For most, their home is the single most valuable asset of the marriage. But did you know that in Illinois, if one owns a house prior to marriage, it is considered his or her non-marital property? Upon divorce, the owning spouse takes back the entire asset (including all the equity accumulated during the marriage). Whether you are already married to somebody who owned a home … Continue reading Residential Roulette: Marital Claims to Non-Marital Real Estate →

Note that I have framed the title of this article in the negative: how to lose a custody case, rather than how to win one. Why is this? It is because there are no sure-fire ways to achieve a successful result in a child custody case. There are, however, ways you can assuredly lose one. Here are ten examples of how to “lose” a child … Continue reading 10 Ways to Lose a Child Custody Case →

After we stabilize the family through temporary agreements or court orders, we work to develop an action plan to move forward.  Child Custody Issues Before tackling the financial issues, we must first determine whether there are any contested issues involving the children. Courts require parents to try to develop a joint parenting plan. The parenting plan reflects the parenting arrangements to be implemented after the … Continue reading Show and Tell: Pulling Back the Curtain Part Two →

What is it that we do when you entrust your divorce case to us? Most are unaware of the ways their lawyer works for them “behind the scenes.” I am writing this article to shine a light on what we do to help our clients through this difficult time. The GO Meeting When you retain our firm, we schedule a GO Meeting with you. During … Continue reading Your Divorce: Pulling Back The Curtain Part One →

With the recent COVID-19 shutdowns, self-quarantines, and social distancing, here is some useful information about your divorce: Court Procedures In the Chicago Metro area, all courthouses are closed until further notice, most probably until mid-April at the earliest. This means that judges will be unavailable to hear routine contested matters. Judges will continue to be available for emergency matters. We are told that some judges … Continue reading Divorce and Covid-19 →

Division of Debt in a Divorce. Living on debt is reality for many American families. Obligations exceed cash flow, and people regularly borrow to make ends meet. And while managing heavy debt loads is commonplace, debt strains marriages and contributes to marital problems. So if the couple does end up in divorce court, how is the debt dealt with by the court?  The answer is … Continue reading Divorce and Debt: Double Trouble →

2005 – Present In 2005 Peskind Law Firm moved to its present location at 2445 Dean Street in St. Charles, where it remains today. The firm continued to concentrate in complex family law litigation. At this time, two exceptional lawyers worked with Steven: Gregory Makismuk, now a partner at a prominent local family law firm, and Vazken Kazandjian, now practicing family law at a boutique … Continue reading The Final Series on the History of Peskind Law Firm →

To enhance your chances of a successful divorce, your relationship with your attorney must be collaborative. While there is no guarantee that a collaborative relationship will get you what you want, there is a near certainty that without it, you will be deprived of your fair share. Here are ten ways for you to be a better partner with your lawyer in your divorce case: … Continue reading The Successful Divorce: Help Your Lawyer Help You →

1991-2005 In 1991 Peskind Law Firm operated out of offices located at 10 South River Street in Aurora. In addition to Steven and David, the firm had grown to include several associate lawyers, a CPA, and several legal assistants. The firm continued to expand its family law practice in addition to handling personal injury cases, commercial litigation, and real estate. Due to David’s long-standing reputation … Continue reading The Second in a Three Part Series on the History of Peskind Law Firm →

Illinois law requires divorcing parents to prepare a plan for parenting their children after the divorce. The plan must be presented to the judge for approval within 90 days of the case filing. Many work out the details without the help of lawyers or mediators. By working together parents can avoid conflict and save money. Both mom and dad know their children better than anyone … Continue reading Negotiating Your Own Parenting Plan →