On January 1, 2018, a new law regarding pet custody in Illinois made its debut. In the past, pets were divided between the divorced couple like furniture or a vehicle. If a spouse acquired the pet before marriage, it would be awarded to them. In the event the pet was acquired during marriage, the judge would be required to award the pet to one spouse and reimburse the other for half the pet’s value.

Now, however, a judge will be able to take the well-being of the pet into consideration before granting custody. They can consider who spent more time cleaning out a fish tank or walks and feeds the dog on a regular basis and award pet custody based on this information. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of this new law.

Pros

The process of divorce can be expensive. In an attempt to save money, some adults decide to handle their divorce on their own. Although there are several resources that can help you file your own divorce, doing so without the guidance of an experienced divorce lawyer can lead to mistakes that can cost you a great deal of time, money, and headaches down the road. By seeking legal representation for your divorce case, you can avoid the following common mistakes that often occur in do-it-yourself divorce cases.

1. Missed Deadlines

Divorce involves filling out a significant amount of forms and attending a number of hearings. Since it can be confusing to determine what needs to be done when, you may miss deadlines that can dismiss your case or even invalidate it. An attorney can help you understand all of the specific deadlines and requirements associated with your divorce and ensure you know exactly what to do and where to be during the process.

Going through a divorce while raising a child with special needs can be a real challenge. Since alimony, child custody, and visitation are more complicated in divorce cases that involve special needs children, it is imperative that you make sure your divorce lawyer has a thorough understanding of your child’s needs and what your lifestyle is like with your child. Here are four tips on how to navigate divorce with a special needs child.

1. Consider a Specialized Visitation Schedule

Due to the fact that children with special needs usually require structure and consistency, a regular visitation schedule may not work for your family. You should think about how your child will travel to spend time with both you and your ex-spouse and whether they will need to bring any special equipment with them during their visits. In addition, you may need to ensure your visitation schedule is flexible because of your child’s health issues and their necessity to see familiar medical personnel.

If you are going through a divorce, you should make sure your children are at the top of your priority list. After all, this is a time where your children may feel anxious and confused and will need to be cared for and reassured more than ever before. Here are five tips for parenting when going through a divorce:

 1. Avoid Talking About Your Soon to Be Ex in Front of Your Children.

Although it is easier said than done, you should avoid talking about your soon to be ex in front of your children. If you are experiencing feelings of anger or betrayal, you can vent to a trustworthy sibling, friend, or therapist. Your children do not need to know about your emotions during this difficult time.

Sometimes, a divorce ends on bad terms and parents are not able to co-parent effectively. Even therapy, mediation, and positive thoughts cannot make it possible for them to work together and raise their children. If you have gone through a high conflict divorce and believe co-parenting will not work for you, you should consider parallel parenting. Let’s take a closer look at what parallel parenting is and how it works.

Parallel Parenting Defined

When divorced parents choose the parallel parenting method, they recognize that they both love their children but contacting one another can do more harm than good. Parallel parenting can help avoid conflict and ensure that children still have a meaningful relationship with both parents.