Multi-State Divorce & Family Law Blog by Stange Law Firm, PC

Custody issues for unmarried parents On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in family law on Thursday, May 24, 2018. Not every child custody issue that makes its way into the courts of Illinois is based on a divorce. In fact, many unmarried couples face custody struggles when they cannot come to terms with how to share their time with their kids. Although unmarried parents can create their own child-focused custody agreements and have those agreements approved by the courts, in some cases differences between the parents prevent them from creating their own parenting plans. Custody matters can turn

Does your custody plan serve your child’s best interests? On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Having a child is hard, but having more than one child can be even harder. Ask any parent of multiple children what it is like to juggle the lives of several dependents and they may launch into a discussion of varying schedules, differing needs and changing expectations. What a child needs when they are a baby is different from what they need as a teenager, and a parent of more than one child must constantly

Service members have options when filing for divorce On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in military family law on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Not everyone is able to commit themselves to serve in the United States military, but those who do offer their fellow citizens an invaluable service. Serving in the military can be incredibly difficult for anyone, including those who are married and who have families of their own that they are separated from during their times of active duty. When stress and strain impact the marriages of Illinois service members, they may turn to the courts

What does it mean to have “joint custody” of a child? On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, April 12, 2018. As previously discussed on this family law blog, a child’s best interests will guide matters related to their custody. To this end, different children may have very different plans that establish where they will live, if and when they will visit with their parents and how their custody will be divided. This post will briefly touch on one important way parents may share custody of their children, which is “joint custody.” Joint custody

Why is it important to establish legal paternity? On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Fathers’ Rights on Friday, March 30, 2018. Under certain circumstances, a child is presumed to be the offspring of a woman and a particular man. For example, when the child is born to a married Illinois couple then it is presumed that the man and woman are the child’s biological parents. However, as readers of this family legal blog know, not all children are born to couples who have chosen to establish their relationships through marriage. When questions exist regarding the parentage of

What are the best interests of a child? On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, March 15, 2018. When a judge is tasked with the decision of determining child custody and/or visitation schedules, the first item he or she will take into consideration is commonly known as the child’s “best interests.” This is an all-encompassing term, which includes all aspects of a child’s well-being. The State of Illinois defines best interest in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, Section 602.7. Custody decisions, especially modifications after divorce, are not made nor taken lightly.

Assistance to facilitate adoption in Illinois On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in family law on Friday, March 2, 2018. Adopting a foster child who is currently under guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services can be a complicated legal process. For that reason, it is important for those navigating the process to understand what they can expect and how to best address any potential issues as they seek a positive resolution. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has created a guide to inform adoptive parents of their rights and responsibilities in selecting and

How do I get a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity set aside? On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Fathers’ Rights on Friday, January 12, 2018. A previous post on this blog discussed how men in Springfield, Illinois, can sign a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity as an easy way to become the legal father of a child. Signing this Acknowledgement grants important fathers’ rights to the man, but along with those rights, it also imparts important responsibilities, including the responsibility to support the child financially. This is usually no issue when the man knows the child is his biological

The Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity in Illinois On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Fathers’ Rights on Friday, January 5, 2018. This blog has discussed on previous occasion how DNA testing works when it comes to paternity and what a father might expect if he decides to go to court to establish paternity. However, there is another way that a dad who is not legally married to the mother of his child can establish paternity quickly and efficiently. This option, called a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity, just involves properly completing a form prepared by the State of Illinois.

How grandparents can obtain custody On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Friday, December 29, 2017. As this blog has explained previously, grandparents’ rights are somewhat limited in Illinois, as the law of this state expresses a strong preference for a child’s legal parents to raise that child and make important decisions on his or her behalf. However, there is a way, called a guardianship, for grandparents to obtain child custody over the grandchildren, although this way is only available in limited circumstances, such as when neither of the child’s parents are willing or able

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in military family law on Friday, December 22, 2017. One unique aspect of military family law is that the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act may apply to child custody, paternity, divorce or child support actions involving an active duty member of the military, particularly when that person is deployed. It is relatively odd that federal law regulates topics that are normally matters left up to the different states, but Congress thought it was appropriate that soldiers and sailors who were away serving the United States should not