Family Law

Cox & Fulk, LLC understands that the nature of family law issues and disputes is such that they require careful and caring attention,  as well as experience and ability in litigation.  If you are looking for a family lawyer in Bloomington IL, our law firm offers the services of J Harrison Fulk (“Jake”), an experienced divorce and family law attorney who devotes the entirety of his practice to matters affecting the structure of rights and responsibilities within families in Central Illinois.

What Does a Family Lawyer Do?

Family law focuses on various aspects of family relationships. Our family law attorneys can help clients navigate various court proceedings and negotiate important legal documents involving the following areas:

Unmarried Parent Family Disputes

Unmarried parents will likely need assistance from the court system in determining the relative parental rights and responsibilities for parenting time, parenting decisions, and child support issues pertaining to their child or children.  Cox & Fulk attorneys routinely handle these “family cases” and the varying combinations of issues they present.

Child Support Issues

The law of child support in Illinois involves a complex formula with a variety of related considerations – our extensive experience with child support disputes provides a perspective for planning and litigation that can maximize the possibility of appropriate and advantageous results. 

Child support often includes not just a periodic payment between parents, but also addresses the insurance coverage, extracurricular expenses, educational expenses, and childcare expenses for children.  Parents may also be ordered to contribute to the post-secondary educational expenses of their children.

Custody & Parental Issues

The concept known as “custody” has been deconstructed into “parenting time” and “parenting decisions” under the umbrella of “Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities.” Thus, while we no longer tend to see disputes involving “sole” versus “joint” custody, Cox & Fulk lawyers stand ready to advise and advocate with regard to the same issues in their newer legal forms.

Guardianship

Guardianship cases come in a variety of forms, and can involve guardianships for minors or disabled adults.  If you believe a Guardianship may be appropriate or that a proposed guardianship is inappropriate, our family law attorneys can advise and provide representation tailored to the client’s goals and concerns.

Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements

A well-planned prenuptial agreement, or postnuptial agreement (after the marriage), can assist the parties in resolving potential divorce disputes before they occur, allowing the marital relationship to proceed with assurance that things will go as expected in the event of the unexpected.

Civil Union Dissolutions

Dissolutions of Civil Unions can be had on essentially the same bases as dissolution of marriage cases, and we are pleased to offer representation in them accordingly and making use of the same related skills and experience.

Orders of Protection

When someone is being abused or harassed, the Illinois Domestic Violence Act and Illinois Stalking No Contact Order Act provide protective remedies depending on the circumstances and relationship between the parties.  If you or a loved on are in need of protection or you have been accused of abuse or harassment, Cox & Fulk offers a wealth of experience in the Order of Protection system at both the Emergency and Plenary levels.

Adoptions

Cox & Fulk attorneys can assist both petitioners (adopting parents) and respondents (natural parents) with regard to adoptions, and also routinely serve as court-appointed Guardians ad Litem investigating the best interest of minor children with regard to adoption cases.

Minor Name Changes

Cox & Fulk attorneys are experienced with the relevant factors and procedure for both pursuing and opposing proposed changes to a child’s name, with a record of successful outcomes in both collaborative and contested minor name change cases.

Adult Name Changes

Within reason, it can be relatively simple to change an adult’s surname by following the proper court procedures.  Cox & Fulk attorneys have the experience in adult name changes to maximize efficiency in name change cases.