation with the children.  To 4 hours of weekly supervised visitation and 1 weekly telephone call per child. Husband appealed.  He argued that the circuit court erred by (1) admitting the minor…

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WHERE’S HOME?

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | August 6, 2021 | Comments Off on WHERE’S HOME?

Wife filed suit for legal separation and maintenance from her husband. He answered and counterclaimed for divorce. The trial court denied wife’s claim for separate maintenance.  It granted the divorce requested in husband’s counterclaim. Wife then contended that the trial court did not have jurisdiction to enter a decree.  She argued that neither of them…

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INTENT TO ADOPT IS NOT THE SAME AS ADOPTION

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | August 6, 2021 | Comments Off on INTENT TO ADOPT IS NOT THE SAME AS ADOPTION

A same-sex partner, Jenny, filed a petition for visitation. The child was the child of her former partner. The parties had acted as co-parents of the child for approximately seven years.  Their romantic relationship ended two years after the child’s birth.  They continued to act as co-parents. Jenny claimed that she continued to maintain a…

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