On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Thursday, April 25, 2013. For many of Chicago’s married couples, it is the husband who earns the most income. Accordingly, should a couple split, the husband usually pays alimony in a divorce settlement. However, this is not always the case as research indicates that in a small portion of households, the wife is the top earner. In such scenarios, women may have to make certain considerations. Women should consider having a prenuptial agreement drawn up to protect their assets. The prenuptial agreementContinue reading
Category Archives: Family Law
Illinois seeks to restrict parental rights for accused rapists
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, April 24, 2013. According to an Illinois representative, there may be as many as 30,000 pregnancies each year that result from rape. In some cases, these women inexplicably find themselves fighting with their rapists for child custody. The Illinois legislature is currently discussing a bill that would make it easier for women in such a situation to prevent their abusers from obtaining custody. Currently, a woman can only restrict visitation and custody rights against an attacker if he hasContinue reading
Protecting spouses from premarital debt
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Thursday, April 11, 2013. Some Chicago residents may wonder whether a prenuptial agreement can help protect a future spouse from debts acquired prior to the marriage. The issue often arises when a person with substantial assets enters into a relationship with a person who has accumulated several debts. Property acquired after spouses enter a marriage is divided equitably during a divorce in Illinois. However, property acquired prior to the marriage remains the sole and separate property of the spouse that acquired it.Continue reading
Is keeping a house after a split a good idea?
On behalf of The Walters Law Group, Ltd. posted in Divorce on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. As anyone in the Chicago area who has gone through a divorce knows, there are many adjustments that need to be made as a result of the process. While exactly what those adjustments are varies from divorce to divorce, a common issue for many is who, if anyone, will be able to keep the marital home. Perhaps not surprisingly that determination depends the finances of the parties involved in the split. The first thing that needs toContinue reading
Adopted child to be returned to birth father
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
‘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
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
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