Riker Danzig Family Law Blog

Chicago Cubs fans around the world rejoiced this month when the team took their first World Series Championship in 108 years.  Thanks to the decision of an Illinois family court last month, however, there may be one disgruntled Chicago Cubs fan this year – a husband who was forced to provide his soon-to-be-ex-wife with a ticket to Game Four of last month’s World Series game between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians.

There has always been an undercurrent in domestic violence cases that, while not all domestic violence allegations involve acts of physical violence, the cases that do require slightly different treatment.

I recently read an article on Huffington Post that provided an interesting perspective on the emotional turmoil that many divorcing couples go through.  What made it interesting is that it was provided by a third party - a friend of one of the spouses- providing his insights and opinions on what his friend had been going through.

A New Jersey Superior Court family judge recently determined the standard for child support awards where the child is “gifted,” warranting a deviation from the child support guidelines. While normally the guideline-set child support awards account for payments of a child’s extracurricular activities, a finding by the court that the child is “gifted” may result in a greater award than that required by the guidelines.

Anyone who has been through one will tell you how expensive divorce is - not only financially but emotionally and even physically.  Of course, expensive is a relative term and varies by individual, but the theme is a common one.  To compound that concern, involve experts.

What happens when an alimony-paying spouse loses his or her job and subsequently obtains new employment with a lower salary, rendering him or her unable to afford making the same alimony payments? A recent decision by the New Jersey Superior Court opines on the standard for adjudicating applications for alimony reductions in light of amendments to New Jersey’s alimony statute.

For some going through the divorce process, it makes sense to consult with a vetted and trusted financial advisor.  This individual should be willing and able to work with your attorney and you in developing strategy or calculating risk and benefit scenarios for various outcomes of your matter.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month evolved from the "Day of Unity" held in October 1981 and conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The intent was to connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became an entire week devoted to a range of activities conducted at the local, state, and national level.  

According to Jewish law, both husband and wife must participate willingly in obtaining a Get, a Jewish divorce document, without which neither party can remarry in a future religious marriage ceremony.

Recently, rumors of trouble in paradise for megastars Angelina Jolie-Pitt and Brad Pitt (known collectively by their media-given, portmanteau name “Brangelina”) were confirmed when the news broke that Jolie-Pitt had filed for divorce from Pitt after their twelve-year relationship, including a two year marriage.