Recent Blog Posts
Study Finds Courts Show Bias against LGBT Parents in Custody Battles
A new review, Lesbian and Gay Parents and Determination of Child Custody: The Changing Legal Landscape and Implications for Policy and Practice, conducted by researchers from Drexel University reveals that LGBT parents still encounter bias from the family court system when it comes to child custody disputes. The review appears in the premiere issue of Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, and was published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Despite many states, like Illinois, passing laws allowing same-sex marriages, as well as last year’s Supreme Court decision which ruled the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional, parents in the LGBT community are still being denied the same legal rights as heterosexual parents.
Keeping Your Weight on Track during a Divorce
If you and your spouse recently decided to call it quits, how you and your body chemistry deal with divorce remains to be seen. For some, there may be a shedding of a few pounds. But for others, the first line of defense is double packing on the pounds by stress eating. One way or another it happens to us all.
As you stress over continual maintenance payments, child support orders, and the division of marital property, it is in your best interest to retain an experienced and knowledgeable divorce attorney, assist your children with their concerns, and take care of your own physical well being.
Annulments: Stipulations for a Clean Marital Slate
One of the most effective marketing slogans to ever hit the jackpot recently celebrated more than a decade of enticing vacationers and love struck couples to Sin City. Illinois couples, however, do not need to travel to the desert to tie the knot nor petition for an annulment. Couples can opt to petition for an annulment as stipulated under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5). However, under the terms of the Illinois Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage, certain criteria must first be met in order to qualify.
Can Your Occupation Increase the Likelihood of Divorce?
Many believe that police officers probably have one of the highest divorce rates of any occupation. However, in a study conducted by Radford University, law enforcement was not even in the top 15 of occupations with the highest rates. In fact, according to the study, police officers had a lower rate than the rest of the general population. Researchers used data from the U.S. Census Bureau. However, they only looked at people who were currently divorced and not those who may have remarried after previous divorce.
Can the Gender of Your Children Forecast Marital Bliss or Divorce?
The battle of the sexes is at it again. According to an article published by ABC News, the gender of your children may determine the marital future of their parents.
Of course, as parents, we are primarily concerned with the health and happiness of all our children, but recent data from the U.S. Census shows that couples who raise girls may find it more hazardous to a marriage, as well as to the decision to remarry after the dissolution of a first marriage. Data further suggests that raising boys, on the other hand, tends to hold the family together. Often mothers of boys choose to remarry following divorce. The data further concludes this is not so common for mothers of daughters.
Your Choice: True Detective or Experienced Illinois Divorce Attorney
According to US News, calculations of men as high as 50 percent will cheat, while only a third of women will do the same. However, clinical data remains sketchy at best.
So what do you do if you suspect your spouse is having an affair? Do you ignore the situation and hope it runs its course? Do you confront your fears and confront your spouse? Or do you hire a private detective to provide the hard core evidence? How you handle your suspicions is entirely your choice. As you contemplate your next move, perhaps having an experienced Illinois divorce attorney on speed dial should also be part of your covert operation.
To Tweet or Not to Tweet? How Twitter Can Damage Relationships
The University of Missouri recently published research results on how Twitter and social media can be hazardous to the health of our personal relationships. And while social networks have revolutionized how we build and maintain our relationships, researcher Russell Clayton, a doctoral student at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, claims that active Twitter users are more likely to experience conflict in the romance department.
According to an article recapping Clayton's findings published by the MU News, Clayton's research indicates that active Twitter users may find themselves outside the door looking in, as excessive Twitter use can lead to emotional and/or physical cheating or even divorce.
Couples Who Clean Together, Stay Together
A new study published by the University of Illinois confirms that couples who equally share responsibility for the household chores have a better chance of staying together and avoiding divorce court.
The study, recently conducted with over 220 couples participating, concluded that wives who choose to equally divide the daily household chores are significantly happier, especially when their husbands are totally agreeable. If the husband falls behind in his duties or flat out refuses to cooperate, the wives' happiness sharply plummets. Hence the saying, “a happy wife, a happy life!”
How to Handle a Divorce Deposition
Even the most civil of divorces can quickly turn acrimonious. A couple starts out the process with the goal of quickly coming to a settlement agreement in order to both be able to move forward with their lives. But issues such as child custody and support issues, property division, and financial asset division can overshadow that goal of a quick and friendly divorce. And then the couple is faced with long, drawn out divorce negotiations, which typically include oral depositions taken during this process.
Parent’s Cigarette Smoking Can Affect Child Custody
An increasing number of judges are recognizing the dangers to children exposed to secondhand smoke and are factoring in a parent’s smoking when deciding custody issues.
It is well-documented that smoking is bad for your health. Multiple studies have also proven that second-hand smoke is bad for the health of people who are exposed to a smoker’s cigarette smoking. Second-hand smoke has been labeled as a Class A carcinogen. There are more than 40 substances that are known to cause cancer. Second-hand smoke also contains substances that can damage and others human organs and tissues.
