Dedicated Family Law Attorneys Serving People and Families
When people think of family law, they may have a vague understanding of what attorneys who practice in this area can offer. Family law attorneys provide clients with representation about issues that can be emotional. From protecting your existing relationships to protecting your income and your assets in a divorce to providing for your children, family law covers a wide area of law that impacts the everyday lives of people. Beck & Houlihan, P.C., is a family law firm with extensive experience providing guidance and representation on a wide range of issues. Located in Wheaton, Illinois, the lawyers from our firm are prepared to meet with you and analyze how we can be of assistance in your case. Below is a list of family law areas that we typically handle, although the list is not exclusive:
- Adoption: The prospect of adoption can be an exciting one for a family, but the process in Illinois is complicated, with many hurdles along the way. Working with an experienced family law attorney is a necessity when going through the adoption process.
- Parenting plan (Custody/Visitation): Child custody/visitation, now referred to as a Parenting Plan which addresses the allocation of parenting decision-making and parenting time.
- Parenting Decision-making and Parenting Time: These two components make up a Parenting Plan. While it is ideal to craft a parenting plan outside of the courts and perhaps in mediation, contentious disputes do occur and require an experienced family law attorney to handle them.
- Child support: A child has a right to support for their educational, physical, mental, and emotional health needs, and court involvement is mandatory, even if both parents agree to either establish, modify or terminate an order for support.
- Civil unions: The purpose of the Illinois Civil Union Act is to grant many of the same rights to couples joined in a civil union as though they are a married couple. It is crucial to understand how this ties into other areas of family law that may affect your situation.
- Collaborative law: A less adversarial side to the law, collaborative law is often less expensive and allows a couple to resolve issues in a non-litigious manner. Issues can include parenting time and decision-making, child support, spousal support, and asset allocation among other areas of family law.
- Divorce: The bulk of Beck & Houlihan’s family law practice involves guiding clients through pre- and post- decree issues of their divorce. An experienced attorney can walk you through the various stages of divorce: filing a petition, determining a plan for the children, securing financial support, and addressing the valuation and allocation of assets and liabilities. After the divorce is entered, your attorney can help execute the terms of the Judgment or make changes to support and/or parenting terms when the need arises. Whether you have limited resources or own a business, it is important to have an attorney who can guide you and inform you about your rights under Illinois divorce laws and how those laws and case history may apply to your unique situation.
- Grandparent visitation and certain other non-parents: Grandparents and certain other non-parents have a right to seek visitation with a child under state law, but the assistance of an attorney may be necessary, particularly if one parent denies visitation.
- Order of protection: The Illinois Domestic Violence Act provides for orders of protection for victims of domestic violence.
- Parentage / paternity: The relationship between a parent and child is an important one protected by law, and an experienced family law attorney may be necessary to assist with establishing paternity when an unmarried couple has a child together.
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements: Talking through what might happen in the worst case scenario of divorce can help a couple avoid marital disputes and provide peace of mind. Drafting a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement can alleviate this stress.
- Relocation: When a Parenting Plan is in place (addressing decision-making and parenting time), and one parent wants to move, specific factors need to be considered and procedures followed if that relocation is more than 25 miles from their current residence. An experienced attorney can help you navigate the relocation process.
Are you facing a family law issue? Do you have more questions about your legal concerns in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Kendall or Will counties? Do not hesitate to reach out to us at Beck & Houlihan, P.C., today. Contact us at 630-398-3185 to schedule an appointment.