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T.O.’s unpaid child support teaches lesson to Illinois fathers

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Friday, July 13, 2012. Terrell Owens, the former wide receiver for the Bengals commonly known as “T.O.,” was once again in the news for issues related to child support. Over the months this has been an ongoing issue for Owens, as the mother of his child has filed three complaints in the last year related to him supposedly not paying his court-ordered child support. Owens was scheduled to appear in court yesterday for a child support hearing. However, due to a reported miscommunication, he did not show up

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More couples choosing collaborative divorce

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Property Division on Tuesday, July 10, 2012. When it comes to divorce we tend to think of the two spouses who are in court battling over every piece of property the two ever owned together. However, for many divorcing couples this is not the way, and rather, more and more are turning to mediation and collaborative divorce. With collaborative law each spouse has a lawyer and there is a neutral financial advisor. In some cases, there may also be a mental health professional. From there, each spouse sits down with their

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Stange Law Firm Opens Office in Madison County, Illinois in Edwardsville

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC on Friday, July 6, 2012. Stange Law Firm, LLC, a family law firm, with offices in St. Louis (Brentwood), St. Charles, and Jefferson County (Arnold) and St. Louis City (by appointment only), Missouri and Belleville, Illinois, has now opened an office in the St. Louis Metro East, in Madison County at 5 Club Centre, Suite A, Edwardsville, Illinois 62025.  This new office office will better serve the firm’s clients in the St. Louis Metro East in Illinois. The opening was July 2, 2012. The family-law attorneys at the Stange Law Firm, LLC regularly represent parties in domestic matters such as

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Will parental relocation affect child custody in Illinois?

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, July 5, 2012. There are a number of different reasons why a parent would want to move after a divorce. Maybe the family home is just no longer affordable. Or maybe the neighborhood or county where the family used to live in Illinois is just not longer financially feasible. However, before either parent just picks up and moves, it’s important to first learn about relocation. For custodial parents, the first thing to do is look at the divorce agreement. If there are no stipulations that address what

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Make sure to protect yourself in divorce too

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Property Division on Wednesday, June 27, 2012. When talking about divorce, we often think of the couple who is fighting over every dish, knife and bowl in the house. These are the people who go through a contentious divorce where every aspect of child custody, child support, property division and alimony is fought over in the courtroom. However, the truth is that not all divorces go like this. Rather, some go out of their way to be nice and courteous, and even end up financially hurting themselves in an attempt to

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Fathers are awarded child support too

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Friday, June 22, 2012. In the context of talking about child support, many people assume that the mother is the custodial parent, and the father is paying child support on a weekly or monthly basis. However, this is not always true and there are plenty of situations where a father has custody and receives child support from the mother. An example of this would be the fact that actress Halle Berry has been ordered to pay her ex $240,000 a year — or $20,000 a month — in

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Do you think 35 percent of parenting time is enough in Illinois?

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Many dads want equal parenting time. Yet, they find themselves stuck with just seeing their kids every other weekend, sparingly for a week night dinner — and in some cases — for a few weeks in the summer. However, the issue is no longer being brushed under the rug, and instead many states — including Illinois — are considering child custody laws that reflect a situation closer to equal parenting time. When looking at the research behind the importance of a child having equal

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Divorce planning apps offered for iPhones and Androids

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Friday, June 15, 2012. Let’s say you have filed for divorce in Illinois. You know you want to protect your rights as a father and you’d like to have a rough estimate of just what you’ll be paying in child support — and possibly alimony — if it’s applicable in your situation. But, aside from talking to an experienced Illinois divorce attorney, what other preparation steps can you take after filing for divorce? It turns out, that much like wedding planning, many are now putting efforts into divorce

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House passes controversial military child custody bill

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Military Divorce on Friday, June 8, 2012. The House recently passed a bill that could end up affecting child custody for military families in Illinois and throughout the country. However, while the House did pass the bill on a 390-to-2 vote last week, it’s believed that the Senate will almost most certainly not approve. The bill was introduced by one representative with the purpose of making sure military members are not put at a disadvantage when it comes to child custody due to their deployments. However, contenders of this bill —

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Celebrity divorces can teach Illinois residents lessons

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Wednesday, June 6, 2012. It seems that every time we turn on the TV or radio, or happen to glance at a celebrity gossip magazine while checking out at the grocery store, yet another celebrity is getting a divorce. And while it is true that many of these scandals are filled with outlandish accusations, and at times seem to drag on forever, the truth is that beneath the surface there are lessons that Illinois residents can learn. For example, take the very public and nasty divorce between Kim Basinger

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Put thought into child support, divorce agreements

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Tuesday, May 29, 2012. In Missouri, how much a parent will pay in child support — typically the non-custodial parent — is determined based on guidelines that take into account parents’ gross incomes and different necessary costs for the child, like medical and daycare. However, the truth is that when coming up with child support and divorce agreements, it’s important to think well into future costs to prevent contentious arguments from coming up later on down the road. When looking at determining costs, it’s important for parents to

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Divorced fathers and “second class citizenship”

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Saturday, May 26, 2012. It is not uncommon for fathers to feel like they have lost their place and have an uncertain status with their children after a divorce. Fathers may be left out of family events, friend circles and activities with neighbors they used to share their lives with. Fathers in Illinois and nationwide may have a difficult time adjusting to new personal and social arrangements after divorce. Most divorcing couples try not to share the private details of their relationship with mutual friends. However, leaving the details a mystery

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Even after warrant, father continues to have custody of son

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Friday, May 18, 2012. A 27-year-old father is surely happy right now as a judge ruled he can continue to have custody of his 9-year-old son. However, he must continue to follow the court-ordered child custody agreement that he has with the boy’s mother. Earlier this week, the father ended up pleading guilty to criminal restraint by a parent. This charge was in response to the boy’s mother claiming she didn’t physically see her son at all over a roughly seven month time period in 2011. As per

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