The goal of reunification therapy is to:
- Rebuild trust: Help family members rebuild trust and communication.
The goal of reunification therapy is to:
In a case where a child rejects contact with a parent, a psychological evaluator or skilled GAL can determine if the rejection is unwarranted, which is called parental alienation, by making a thorough investigation of the empirical facts over time. If the child has a legitimate reason to reject a parent, it is called estrangement. There are in my experience cases where both factors can exist: a targeted parent is being alienated and then acts in negative ways with the child that solidify the estrangement.
An evaluator can use the Five-Factor Model to identify and diagnose parental alienation. If the answer, after thorough and qualified investigation, to all five questions below is yes, it is most probably a case of moderate or severe parental alienation.
PASG Conference for Members:September 4-6, 2024 in Oslo, Norway |
![]() Dear Michael Roe: We at Parental Alienation Study Group anxiously await our upcoming world conference in Oslo, Norway. The program looks great and final preparations are being made! We hope to see you in beautiful Oslo during September 4-6, 2024. For PASG members as well as students, the registration fee is 1,000 Norwegian kroner, which is about USD $100. Full conference tickets for everyone else is NOK 3,500. If you are unable to attend in person, Digital Participation (streaming) will cost you NOK 1,500. But, sign up soon! https://www.pasg.no/konferanse-2024 You may also find this link on the PASG website: Thank you, and we hope to see you in Oslo! |
Confusion still reigns with respect to the tax treatment of spousal maintenance for Illinois divorce cases. I still see other law firms discussing online spousal maintenance (support) using the old rules.
In Illinois, spousal maintenance (also known in other states as alimony) is generally not tax-deductible for the payor nor taxable income for the recipient. This change came into effect due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, which significantly altered the tax treatment of spousal support (maintenance) nationwide.
Under the TCJA, for divorce or separation agreements executed after December 31, 2018, maintenance payments are no longer deductible by the person paying the maintenance and are not considered taxable income for the person receiving it. This change applies to federal taxes and, in most states including Illinois, state taxes follow federal guidelines on this matter.
Introducing children to a new romantic partner, or “paramour,” during or after a divorce is a delicate matter that should be approached with careful consideration and sensitivity to the children’s needs and emotions. Here are some factors to consider when determining the appropriate timing for such introductions:
My practice has managed successfully cases dealing with NPD traits for many years. People with toxic narcissistic traits can cause a lot of harm and damage in a marriage and with children. In a divorce, people with toxic narcissistic traits can continue their self-centered toxicity, blaming, gaslighting, and other harmful behaviors. Narcissists can present significant challenges in a marriage, as well as a divorce, due to their characteristic traits which often include:
One aspect of the divorce case I take seriously is managing the request to the judge for a guardian ad litem in a contested parenting dispute. Sometimes, there are behavioral and psychological issues in a divorce with one of the parents, that can impact the ability of that parent to safely care for the child or children. A guardian ad litem (GAL) plays a crucial role in divorce cases, particularly when the interests of children are involved. Here’s how they typically assist the court:
I received a call today from a potential client in Illinois whose partner/spouse left the State of Illinois and set up life with the minor children in another state. As I look back on decades of my Family Law career, I have had a number of similar cases. Sometimes, when a marriage falls apart, a spouse takes the children out of state and goes “home” to where he or she grew up and has family locally. In this situation, sometimes the spouses will file a divorce case is two different states. How does the law handle and reconcile the fact that parents have filed in two states? This is where the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) comes in: it is a nationally (except for Massachusetts) adopted statute that provides a uniform process for Courts to determine where the case should proceed.