McLean County Divorce -- Bloomington Law Group LLC: A Note To Stay-At-Home Moms (or other primary caregivers)

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

A Note To Stay-At-Home Moms (or other primary caregivers)

The law is sometimes counter-intuitive. I spoke with a nice lady today who was very unhappy in her marriage. When she could stand it no more, she told her husband that and then she left him. She did not take the children with her, however, because she did not want to disrupt their lives. Now this former stay-at-home mom is being kept away from her children by her now very angry husband.
By thinking of her children and trying to maintain normalcy for them, the nice lady feels like she is being punished. Her husband says he is filing for divorce and that he will seek sole custody. She feels caught flat-footed and she is concerned that he may have a leg up in court. He certainly has an emotional leg up over her right now as she is miserable. He assured her that he wouldn’t keep her from the children…. yet that is exactly what he has done!
If you are a primary caregiver and you are thinking about ending your marriage, part of your exit plan should include a meeting with a family law attorney (or two, as varied input can be a good thing). In some cases, leaving your children with the other parent may make your case for custody an uphill battle. Or maybe it is the right thing to do. Your individual facts will matter so get some advice in person BEFORE you make a move. It is much easier to plan than to scurry and react.

Jon D. McLaughlin, Esq.

Cannell & Maulson, P.C.

211 West Jefferson Street

Bloomington, Illinois 61701

(309) 828-5600

Jon@CannellandMaulson.com

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Bloomington Illinois Divorce Attorney -- Jon D. McLaughlin

I grew up in Provo, Utah, but moved to Oklahoma in order to finish my bachelor’s degree in philosophy and ancient greek at Oklahoma State University. I then attended law school at the University of Illinois. While in law school, I was an Associate Editor of a journal published by the university. Also during this time, I worked for law firms in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Indianapolis, Indiana, and for the Honorable Joe McDade (a Federal Judge, sitting in Peoria).

While still in law school, the Illinois Supreme Court allowed me to practice law and represent clients under Rule 711. This allowed me to gain valuable experience, early on, that has served me well in my subsequent practice.

After law school, I moved to Bloomington, Illinois, and have been practicing law here since that time. While I have handled business transactions and litigation in the past, some involving more than $10,000,000, I now limit my practice to family law matters. I handle divorce, custody, child support, visitation, and other matters that require the court’s attention. I have had much success in getting my clients promising results because of my firm and aggressive approach.

I am a Guardian ad Litem, which means that the courts appoint me to investigate child custody, visitation, and other matters. These appointments have helped me become a better advocate for children and to toughen my position in fighting for my clients.

I am a Mediator, approved by the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Illinois, to conduct court-ordered Custody Mediation for parties who are in the midst of custody and/or visitation disputes in the Bloomington-Normal area. In addition to being certified to mediate custody and visitation issues, I am also certified to mediate financial issues in divorce and family law cases in McLean County. These issues include Child Support, Maintenance (Alimony), the assets and debts of the parties, and other matters relating to the financial side of family law cases. I am also a member of the Mediation Council of Illinois. Due to my experience in the area, I am able to advise my clients as to how they can achieve the best results in mediation. In the Eleventh Circuit, mediation is mandatory in visitation and custody disputes. Therefore, it is important to be well-advised when participating in mediation and negotiating a possible resolution to your case.

The majority of my cases are tried in McLean County; however, I also practice in other surrounding counties.

Associations and Memberships: McLean County Bar Association (Treasurer, 2009-2010); ABC Counseling (Board of Directors, 2009-Present); Illinois State Bar Association.

Publications: Mandatory Arbitration Clauses in Employee Manuals, 44 Lab. & Emp. L. (Ill. Bar Assoc., Springfield, Illinois), December 2006; Extinguishing Pension Plans by Partial Termination & Aggregation, U. Ill. J. Bus. L. Soc’y (Feb. 1, 2007); What Relevance Does The ADA Have To HIPAA-Regulated “Bona Fide Wellness Programs”?, U. Ill. J. Bus. L. Soc’y (Feb. 10, 2007); Damages in Delayed Construction Claims, 36 Colo. Law. 17 (March 2007); Disciplining Attorneys and Other FSLA-Exempt Employees for Attendance Problems, Ill. Bar J. (Nov. 2007); Using Altman's Z-Score to Synchronize the Watches of Courts, Directors, Creditors, and Shareholders, 31 Hamline L. Rev (August 2008). Asked and Answered: Will I Lose my Stepchildren?, Ill. Bar J. (Jan. 2009).

Presentations: Surviving Divorce: Financial Implications, Money Smart Week (Illinois) (Bloomington, Illinois, April 8 and 9, 2008); Will Your Loved Ones Be Left Out, Financial and Legal Challenges Faced by the LGBT Community (Bloomington, Illinois, September 25 and 27, 2008).

I am married and have two energetic and beautiful daughters.