Legal Insights
Thought leaders from around the world contribute their perspectives on landmark cases, new legislation, and legal perspectives on new technologies, business practices, and civil procedure.
Featured Articles
How Mediation Is Changing Family Law
Susan A. Hansen
Kitchen-table contracts and divorce litigation can both hurt families. Mediation offers a middle ground.
GRAY DIVORCES: When Older Parties Untie the Knot
Esther R. Donald
In 1967, the Beatles asked: “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m Sixty Four?” Today, Sir Paul, the answer increasingly is “No.”
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Premarital Agreements: More than just a Divorce Document
Leonce A. Richard III
Drafting a premarital agreement should instead focus on a collaborative effort of two people coming together to create a “life plan” with regard to forming a lifetime partnership.
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New Year Ushers in New Formulas for Calculating Maintenance Payments in Divorce Proceedings
Timothy E. Weiler
The anticipated outcome of the adoption of the increased income threshold is to reduce litigation about the amount of maintenance to be paid by simply applying the statutorily mandated calculation to more individuals with a much higher annual income.
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Dussias Wittenberg Koenigsberger
Dussias Wittenberg Koenigsberger
Chicago | Oak Brook | Deerfield Family Law
Split Decisions
Susan A. Hansen and Lindsey A. Kujawa
Marriage is changing—and so is divorce. Family lawyers must be there for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health.
Divide and Conquer
Kathryn A. Graves
The practice of family law has changed substantially in recent decades. How is it different—and how does that affect the lawyers who specialize in it?
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Basic Concepts and Precepts of Child Custody
Leonce A. Richard III
The result is one of the most emotional and traumatic issues in family law: child custody.
Family Matters
Henson & Efron
Early case management and alternative dispute resolutions seek to simplify some separations in Minnesota.
Female Attorneys Shaping the Future
Nicole Ortiz
Baltimore’s Rosie the Lawyer initiative offers high school girls an insider’s look at the law.
Social Media and Technological Concerns in Divorce Law
Robert D. Boyd and K. Jeanette Holmes
From one smartphone, an image can be made available to millions of people in an instant.
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A Trial Is all about the Appeal
Campbell D. Barrett and Judge Lynda B. Munro
Every trial has the potential for an appeal. The likelihood of an appeal is enhanced when the judge has picked a clear winner and loser after a family bench trial.
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Sweeping Changes to Illinois Child Support
Timothy E. Weiler
Sweeping changes to the way Illinois courts will calculate child support are set to take effect July 1, 2017.
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Divorce Litigation and Why to Avoid It
Stephen Cullen and Kelly Powers
There are three ways to get divorced—two of them should be avoided if possible—accepting, of course, that there are some spouses who insist on litigation and a trial.
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What Happens to Credit Card Debt When I Get a Divorce?
Hossein Berenji
In a community property state like California, credit card debt may be shared between partners.
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Asian Countries Join Worldwide Child Protective Treaty
Stephen J. Cullen
After several years of negotiations, the treaty—the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction—came into existence.
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Illinois’ Pet Owners Can Now Seek Custody of Their Pets in Divorce Proceedings
Weiler & Lengle
PA 100-0422 now requires a divorce judge to award one party or the other possession of and responsibility for the family pet or pets based upon a careful consideration of the animal’s “well-being.”
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Top Five Tips for Successful Holiday Co-Parenting
Miles & Stockbridge
Tips on minimizing holiday stress for divorced families.
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Important Considerations in Determining What Is in the Best Interest of a Child
Hossein Berenji
When courts make determinations about child custody they will make the decision based on what they believe is in the best interest of the child.
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Clients Should Understand Basic Financial Consequences of a Divorce
Steven Fernandez
Spouses who get divorced will have to adjust how they file their taxes, what income and liabilities they must report for tax purposes, and even how they approach discussions about alimony and spousal support.
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Spousal Maintenance and the Retirement Age Spouse
Leonce A. Richard III
The limited goal of preserving a spouse’s “nest egg” prior to retirement is simply to make sure that he or she has retirement assets to use at retirement.
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Common Mistakes Made in a High Net Worth Divorce
Stann W. Givens
If you are currently going through a high net worth divorce, you need to take care to not let your emotions get the best of you and push you to make a potentially terrible decision that seriously affects your future.
Attention Business Owners: Consider a Prenuptial Agreement If You Plan to Walk Down the Aisle
Mollie G. Caplis
Seven Common Tax Issues to Consider When Negotiating Your Divorce Settlement
P. Lindley Bain
During your divorce, you will be faced with various tax issues and it is important that you explore those issues with an appropriate professional before you start to negotiate your final divorce settlement.
International Child Abductions
Ronald Litvak
The objects of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (hereinafter "Convention") are to "secure the prompt return of children wrongfully removed" from their country of habitual residence, and "ensure the rights of custody and of access under the law of one contracting state are effectively respected." Convention, Article 1.
