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

Unwed fathers and child custody On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Fathers’ Rights on Thursday, December 10, 2015. Concerns about how child custody matters will be decided often weigh heavily on the minds of unwed parents. Perhaps more than any other family law-related matters, proceedings related to child custody and visitations are highly emotional and can bring out the worst in both parents. While a parent may fear and dread the possibility of sharing custody with an ex, it’s important to keep in mind that, while you may want nothing to do with an ex, he or

Taking control of financial matters during the divorce process On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Thursday, December 3, 2015. For anyone who is planning to file for divorce or was recently informed by a spouse of a divorce filing, concerns related to finances and maintaining your lifestyle are often top-of-mind. Fears about being left destitute after a divorce are often especially prevalent among individuals who, during a marriage, allowed a husband or wife to manage household finances. While anyone who is starting the divorce process is likely to experience a range of strong, confusing and

Avoiding the holiday drama: practical advice for co-parents On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Tuesday, November 24, 2015. Later this week, families throughout Illinois and the United States will gather to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. For parents who are recently divorced or going through a divorce, this holiday season is likely to be filled with many challenging firsts including having to communicate and coordinate with one’s ex or soon-to-be ex-spouse and not spending the entire holiday with one’s children. Even under the best and most normal of circumstances, the holiday season can be an

Frozen embryo lawsuit shows varying state views On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in family law on Sunday, November 22, 2015. Family planning takes on a whole new meaning as years pass. No longer does it only involve discussions between partners about when to start a family or what kind of birth control to use. Now, family planning conversations in Illinois can include the topic of frozen embryos and other advanced scientific methods. A recent lawsuit in a different state highlights the new methods of family planning — and the legal as well as ethical complications that stem

How interstate custody can affect your life On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Friday, October 16, 2015. When a married couple has a child and they decide to file for divorce, things can become very complicated. Custody of the child will obviously be at the top of the list of issues that need to be handled in the divorce. While there are some couples who contest custody, many others are able to agree to some form of joint custody. No matter what form of custody is agreed, the custody arrangement can become complicated when

Divorce mistakes to avoid: Not making a long-term financial plan On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Thursday, September 24, 2015. No one gets divorce 100 percent right. We all make mistakes. But that doesn’t mean we all need to make the same ones. There are some common mistakes that family law attorneys observe on a regular basis. There’s an old adage that says “failing to plan is planning to fail.” In today’s post, we’ll discuss how many individuals going through divorce become short-sighted about their financial future. They fail to realize that the decisions they

Having kids before marriage no longer considered a divorce risk On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Friday, September 18, 2015. We often write about the ways in which family demographics and dynamics are changing. Because of these changes, “conventional wisdom” about marriage and divorce is also evolving. As an example, it was once believed that couples who lived together before getting married were more likely to divorce than couples who did not cohabit (until tying the knot). Studies in recent years have debunked this correlation, noting that the age at which cohabitation and marriage began

Understanding the differences between divorce and annulment On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in family law on Friday, September 11, 2015. Divorce is a common procedure and usually well understood by the general public. A close relative of divorce is annulment, which many have heard of but few understand. It is far less common than divorce, and most people aren’t clear on how it differs. Before we continue, however, we need to clarify use of the term. In most states, marriages can be annulled under certain circumstances. Here in Illinois, couples can seek what’s called a “judgment of

Apologizing to kids for divorce: What to say and what not to say On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Wednesday, September 2, 2015. Apologies are complex and nuanced things. People apologize in many ways, for many different reasons – not all of them honorable. We may apologize because we are truly sorry. We might apologize to make another person feel comfortable. We may apologize to be polite. We may apologize simply to end an argument . . . the list goes on. If made correctly and sincerely, an apology can mend deep emotional wounds. If

Divorce mistakes to avoid: Insulting your ex in front of the kids On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Monday, August 31, 2015. In today’s post, we’ll be continuing an occasional-installment series about the most common divorce mistakes people make. Our last post in the series focused on taking legal advice from anyone and everyone except your attorney – the person you hired specifically for legal advice. In today’s post, we’ll discuss an issue that you will likely be confronted with if you have children. Many divorced couples these days share child custody, which means they

How a father can establish paternity in Illinois On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Fathers’ Rights on Friday, August 21, 2015. When it comes to child custody matters in te state of Illinois, just what a party is facing will depend on the specific circumstances the person is in. While divorcing couples may need to establish who the children will be with, when, things can be even more complex for those who never married. This is particularly true where fathers are concerned as in these situations, it is first necessary to establish that one is in fact