Two boys return to grandparent's custody after parental kidnapping The two Hakken boys grabbed national attention this month after their parents, who had lost custody of the boys earlier in the month, allegedly kidnapped the boys and fled to Cuba in a small boat. It's a story many residents here in Illinois hope never happens…
Read more
Visitation dispute goes ‘nuclear’ between mom and grandparents
Visitation dispute goes 'nuclear' between mom and grandparents A highly-acrimonious dispute over whether the grandparents of a deceased man will be allowed to host their 5-year-old granddaughter for court-ordered visitation is now in its third year, and a Cass County family court judge has just taken an unusual step. Ruling that the mother, a former…
Read more
How often are fathers’ rights ignored in child custody decisions?
How often are fathers' rights ignored in child custody decisions? It has long been a subject of great concern here in Illinois and across the U.S. that far more mothers than fathers appear to be awarded primary physical custody of children after divorce. Family courts have been accused of arbitrarily favoring a "traditional" physical custody…
Read more
False abuse claims in child custody cases can hurt the kids most
False abuse claims in child custody cases can hurt the kids most Divorce and relationships writer Monique Honaman of the Huffington Post recently found herself confronted with two situations that shocked her. In the course of a single week, she learned of two men -- demonstrably good, stable, non-abusive parents, she maintains -- who are…
Read more