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Special Needs Divorce
Divorce and custody issues impact many families and can be particularly daunting for parents of children with special needs. There are many more moving parts and no formulaic solutions for these unique families. I now devote a portion of my practice to divorce, parentage and post-decree issues. It has been […]
Changes in Illinois Divorce Law
On January 1, 2016, many new changes to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act as well as the Parentage Act will be put in place. Senate Bill 57 and House Bill 1531 will greatly alter the divorce process in the state as it relates to custody, property, and […]
Divorce: Parallel Parenting
Parallel Parenting Defined As my divorce practice has grown, I have encountered parents who have so much animosity towards each other, and/or divergent views of parenting, that cooperation, co-parenting and shared decision making aren’t possible. For these families, a parenting plan known as parallel parenting may be a solution. Who […]
Rights of Teens Regarding Confidentiality under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act
Many parents who come to our office are surprised to learn that their child, if they are at least 12, must consent to the release of mental health information. Who has the right to the records protected by the Act? You have the right to copy and inspect your own […]
School Officials Don’t Need Probable Cause to Question Student
Many parents are outraged when their child or adolescent is questioned by school officials regarding misconduct in a school setting without appropriate Miranda warnings and without notifying the parents. A district court in Michigan recently ruled that a school was able to detain a student for questioning. To detain a […]
Navigating the Holidays after Divorce
Plan ahead! Don’t wait until the last minute to work out the details of the holiday. This includes travel plans, pick up and drop off and other details. Let everyone know in advance what the plans and schedule are. Try to work together and keep your children at the forefront […]
No Fault Dependency/Custody Relinquishment Prevention Act HB5598HFA2
Several times a year, parents come to our office and ask us to help them relinquish custody to the State in order to get their child needed mental health services. Often these children are adopted, but not always. What they do have in common is severe mental health needs that […]
A Word on Affordable Health Care or the Lack Thereof
Today’s articles in the New York Times, and discussions with our clients over the past week that have resulted in tears regarding the lack of access to appropriate health care, has prompted me to write this blog post. The headlines read: As Hospital Prices Soar, A Single Stitch Tops $500.00: […]
On Families
On Tuesday, November 26, 2013, the New York Times ran a lengthy piece entitled Families: The Changing American Family. The article chronicles the changing face of the American family and the complexities behind those statistics. In this article, the families were complicated. They were bi-racial, gay and lesbian, Protestants, Catholics, […]
Karma
Last week I received a call from a lawyer who had reviewed a CLE presentation I had done on School Discipline. He was handling his first expulsion case and wanted some advice. I was busy and thought for a brief moment that I just couldn’t take the time to help. […]
Reflections of a Special Education Lawyer
Yesterday, I traveled to Rockford, Illinois, to give a presentation on Special Education Law to a group of parents of children with autism. The parents had arrived early on a Saturday morning, anxious to hear how to navigate the labyrinth of the special education system. I agreed to trek nearly […]
More Thoughts on Gun Violence
Two Days ago, as I drove home from work, it was announced that the police have charged two people in the murder of Hadiya Pendleton. Like everyone, I was relieved. The radio announcer went on to give the names and ages of these young me, 18 and 20. These young […]