Posted on March 18, 2025 in Child Custody / Parental Responsibilities

When a custody agreement is reached and court-approved in Illinois, both parents are legally obligated to follow its terms. If your ex violates your custody order, it can create stress and confusion, and harm you as well as your child. Fortunately, Illinois law offers several options for enforcing custody agreements and protecting your parental rights. To find out more, speak with a qualified Illinois family lawyer who can explain the various strategies and offer valuable guidance.

How Can a Parent Violate a Custody Arrangement?

As we all know, life does not always go as planned, and unexpected things can happen that force us to adjust. Unmarried parents with shared parental responsibilities need to keep that in mind. For example, if one parent is stuck in traffic and running a few minutes late to drop the child off with the other parent, or one becomes sick with a fever and cannot manage to pick the child up according to the agreed schedule, it would not typically be considered a valid time to seek court intervention.

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 Posted on February 28, 2025 in Divorce

When you realize you are headed toward a divorce, you might feel overwhelmed before the process even begins. Hiring the right professional to advise you and be by your side throughout can make a big difference in your entire experience.

Going through a divorce can be overwhelming financially just as much as emotionally. In Illinois, issues like property division, spousal support, and child support often involve complex financial matters, and some people find that they would appreciate consulting with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or a court-appointed financial expert. At The Law Offices of Curtis Bennett Ross, L.L.C., our Illinois divorce lawyer is also a court-appointed financial expert and a CPA, and the legal guidance he can offer is invaluable.

What Does a Court-Appointed Financial Expert Do?

A court will typically appoint a financial expert to a divorce case when financial matters that can impact the proceedings need to be assessed and given an impartial analysis. Whether clarification is needed for the division of assets, spousal support, or other monetary disputes, their knowledge can significantly streamline decisions. 

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 Posted on February 17, 2025 in Family Law

Sometimes, two people meet, fall in love, get married, and have a baby, and the path they take as a family is fairly straightforward. However, for many people, reality does not follow that pattern. Many children are raised only by their mother and her family. Some mothers do not know who the father is, some refuse to tell the child who it is, and in some cases, everyone involved knows who both parents are, but the father is uninterested in having any involvement. If your child’s father is unwilling to acknowledge the role he plays in your child’s life, speak with an experienced Chicago, IL family law attorney about your options regarding paternity.

How is Paternity Established in Illinois?

Paternity, or the legal recognition of a father, can be established whether or not the father is willing to acknowledge his role in the child’s life. 

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 Posted on January 30, 2025 in Child Support

Parents going through divorce tend to feel overwhelmed at the prospect of child support. Whether you will be paying it or receiving it, you need to understand how much it will be so you can plan around it. With clear state-mandated guidelines dictating how child support payments are calculated, an experienced Illinois family law attorney can review your situation and give you clarity and reasonable expectations.

What is the Income Shares Model?

Illinois uses an "income shares" model to determine child support amounts. This model calculates the parents’ income and the child’s needs. The goal is to ensure that the same proportion of parental income will be spent on the child by divorced parents as it would have been if they were still together, to maintain the child’s standard of living.

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 Posted on January 20, 2025 in Family Law

A Guardian Ad Litem, or GAL is a person that the court can appoint in cases that involve children, typically when matters like custody are being decided. Their main job is to determine what the child’s best interests are and represent those interests in court on the child’s behalf. 

While some parents might feel intimidated and threatened when a GAL is appointed to their case, the truth is that this person is not there to judge or accuse you but rather to make sure that the child’s well-being remains the top priority in any court proceedings that can impact his or her life. In addition to being an experienced Chicago, IL custody lawyer, Attorney Curtis Bennett Ross is also a court-approved GAL and can answer any questions you may have about the role and its implications in your case.

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 Posted on December 26, 2024 in Family Law

Technology has become a crucial part of everyday life, with new apps developing constantly to optimize so many aspects of our routine. One of the tools that has been gaining popularity among divorced or separated parents is co-parenting apps, which are designed to help parents manage shared responsibilities like custody schedules, school events, and parental communication. 

As more parents experience first-hand what these apps can do, some are wondering whether they truly help or simply create more problems than they solve. To learn more about navigating the challenges of co-parenting when you are not married, speak with an experienced Chicago, IL family law attorney.

What Do Co-Parenting Apps Do?

Co-parenting apps are digital tools that help parents manage their shared parenting duties and are aimed at reducing conflict. Some of the most popular apps offer features that include:

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 Posted on December 13, 2024 in Spousal Support

Alimony has various names depending on the state you are in, and in Illinois, it is officially known as "spousal support." These payments are made by one ex-spouse to the other after divorce. They are meant to ensure that the receiving spouse can maintain a lifestyle similar to what they had in married life or have financial support to help them get back on their feet.

However, the amount to be paid is calculated based on information that was true during the time the divorce was settled. As with anything else in life, circumstances can change, leaving some spouses wondering whether it is possible to modify their spousal support arrangement. If this is a question you find yourself asking, speak with a knowledgeable Chicago, IL family law attorney to learn more.

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 Posted on November 28, 2024 in Family Law

Parental alienation is when one parent deliberately tries to undermine the other parent’s relationship with their child. This can be devastating for both the child and the alienated parent. While Illinois courts recognize this, it can be hard to determine what constitutes parental alienation. If you think you are the victim of parental alienation, speak with a knowledgeable Skokie, IL family law attorney to understand your options.

What is Parental Alienation?

Parental alienation is when a parent manipulates a child’s feelings toward the other parent, hoping to damage or even eliminate the child’s relationship with that parent. This can happen in different ways, for example:

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 Posted on November 14, 2024 in Adoption

Contrary to the evil depictions they have gotten in many books and movies, stepparents often fill a special, loving role in a child’s life. A deeply caring relationship is not only possible for people who are related by blood. If your spouse had a child when you got married, there is a good chance you have spent a lot of time together and grown to feel like a family.

Adopting a stepchild can be an incredible step to take, but the process can be full of challenges. If you are interested in exploring stepchild adoption, a seasoned Chicago, IL family law attorney can answer your questions and offer useful advice.

When Can a Stepparent Adopt?

Stepparent adoption is a unique way to become legally recognized as a child’s parent. Many of the steps required in other adoptions – including a DCFS investigation and background check – are often unnecessary. Before you can be considered, several criteria must be met, including:

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 Posted on October 30, 2024 in Child Support

When a couple is ready to end their marriage, they work on reaching a settlement to outline what is expected of both spouses after they finalize their divorce. Naturally, the agreements they reach are based on their situation at the time of the divorce proceedings. Like everything else in life, those situations can change.

One major divorce issue that can be affected by changing circumstances is child support. If the paying parent gets a promotion with a significant raise, will that increase in salary go straight to his or her ex in the form of child support payments? To learn more, speak with a knowledgeable Chicago, IL divorce lawyer.

Can I Be Forced to Pay More Child Support?

In Illinois, a child support agreement can be reviewed at the non-paying parent’s request. A review alone does not mean the child support order will be modified. One of several conditions needs to be demonstrated in order for a modification to be granted:

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