Posted on October 21, 2013 in Family Law

If you have ever listened to the song “Gold Digger” by Kanye West, you’ve heard the term “prenup”, which is short for prenuptial agreement. However, although we know that it can have something to do with money, not many people know what exactly prenuptial agreements are or what they can entail.

One legal dictionary states that a prenuptial agreement is a “written contract between two people who are about to marry, setting out the terms of possession of assets, treatment of future earnings, control of the property of each, and potential division if the marriage is later dissolved.”

While many people believe that prenuptial agreements are reserved solely for the rich, a prenup can benefit any couple. Regardless of financial status, a prenuptial agreement can be used to pass separate property to children from a prior marriage, clarify financial rights, avoid arguments in during a divorce, and to get protection from debts.

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 Posted on October 18, 2013 in Personal Injury

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 Posted on October 17, 2013 in Family Law

Relationships with in-laws can be tricky to start with, but navigating those waters during and after a divorce can bring extra tension to the situation. If you do have mutual children with your former spouse, it’s natural to want to encourage them to maintain relationships with their grandparents, but it also may put you in a tough spot to communicate with what might be your former spouse’s biggest allies. Implementing a few tips for interaction may help you work through this difficult aspect of divorce.

Encourage Positive Relationships

According to Grandparents.com and Lillian Carson, Ph.D. of the book "The Essential Grandparents' Guide to Divorce: Making a Difference in the Family," that children who have relationships with their grandparents should continue to enjoy time with them in as similar-as-possible environments to that of pre-divorce.

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 Posted on October 15, 2013 in Personal Injury

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 Posted on October 12, 2013 in Personal Injury

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 Posted on October 09, 2013 in Personal Injury

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 Posted on October 07, 2013 in Personal Injury

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 Posted on October 04, 2013 in Family Law

NOTE: As of July 2017, the laws that determine how child support payments are calculated in Illinois have changed. Please see our child support page for more information.

With divorce on the rise since the 1970s according to The Future of Children organization from Princeton University, more people than ever need to know about child support. The organization reported that nearly one million couples have divorced every year since the late 1970s.

As a basis for child support calculations, the payments are calculated based on the income of the non-custodial parent and the number of children.

• For one child, 20 percent of the income will go to child support
• For two children, 28 percent must be paid
• Three children require 32 percent

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 Posted on September 30, 2013 in Personal Injury

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 Posted on September 28, 2013 in Family Law

Domestic violence often starts with one simple, usually lesser, offense, and builds. It is very rare that an abuser will be a one-time offender and if they find someone who does not stand up to them, they will continue to beat that same person over and over again.

Domestic violence typically begins either sexually or physically for a large number of reasons, but once it begins, the violence will cycle through all types because it gives the abuser a sense of power and control, according to DomesticViolence.org.

The different types of abuse that abusers cycle through with their victims include:

Using Male Privilege: Husbands and boyfriends may begin to take control of the relationship by treating the wife or girlfriend as a servant, not including her in any big decisions and making a clear definition of his and her roles.

Using Economic Abuse: The man may do whatever he has to to keep the woman in the relationship from keeping a job and having total control of their money.

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