Chicago Divorce and Family Law

Recipe for a happy divorce

2010-01-18T02:47:27-08:00

Maintaining happiness (or some semblance of it) through your divorce might not be as difficult as you think. According to scientists, the following things make us happy:

Virtues: Our sense of wisdom, justice, compassion for others,
Gratitude: Appreciating what we have and expressing it to ourselves and others,
Savoring: Enjoying the moment and taking time to smell the roses,
Engagement: Being in our activities for the experience of it ("being in the zone"),
Living a meaningful life: Doing things for others and helping others.

Studies of the Danish (the happiest people on earth) show that low expectations also make us happy. If our expectations are low, then we become happy when things go unexpectedly well. Also, Denmark's social safety net ensures people the basic necessities of life.

How can you go through a "happy" divorce?

Remember that you are in control of the things that make you happy (see 1-5 above).
Approach the divorce—and the associated child-custody, division of property, maintenance issues—with realistic expectations.
Reach an agreement with your spouse and litigate as few things as possible. This will save you money and—like the Danish—you won't have to worry about the basic necessities of live.

Chicago divorce: Online info.

2010-01-08T16:55:06-08:00

If you are divorcing in Chicago, you can find an amazing amount of crucial information about your divorce without lawyers or private investigators. Here are a few websites that you should know about:

Your Divorce Docket (Cook County Clerk of Court): Here you can find an outline of your case. Although you cannot read the actual pleadings filed, you'll know the date of your next court date, the judge assigned to your case and if any motions were filed. (Tip: make sure that after entering the information you click the "Search Now" button with your mouse. It will not work if you simply click the "Enter" key on your keyboard).
Assessed value of a property and PIN number (Cook County Assessor's Office): Find out the assessed value of any property. Of course, theoretically, you should know the assessed value of your property. However, sometimes your spouse will have taken care of the finances and your want to double-check the numbers.
Deeds and Trusts (Cook County Recorder of Deeds): Come here if you want to know the owner of a property, it's refinance history and whether the property is in a trust.

Awkward Family Photos

2009-11-29T13:12:35-08:00

I just discovered a hilarious website called Awkward Family Photos. In it people (or their friends) post funny photos of their families. Many of the photos are sweet but awkward: There's the happy newlyweds, the proudly pregnant and the way-too-overjoyed new dad.

My favorite photo shows a family unsuccessfully trying to pose for a photo shoot. The kids are crying, the dog's attacking and one relative looks like he's going to walk off the shoot. I love the interaction between the family members. Despite their problems, they are all relating to each other.

It's been a while...

2009-11-29T16:20:52-08:00

It has been a while since my last blog post. I was redesigning my website. It took a lot of effort. I think it was worth it.

My new law firm website is more in-depth than the old one, it contains:

Highlights some of my recent accomplishments (such as my recent win in the Supreme Court of Illinois),
sections on my background,
a review of my work from both lawyers and clients, and
a cool Chicago divorce map.

Please take a look at my Divorce Lawyers in Chicago website and tell me what you think!