Divorces filed by Rockford residents are generally heard in the Circuit Court of Winnebago County, part of Illinois' 17th Judicial Circuit. A local family law attorney who appears there regularly will know the judges, local procedures and mediation expectations. A few Illinois rules shape nearly every case: No-fault divorce. Illinois' only ground for divorce is irreconcilable differences. You do not need to prove wrongdoing. Residency. At least one spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90...

It seems like a paradox: in order for children to be safe, they need less autonomy. Not in the way of chores, or homework, or walking to a friend's house alone. Rather, children should not be put in a position to make adult decisions--decisions that give them power over adults. One of my favorite analogies for this comes from Dr. Becky Kennedy, a parenting advice expert. If an airline pilot announces that there are mechanical issues and the plane needs to make an emergency landing, the...

January is one of the busiest months for divorce in Illinois. The holidays are over, routines are back, and a lot of people quietly realize: I can’t do another year like this. If that’s you, pause for a moment. Filing first and thinking later is one of the most expensive mistakes people make in divorce. What you do before you file can have a major impact on your finances, your parenting time, and how much control you keep over the process. Here’s what you should know before filing for...