On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Custody on Friday, February 8, 2013. Historically, fathers throughout the nation, including in the state of Illinois, have had difficulties securing the same rights as mothers when it comes to child custody matters. While in many instances this has manifested in mothers obtaining both physical and legal custody, with fathers obtaining visitation rights, in more extreme cases fathers may not even be granted those. This was the case for a man whose now 2-year-old daughter was put up for adoption whenContinue reading
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‘Seven Year Itch’ just one theory for marriage breakups
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Wednesday, February 6, 2013. There are undoubtedly some people in the Chicago area who believe that the strength of a marriage is at the mercy of the clock, and sooner or later divorce is inevitable. Those individuals may find their evidence in the 1955 movie, “The Seven Year Itch,” a film that has had both amateurs and experts debating on whether matrimony has a natural shelf life. Many do seem to get restless in their marriage after around seven years.Continue reading
Remarriage requires important financial decisions
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Friday, February 1, 2013. One of the hardest things about going through a Chicago divorce is determining how to handle money matters. But it’s not just a divorce that makes finances sticky. Getting remarried also makes money distribution more complex, and in some cases it can cause hardship for those who don’t take the time to do the math. A new spouse can change a lot of things that many may not initially think about. For example, those who were getting alimonyContinue reading
Failure to pay child support can lead to criminal consequences
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Support on Wednesday, January 30, 2013. Reaching a child support agreement can be a difficult process not only in terms of time but financially as well. In addition it can also take a toll on the parties involved emotionally. Unfortunately as some Chicago area custodial parents, who rely on the support payments to care for their children are aware, the saga does not always end there. For various reasons parents fail to make the required payments. Authorities in Cook County doContinue reading
Parents debate over child pics online after divorce
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Friday, January 18, 2013. Social networking has become a mainstay in our society and many Chicago residents like to share pictures of their children. There are many, however, who do not want to expose their children online, or who want to wait until their child is old enough to play an active role in deciding what to post or not post. When parents debate over the parameters of their child’s exposure it can be tense, In the case of divorceContinue reading
January continues to have most divorce filings
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Saturday, January 12, 2013. The divorce rate has remained steady in the U.S. However, one month tends to see more divorce filings than any other month out of the year: January. January has been referred to as “divorce month” due to the number of divorce filings that occur every year during this month. Why are more divorces filed in January compared to any other month? Many divorce attorneys say that couples wait to file for divorce until after the holidays are over.Continue reading
The question, ‘Are you my mother?’ not always easily answered
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Custody on Thursday, December 27, 2012. The question is simple; the answer may be much more complicated. The advances of science and the convolution of some child custody legalities can cloud the answer(s) to this seemingly straightforward question. Potential parents in Chicago should be aware of the biological and legal issues that may affect their future children. For example, the scientific breakthroughs in reproductive technology allows a baby to have up to three “mothers.” One, the genetic mother, another, may be the birthContinue reading
Questions continue surrounding in vitro fertilization
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Family Law on Monday, December 24, 2012. Although no longer a new technique, in vitro fertilization continues to generate court challenges in family law cases. Parents in Chicago and around the U.S. should follow some court decisions closely if they’ve chosen to conceive children through in vitro fertilization. A recent landmark case is a graphic example of the continuing confusion. A father who fell ill in 2001 had his sperm frozen after receiving a dire prognosis. He wanted to give his wifeContinue reading
Kids’ insurance issues must be addressed
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Family Law on Friday, December 21, 2012. When working on a divorce settlement agreement in Chicago or anywhere else, an equitable division of assets and liabilities is a primary goal of family court. The issue of how to split insurance coverage is often left to flounder until it takes center stage in the family law matter. The always important topic of health insurance seldom causes conflict and disagreement. Typically, the parent who has been responsible for health coverage will continue to do so. MostContinue reading
New method of testing paternity eliminates wait
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Unmarried Couples on Friday, December 14, 2012. While child custody and child support matters often arise in the context of divorce, marriage is not a necessity for the birth of a child. When a couple is not married and has a child, as is the case where a marriage is involved, there is an assumption that the parents are each of the individuals involved. This of course is not always the case. A paternity test can be administered to either confirm orContinue reading