The June 30 appellate court opinion in Marriage of Shen addresses many different family law topics. One issue is attorney fee contribution from one spouse to another as part of the divorce. The Shen divorce went to a multi-day trial. After trial ended, the wife filed...

The June 30 appellate court opinion in Marriage of Shen addresses many different family law topics. One of the many topics is "permanent" maintenance (also known as alimony or spousal support). The husband and wife married in July 1990. The husband filed for divorce...

In some divorces and post-judgment cases, one parent does not disclose his or her true income, employment, or both. If the ruse is discovered timely, the fraud may be remedied. In Marriage of Rocha, the appellate court ruled rather harshly against a former husband....

"Heart balm" actions are lawsuits brought by persons who seek money damages to mend their broken hearts. Heart balm actions were founded decades ago under the doctrine of disfavoring intrusions with marital relationships and family ties. Heart balm actions include...

In Illinois divorce law, one or both spouses may claim dissipation. Dissipation is generally defined as a spouse using funds or income acquired during the marriage for that spouse's sole benefit for purposes unrelated to the marriage while the marriage is undergoing...

On June 18 the Illinois Supreme Court confirmed in Marriage of Mueller that a spouse's potential Social Security benefits cannot be considered when dividing marital property. In Mueller the wife worked for a private company. She had Social Security taxes withheld from...

The June 12, 2015 second appeal in Dunston v. Szafranski addresses oral contracts, written contracts, and balancing the interests of the egg and sperm donors. On March 24, 2010 Karla Dunston learned she would likely become infertile during chemotherapy. She called...