Posted on August 31, 2022 in Uncategorized

On August 27, 2022, Maxine Weiss Kunz and Amanda Oliver were proud to be able to attend the annual Gala of the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). The event took place on the Anita Dee II, which set sail from DuSable Harbor in Chicago around 7:30 p.m. The weather was perfect, and wonderful food was served, including a taco bar and vegetarian options. Since the event had not been held during the past two years due to the Covid pandemic, everyone aboard was glad to be able to mingle and network with each other, dance, and enjoy themselves.

The event had a great turnout, with the majority of judges from Cook County and DuPage County attending. Many judges from Lake County were also in attendance, as well as numerous other family law professionals, including 604.10 child custody evaluators. Judge Regina Scannicchio of Cook County's Domestic Relations division gave a wonderful speech. Attorney Steven Lake accepted the Samuel S. Berger Award on behalf of the late Alan Toback. When he spoke about his partner of more than 30 years, everyone in attendance was moved when he broke down and could not speak.

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 Posted on August 10, 2022 in Spousal Maintenance/Alimony

The end of a marriage will involve many different financial issues. Since couples will typically combine their finances while they are married, they will both need to determine how they will be able to meet their needs on their own after their divorce. However, this can sometimes be difficult, especially if one spouse has been the primary or sole income earner for their family, and the other spouse has less work experience, is a stay-at-home parent, or will be unable to fully support themselves for other reasons.

Spousal support, also called spousal maintenance or alimony, may be an issue in a divorce case when one spouse has been financially dependent on the other during the marriage. However, the issue of spousal support can lead to contentious disputes during the divorce process. One spouse may believe that they deserve to receive support, while the other may be unhappy about the prospect of making regular payments to their ex-spouse, and they may be concerned about how this will affect their ability to meet their own ongoing needs. When addressing this issue, it is important to understand how Illinois law determines when a spouse may be eligible to receive spousal maintenance and how long support will be paid.

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 Posted on July 26, 2022 in Child Custody

Getting a divorce with children can be difficult. The choice to end a couple's marriage is likely to upend the lives of the entire family. As a couple determines how to separate various aspects of their lives, one key issue they will need to address will involve where children will primarily live and when they will spend time with each parent. Workable parenting time schedules will need to be created, and parents will also need to consider a variety of issues to ensure that they will be able to provide for their children's best interests going forward.

While parents may be able to work together to determine how they will be able to meet their children's needs, it is important to make sure all legal issues related to children are addressed correctly during the divorce process. To do so, a parent will want to secure representation from an attorney who has experience in these matters. The law firm of Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC works to help parents resolve disputes related to their children and put agreements in place that will protect their rights. We work to ensure that our clients will be able to maintain strong relationships with their children and that they will have the resources they need as they move forward following a divorce.

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 Posted on July 18, 2022 in Division of Assets

During a divorce, there are a multitude of financial issues that will need to be addressed. Many of these are related to the property and assets a couple owns, as well as the debts they owe. The division of marital property can be a complicated matter, especially in high net worth divorce cases in which a couple may own multiple types of valuable property ranging from physical belongings, real estate, and vehicles to financial assets such as investments and business interests. In some cases, the process of evaluating and dividing marital assets can become more difficult due to attempts by one spouse to hide assets from the other and unfairly influence the outcome of their divorce.

Concealed assets can be a difficult matter to address during a divorce, and in many cases, a spouse may struggle to identify the different types of property they own, uncover inappropriate actions by the other party, and ensure that all assets and debts will be divided fairly and equitably. The skilled divorce lawyers of Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC have represented clients in a wide variety of divorce cases, and we understand the complex factors that can influence the division of marital assets. We know how to identify assets that have been concealed and ensure that these issues will be addressed correctly. Our goal is to ensure that our clients can achieve a fair outcome to their divorces that will provide them with the financial resources they need to succeed in the future.

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 Posted on June 27, 2022 in Division of Assets

Marriages can break down for a variety of reasons, but once a couple chooses to pursue a divorce, they will often be looking to make a clean break, separate their lives from each other, and determine how they can move forward successfully. However, this is not always easy, especially when a couple needs to address complex financial issues related to the assets they own and other financial resources that are available to them. During the property division process, spouses may need to determine how to handle multiple types of complex assets, including retirement accounts and benefits. It is crucial to address these matters correctly, since retaining ownership of these assets will ensure that a person will have the financial resources they need later in life.

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 Posted on June 20, 2022 in Child Custody

In many family law cases, fathers feel that they need to fight against negative perceptions and stereotypes as they take steps to ensure that they can be part of their children's lives. These stereotypes are not always unwarranted, since there are many “deadbeat dads” who fail to stay involved in their children's lives, do not take the time and effort to spend time with their children, or refuse to meet their child support obligations. However, there are also many fathers who are closely involved in their children's lives, playing just as important a role as mothers in caring for their kids, providing them with instruction and discipline, and ensuring that their needs are met. These fathers will want to make sure they will be able to resolve matters related to child custody in a way that will allow them to play a continuing role as a parent, make decisions about important issues, and spend quality time with their kids on a regular basis.

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 Posted on May 27, 2022 in Divorce

Going through a divorce can be a difficult process. Dealing with the legal issues involved in the dissolution of a marriage while also addressing financial concerns, making adjustments to living arrangements, and handling the emotional fallout that comes with the end of a long-term relationship can be incredibly stressful. After completing the divorce process, a person will most likely want to move on with their life and put this painful experience behind them. However, there are some situations where issues related to a divorce may arise, and the parties may need to return to court to pursue a modification of their divorce or enforce court orders.

At Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC, our attorneys understand that the last thing most people want after going through a divorce is to once again become embroiled in the legal process. Filing petitions, attending court hearings, and dealing with other legal issues was stressful enough the first time around, and starting this process over may seem overwhelming. However, it may be necessary to deal with new issues that have arisen, and by taking the correct approach, a person can address their concerns and make any adjustments that are necessary. We work to ensure that our clients will be able to pursue modifications based on changes in their lives or take action to enforce their divorce decree when appropriate.

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 Posted on May 24, 2022 in Division of Assets

Some divorce cases may be relatively simple. If a couple does not own extensive assets, and if they are in agreement on how various issues related to the end of their marriage will be addressed, they may be able to complete an uncontested divorce fairly quickly. However, many divorces will involve complex issues that are not so easy to resolve. Disagreements between spouses can easily become contentious, especially when spouses have difficulty communicating effectively or cooperating with each other. Matters related to the division of marital property can be some of the more complex issues that divorcing spouses will need to address. By understanding property-related issues that can complicate the divorce process, a person can make sure they will be able to protect their financial interests as they work to end their marriage.

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 Posted on April 28, 2022 in Children and Divorce

Getting a divorce will require spouses and their children to make many different types of changes to their lives. These changes may continue in the years after the end of a marriage, and they may include plans to move to a new home in a different city, or even a major relocation to a different state or region. These plans can introduce a number of complications into the lives of ex-spouses, and in cases where divorced parents share custody of their children, certain procedures will need to be followed to make any necessary adjustments to custody orders.

In cases involving parental relocation, a parent will want to work with an attorney who can help them understand their rights, the issues that may affect them and their children, and the steps they can take to resolve any disputes that may arise. The law firm of Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC provides legal representation in a wide variety of cases involving divorce, child custody, and family law, and we have a comprehensive knowledge of the laws that affect these cases. We work to ensure that our clients are prepared to address these issues effectively, and we provide them with legal help and representation when negotiating agreements, filing petitions, and appearing in hearings in court.

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 Posted on April 20, 2022 in Divorce

The divorce process can be very complex and difficult for both parties. In some cases, spouses may not know where to begin as they prepare to end their marriage, and gaining a full understanding of the issues they will need to address can seem like a massive and complicated undertaking. These problems may be compounded by the emotional difficulties that a person may experience due to the end of a long-term relationship, the conflict between spouses, and concerns about how matters related to a couple's children will be handled. In many cases, divorcing spouses can benefit by working with a divorce coach who can provide much-needed assistance as they go about the process of dissolving their marriage.

At Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC, we provide our clients with high-quality legal representation during the divorce process, working to protect their rights and helping them reach a positive outcome to their cases. However, we understand that while we can assist with the legal aspects of a divorce, there are a variety of other issues that can affect our clients during this process, and receiving help from others can often be beneficial. We are happy to work alongside divorce coaches with our clients, taking a team approach to the divorce process and ensuring that a person will be prepared to move forward with their life once their marriage has been legally dissolved.

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