Posted on December 24, 2012 in Divorce

According to the Times Union, there is a new book that was released just in time for the holidays called. “Divorce: What about ME?” While this may not be on very many wish lists, it is something that can definitely assist a young mind with the questions that they may have.

Through the divorce process, the emotions can run high between both parents and even among other members of the family. Where the children are used to seeing a certain harmony and accord, there may not be very much harmony left. Children of all ages tend to internalize the problem going on with the parents and they may even feel as if the divorce is their fault.

There is no easy way to explain to a young child child why mommy and daddy are not going to be together anymore. This is where this book comes in. Children love rhyming tales and this book meets that standard. The author recommends this for children between the ages of three and nine. The book reminds the reader that both mom and dad will always love them even though they are no longer going to be together.

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 Posted on December 22, 2012 in Child Custody and Support

Divorce can be an ordeal, especially during the holidays. Matters may get even more complicated if you have biological children and/or stepchildren. Fortunately, a recent article in the Chicago Tribune mentions several tips and strategies for navigating the holidays after a recent divorce.

• Ask your children what is important to them about the holiday and take their opinions into account when planning the holiday. Even simple things can be important, for example, where the kids like to sit at the table or how they like their vegetables. Traditions matter and sometimes your children may not even be aware of traditions until they are changed.

• Remember that your grown-up children may have been celebrating the same way for decades. That changes, however, when parents get a divorce. It may take your children a while to adjust to the new ways.

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 Posted on December 18, 2012 in Divorce

Recently, there was a presentation of speakers about the legal, financial, and emotional aspects of divorce at Divorce University.

One speaker said that divorce is 80 percent emotional, 10 percent financial, and 10 percent legal.

Many recently divorced people also spoke throughout the day. One woman spoke of her ex’s attorney, “(he) was very nasty to me, it really bothered me.”

Another added that her ex’s attorney had told her that it was her fault that they were in court.

The conversation quickly turned to bashing of attorneys, although it may have been rightfully so.

The result of these women soon became that these “mean attorneys” were, in fact, using a strategy to pull ahead a win for their own clients. Many women’s self-esteem is at a very low point during and soon after divorce and these attorneys were using it to their clients’ advantages.

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 Posted on December 15, 2012 in Divorce

According to the Sun Times, Cicero President, Larry Dominick’s wife has filed for divorce. She claims abuse as her reasoning for the divorce. Elizabeth Dominick was a long standing director of the health clinic until recently.

Mrs. Dominick left her job earlier this year claiming she was facing abusive behavior at her work and didn’t want to deal with it anymore. She seemed happy with her marriage and no one seemed to expect her to file for divorce for this reason or any other at this time. There have been some questions revolving around the sudden circumstances that led to the divorce.

There was some question as to whether she was filing for divorce because of the recent FBI activity that is centered her husband and on the way that the city is being run. She claims this is not the reason and that she is just seeking a divorce for her own reasons. She claims that she only spoke to the FBI one time and that was for a different reason altogether.

If you are seeking a divorce and are not quite sure as to where to turn, then talking to an experienced Illinois divorce attorney may be a good thing for you to consider. These lawyers can help you to understand how a divorce works and how you can get the most out of it. Our experienced Kane County divorce lawyers can help you to keep the things you want and to know what your rights are in your divorce. If you think a divorce lawyer is not going to be needed, you may end up losing a lot. This includes your finances as well as your children or even your property. Divorces in Kane County are not something you can just muddle through. You have to be prepared in order to protect not only your money, but your lifestyle.

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 Posted on December 13, 2012 in Child Custody and Support

Holidays can be difficult and stressful for even intact families, so when parents with children separate and divorce, the holidays can become unbearable. The scheduling of holiday time with each parent and their extended families, along with necessary changes in usual holiday celebrations and routines, can create frustration, stress, and disputes between all parties involved, including the children themselves.

A recent news article published by KOSU explored the harsh impact that divorce can have on the time that a parent and child spend together, particularly during the holiday season. One man described in this article, who divorced when his son was only two years old, recounted the realization that he would spend only seven Thanksgivings and eight Christmases with his son before he would become an adult at the age of 18. The physical separation of about 450 miles between the man and his son for several years has resulted in this strict division of holidays between mother and father that seems to inevitably follow many divorces.

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 Posted on December 09, 2012 in Divorce

After nine years of marriage, “The Big Bang” actress Mayin Bialik and her husband are getting divorced, according to her Facebook page. Bialik, who also starred in the 1990s sitcom “Blossom,” and her soon-to-be ex-husband Michael Stone have two sons together.

Bialik, 36, said that divorce is very hard for children and it was not something that her and Stone had decided upon lightly.

Although Bialik authored a book about “attachment parenting,” of which she is also a supporter, but says that it “played no role” in the divorce.

Attachment parenting promotes the nurturing of strong bonds between children and parents; this can include extended breast feeding and sleeping in the same bed until the children are as old as seven.

Also posted on Bialik’s Facebook page was a statement saying that the main priority for her and Stone, now, is to make a smooth and painless transition from one loving home with two parents to two loving homes with one parent in each. “Our sons deserve parents committed to their growth and health and that’s what we are focusing on.”

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 Posted on December 06, 2012 in Family Law

It is now possible to take court-ordered parenting classes online in Cook County, reports the Chicago Tribune. Cook County Circuit Court started the program on November 13. According to the Illinois law, judges have to in most divorce cases order parents with underage children to take a parenting education course. Before the launch of the program, the parenting course was only offered in a traditional classroom setting. Similar programs are already in use, for example, in DuPage and Kane counties.

The purpose of the program, which is called Children in Between Online, is to address the effects of divorce and separation on children. Thanks to the program, parents will no longer miss work to attend a parenting class. Parenting education is an important way to "help families going through child custody proceedings to achieve positive outcomes,” according to Chief Judge Timothy Evans.

The online program helps parents and children to learn skills that changes the way they interact.

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 Posted on December 04, 2012 in Family Law

It is not always easy to get away from an abusive relationship, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune. Victims of domestic violence must be prepared emotionally and financially before they can break away from a violent relationship, which can be difficult in many ways.

Fear is often a big factor in not getting out of a volatile relationship, experts say. Domestic violence should be viewed differently in our society so that there is no shame for abuse victims. Many times victims are believed to have caused the abuse by doing something where as in truth the blame lies solely on the violent spouse.

Before ending a violent relationship, it is a good idea for victims to develop a backup plan, which can include provisions for housing, child care and employment. The more resources victims have at their disposal, the easier it is to leave and break away. "If a woman has very little money and nowhere to go, moving out can be very difficult and a stumbling block,” according to April Zeoli, assistant professor at Michigan State University's School of Criminal Justice.

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 Posted on November 30, 2012 in Divorce

Representative Scott DesJarlais, a Republican from Tennessee, was ordered to release his divorce records on the eve of his election. These records were likely to be another set back to his campaign, as they might shed light on his extra-marital affairs with his patients. Allegedly, he wrote prescriptions to his girlfriends, who were also patients, and more recently, there was a supposed attempt of him to persuade one mistress to have an abortion. These records were asked to be released by the Tennessee Democratic Party after The Huffington Post revealed transcript from a phone conversation in 2000 in which DesJarlais had pressured his mistress to get an abortion. He later commented, saying he did not believe that she was pregnant and was just trying to call her bluff.

Following the release, another patient came forward, sharing details of her personal time spent with DesJarlais. A lawyer for the Democrats told the judge that they wanted all documents relating to allegations that the patient made about prescriptions she received from the doctor and any drug use with him.

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 Posted on November 28, 2012 in Divorce

According to Science Codex, the University of Michigan will publish a new study next month in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior regarding the rate at which women lose private health insurance coverage following divorce. Annually, the study estimates that 115,000 women lose their private health insurance as the direct result of the divorce, and that this loss is not always temporary; the overall rate of women’s health insurance coverage remains lower up to two years following divorce.

While some women are able to resort to public insurance programs for coverage in these situations, about 65,000 women are left completely without any source of health insurance. Typically, it is middle-income women who cannot maintain their former sources of private health insurance, either because they no longer qualify for coverage under their former husbands’ policies, or they can no longer afford the premiums that they previously had been paying after the divorce. For those women who formerly were covered by their husbands’ policies, up to a quarter of these women were still without any insurance coverage six months following their divorces. These women, who often have moderate incomes, don’t make enough to pay for hefty insurance premiums, but make too much to qualify for low-income public health insurance programs.

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