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Thoughts, insights and information about the divorce process. Nothing here should be considered to be legal advice. If you need legal advice, you need to hire a lawyer.

The Best Interest of the Child and the Importance of Cooperation

May 16, 2023

The best interest of the child is the most important factor that the court will consider when allocating parenting time

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How to Decide Between Keeping Your Married Name or Choosing Your Birth Name

May 12, 2023

When it comes to deciding your name after a divorce, there is no right answer. After all, you’ve been living with one name for years and suddenly you must make the decision whether to keep your married name or choose your birth name or former name. How do you decide? Let’s look at the options and some of the considerations that come with them.

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Pets and Divorce

April 24, 2023

Pets are considered family members by many people – including by me. They provide companionship, love, and support. When a couple gets divorced, the question of what to do with the pets can be a difficult one. In Illinois, there are some laws governing the division of pets in divorce. However, the courts will consider the best interests of the pet when making a decision about custody.

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Rapid Unplanned Disassembly: A Metaphor for Unexpected Divorce

April 20, 2023

In engineering, “rapid unplanned disassembly” (RUD) is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected failure of a machine or system. As of right now, that term is trending on twitter because SpaceX’s Starship exploded during launch. A RUD can be caused by a variety of factors, such as a design flaw, manufacturing defect, or operator error. RUD can also be a metaphor for divorce. When a marriage ends, it can feel like a sudden and unexpected failure. One spouse may have through they had a happy marriage but then something happens and the relationship falls apart.

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Financial Infidelity and Divorce: What You Need to Know

April 18, 2023

It’s no secret that a major cause of divorce is financial infidelity. Whether it’s hidden bank accounts, undisclosed debts, surprise bills, or secret spending; all of these factors can put a serious strain on a marriage. And when the time comes to end things, financial infidelity can make navigating the divorce process even trickier. So, what should you do if your spouse is hiding money or trying to keep you in the dark about their finances. Here are some ideas to find hidden assests and debts,

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Lawyers are not in the business of handing out free advice

April 14, 2023

Divorce is a difficult and emotional process, and it can be even more challenging if you don’t have the right legal representation. If you’re considering divorce, you may be wondering why divorce lawyers cannot give free advice over the phone (and why you get told different things by different lawyers).

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The Rise and Fall of the Standard Visitation Plan

April 11, 2023

When a couple with a child or children decides to divorce or no longer live in the same house, they have to create a parenting plan as a part of their divorce. One of the most common parenting plans I saw early in my career was the so-called “standard visitation plan”. It is the common default plan that is chosen by the court after trial because it is easy to draft and fits the older model of one parent should be the home base for children. But it does not have to be your default.

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Understanding Your Rights as a Step-Parent Post-Divorce

April 7, 2023

Divorce is a difficult process for the entire family, and it can be particularly trying for step-parents who have been involved in their step-children’s lives. If you are going through a divorce, or recently got divorced, you may be wondering what your rights are when it comes to your former step-child. The Troxel v. Granville case is an important precedent that can help answer this question. 550 U.S. 57 (2000)

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Why You Should Not Go to Law School

April 3, 2023

Law school has long been considered a desirable career path – especially for those that like to debate. However, in recent years, the demand for lawyers has decreased, and the cost of attending law school has skyrocketed. This has led many people to question the value of going to law school and whether it is a smart financial decision – and it rarely is. So, here are some of the reasons why you should not go to law school:

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Baseball helped me be a better lawyer

March 29, 2023

As a divorce lawyer, I’ve seen my fair share of difficult and emotional cases. Navigating the complexities of the law can be challenging, but by drawing on lessons from my favorite pastime—watching baseball—I have learned that law, just like baseball, are both games of strategy, execution, and teamwork.

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