Posted on May 12, 2026 in Kane

If you’re considering adoption, the first step is understanding what types of adoption there are. Whether you're hoping to adopt a newborn, a child in foster care, a stepchild, or a relative, there are specific legal processes each type goes through. A St. Charles adoption lawyer can advise you through any kind of adoption you’re hoping to pursue in 2026.

How Does Domestic Infant Adoption Work in Illinois?

Domestic infant adoption is what most people picture when they think about adoption. This involves a birth mother (and often a birth father) voluntarily placing a newborn with an adoptive family. This process is governed by the Illinois Adoption Act (750 ILCS 50), which outlines the requirements for consent, placement, and finalization.

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 Posted on May 07, 2026 in Main

In Illinois, being a child’s biological father does not automatically establish legal paternity for fathers who are not married to their co-parent. Without legal recognition, a father has no enforceable right to parenting time with his child. He also has no legal standing to make decisions about the child's upbringing. If you have a child and want to be part of that child's life, taking formal legal steps to establish paternity is important. A Wheaton family law attorney can help you understand how the process works in 2026.

Why Doesn't Being a Biological Father Automatically Make You a Legal Father in Illinois?

Illinois law separates being a legal father from being a biological father. With legal recognition, you have the ability to seek parenting time, make decisions about education and healthcare, and participate in any future legal proceedings. It also means the child can inherit and receive benefits from you.

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 Posted on May 03, 2026 in Sexual Harassment

While sexual harassment exists in many work environments, studies have found that women who are higher up in organizations face more sexual harassment than other employees. This isn’t specific to women with "leader" or "manager" in their title. Women working at high levels in specialized fields such as higher education or medicine also face increased sexual harassment.

If you're a woman in a senior position or any position at all and you've experienced offensive or unwanted sexual harassing conduct at work in 2026, a DuPage County sexual harassment lawyer can help you understand your rights.

What Research Says About Sexual Harassment of Women in Advanced Career Positions

Several studies in the last few years have found that women in positions of authority are sexually harassed at higher rates than men or even than women in lower-ranking roles. A study published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences reports that women supervisors are between 30 and 100 percent more likely to have experienced sexual harassment than other female employees. This is particularly true when most of the women’s subordinates are male.

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 Posted on April 30, 2026 in Sexual Harassment

The thought of reporting sexual harassment can be uncomfortable and intimidating. Victims may wonder if what they experienced is actually sexual harassment, or if, in the end, they’ll have "made a scene" for nothing. They may not know what the right channels are to report sexual harassment and may be afraid to ask.

The thing is, timing actually is important in sexual harassment cases. While it’s sometimes possible to resolve cases that lay dormant for a time, it’s easier and most effective to address issues immediately, while they’re still fresh and the evidence still exists. And sometimes, waiting too long can affect your ability to seek damages at all.

If you are being harassed at work in 2026, a Wheaton sexual harassment attorney can help you understand your options and the timeline to follow to make sure you have the best chance at compensation.

Does It Matter That I Didn't Report Sexual Harassment Right Away?

Many people wait for weeks, months, or even years to report things that happen to them. Even people with a platform to bring attention to their harasser's actions can be afraid to speak out. Actor and former NFL player Terry Crews waited years to bring up the harassment by an acting agent he experienced at an event because of his fear of retaliation.

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 Posted on April 25, 2026 in Family Law

Over a decade ago, same-sex marriage was legalized in Illinois, though civil unions were permitted before then. The state continues to have some of the strongest legal protections for LGBTQ families in the country. Whether you're planning to marry, start a family, or protect a family you've already built, the law is on your side. Life’s circumstances are unpredictable, though. Knowing the legislation before emergencies come up can be a great help.

If you have questions about your family's legal footing in 2026, a Wheaton LGBTQ family law attorney can help.

What Are the Marriage Rights of Gay Couples in Illinois?

Illinois was ahead of the curve on marriage equality. The state passed the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act (750 ILCS 80/) in 2013. This made same-sex marriage legal before the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges made it legal nationwide. Today, same-sex couples or queer-identifying couples in Illinois have the same marriage rights as any other couple. In fact, the Illinois Human Rights Act explicitly prohibits discrimination based on gender identity. This means access to all the state and federal protections that come with marriage, including:

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 Posted on April 20, 2026 in Family Law

Blended families are a normal part of life for many in 2026. When a stepparent has taken on a parenting role to their stepchildren, it's natural to want that relationship to be legally recognized. If this is the case for your family, stepparent adoption is the next step. A St. Charles adoption lawyer can walk you through what the process looks like and what to expect.

How Does Stepparent Adoption Work in Illinois?

Illinois handles stepparent adoption under what's called a "related child adoption." This process, outlined in the Illinois Adoption Act (750 ILCS 50/), is different from other types of adoption in a few important ways. For example, because the stepparent already has a relationship with the child, a full home study may not be required.

To get started, the adopting stepparent and their spouse file a petition for adoption with the court. The petition includes information about both adults, the child, and the circumstances of the adoption. After this petition is filed, the court reviews it and does any auxiliary steps (i.e., a home study if needed) before finalizing the adoption.

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 Posted on April 15, 2026 in Family Law

Couples who previously filed taxes together find themselves in new financial territory after their divorce. This can be a little overwhelming, especially if you weren’t the one handling the taxes in your relationship.

The following are some tax specifics to be aware of during and after your 2026 divorce. These will help you avoid any surprises from the IRS down the road. A DuPage County divorce lawyer can help you sort out the specifics of your situation if you have further questions.

How Does Your Filing Status Change During an Illinois Divorce?

Your marital status on December 31 of the tax year determines your filing status for that entire year. If your divorce has not been finalized and formally entered by the court by December 31, you are still considered legally married for tax purposes. This is true even if you filed your divorce petition much earlier in the year.

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 Posted on April 09, 2026 in Family Law

While nothing can completely get rid of the stress of a divorce, some planning can go a long way toward making it manageable. Streamlined divorces include financial, logistical, and emotional preparation. This will help keep you from missing deadlines, rushing big decisions, and generally getting too worn down.

If you're about to file for divorce in 2026, a Kane County divorce attorney can help you understand what steps to take now to make the whole process easier.

Decide What Your Priorities Are in Your Divorce

Perhaps the biggest single thing you can do to make your divorce more manageable is to decide early what your highest priorities truly are. Write them down if it will help you remember. Doing this will give you a touchstone to come back to when things get messy. You don’t want to go through your whole divorce being reactive to what your spouse says or does instead of being proactive about your own interests.

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 Posted on April 02, 2026 in Sexual Harassment

Many victims of workplace sexual harassment fail to report it because they fear retaliation from the harasser. If you were brave enough to report and are now being punished for it, you need to know that punishing an employee for reporting sexual harassment is illegal. Illinois has explicit laws against punishing workers for reporting sexual harassment. A DuPage County sexual harassment attorney can assess your case and help you understand what to do about a hostile work environment.

What Counts as Retaliation in the Workplace?

Retaliation can be as extreme as the employer firing the person who reported the harassment. It can also be much more subtle. Common forms of workplace retaliation include:

• Being demoted or passed over for a promotion you were in line for
• Having your hours cut or your pay reduced

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 Posted on March 31, 2026 in Family Law

When parties going through a divorce have children, the issue of child support will inevitably arise. How child support is calculated is different in each state. Illinois uses an "income shares" model, which takes into account the income of both parents. This makes the calculation of child support more equitable for both spouses than it was previously.

Anyone facing child support orders will want to understand how they factor into their finances in 2026. Our DuPage County child support lawyers can help you understand how the numbers are determined and what to expect after orders have been made.

How Does Illinois Calculate Child Support?

Illinois moved away from a simple percentage-based formula about ten years ago. The income shares model now used is outlined under 750 ILCS 5/505. The idea is that a child should receive the same level of financial support they would have received if both parents were still living together.

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