For centuries, parents, with other individuals in the community, chose marriage partners for their children. This methodology of selecting a spouse is called an arranged marriage. Although in the United States, marriage commonly occurs when two people fall in love on their volition, and they choose to marry, in other countries and cultures, an arranged marriage is the only way to go. Arranged marriage is not unheard of here either, however, and in the groups that still abide by this method, the divorce rate is significantly lower than average. No matter how the marriage began, if it falls …

If you happen to stop to watch or listen to daytime talk shows, you may begin to question the validity of paternity tests. However, on the other hand, many people wonder whether or not some of those shows are staged, so perhaps we should not put much faith into the dramatic overtures seen when a father is, or is not, identified on television. On a serious note, a very real question that directly impacts the daily life and future of thousands of families across the United States depends on the reliability of paternity testing. Lives depend on them, but how reliable are the results?

Child custody laws in other states may still delegate legal, physical, sole, and joint custody to parents, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act went through a major alteration in 2016. State lawmakers transitioned into determining “parenting responsibilities” and “parenting time,” and are no longer are the terms “custody” and “visitation” used to describe the child care arrangements (now known as a “parenting plan.”) The changes leave many parents confused as to their rights and responsibilities.

These days, cell phones and mobile devices are on everyone’s radar as a dangerous distraction for drivers. Safety experts, however, are taking steps to increase awareness that loud music can also be a serious distraction that can lead to car accidents.

Summer is vacation season, which means that more people are on the road taking long trips. Unfortunately, the inevitable result of this increase in driving is more deaths from car accidents. In a study analyzing fatal car crashes between 1998 and 2014, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that summer and early fall are the most dangerous times of the year for drivers.

If you are involved in a disputed child custody or visitation case in Illinois, odds are there will be a Guardian ad Litem appointed for your child.

In the United States, there is a trend growing at an alarming rate. Failure to pay court-ordered child support is not something that is acceptable especially when lives depend on that income. Each year, approximately $24 billion dollars are successfully paid across the country. Compare that number to the over $100 billion that remains unpaid. About 25 million parents are not receiving any support, leaving 19% of those awarded support being paid. These numbers are troubling, and lawmakers across the country are cracking down on so-called “deadbeat parents.”

Some couples go through divorce like an episode of masterpiece theater. They are polite, gentle, accommodating and negotiate based upon reason and good faith.