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.

DON’T THINK YOU ARE FOOLING ANYONE BY BEING UNDERHANDED IN COURT

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | July 20, 2021 | Comments Off on DON’T THINK YOU ARE FOOLING ANYONE BY BEING UNDERHANDED IN COURT

DON’T THINK YOU ARE FOOLING ANYONE BY BEING UNDERHANDED IN COURTThis is a guardianship case. The trial court appointed a guardian ad litem to do an investigation. A woman claimed to have powers of attorney (POA) over an 86-year old woman’s estate and healthcare. Had the POA financially exploited the elderly woman?The setting is just…

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EQUITABLE PARENT DOCTRINE-IF YOU ARE NOT A PARENT BY ADOPTION OR BIRTH

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | July 21, 2021 | Comments Off on EQUITABLE PARENT DOCTRINE-IF YOU ARE NOT A PARENT BY ADOPTION OR BIRTH

The parties, James and Maria, lived together, and never married. Maria adopted a child, Scarlett. James had never formally adopted the child, but the parties had discussed it. The parties had lived together with the child for several years. They saw themselves as a legally-bound family unit. The parties broke up, and James went to…

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IS DAD’S LOOKING AT PORNOGRAPHY CONSIDERED HARASSMENT TO MOTHER AND THE KIDS?

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | July 21, 2021 | Comments Off on IS DAD’S LOOKING AT PORNOGRAPHY CONSIDERED HARASSMENT TO MOTHER AND THE KIDS?

The parties had six children. Four of them were special needs children that they had adopted. Father had visited websites that contained child pornography. Mother discovered this when she was using the computer at home.Mother went to court to get an Order of Protection against Father. Father was found guilty. He was removed from the…

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PAY ATTENTION TO HOW AN AGREEMENT IS DRAFTED

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | July 21, 2021 | Comments Off on PAY ATTENTION TO HOW AN AGREEMENT IS DRAFTED

The divorce decree awarded wife 17.5% of net proceeds from husband’s workers’ compensation settlement. The settlement agreement included a Medicare set-aside arrangement of $70,000 for future medical expenses from the injury. The Trial court said that the $70,000 set-aside was to be included in net proceeds for purposes of calculating wife’s 17.5% share.DETAILS OF THE…

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PRIORITY FOR GRANDPARENT VISITATION PETITION

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | July 21, 2021 | Comments Off on PRIORITY FOR GRANDPARENT VISITATION PETITION

It requires the court to set the first hearing date for a petition for visitation within 45 days of the petition being filed. It requires that further hearing dates be set in court within 45 days of the prior hearing. It would allow the court to impose penalties and sanctions on any party that intentionally…

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IS IT HEARSAY OR NOT? WHAT IS AN EXCITED UTTERANCE?

By Buffalo Grove Law Offices | July 21, 2021 | Comments Off on IS IT HEARSAY OR NOT? WHAT IS AN EXCITED UTTERANCE?

Husband was convicted of two counts. Domestic battery and endangering the life or health of a child. The trial court sentenced him to 364 days’ imprisonment. He appealed. He argued that he should not have been convicted.  He argued that the court allowed hearsay from his wife. Wife had made statements to a police officer…

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