Beckett & Webber, P.C., lawyers in Urbana, IL, Illinois

Adoption and Safe Families Act - Overview

In 1997, the United States Congress passed the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA). The ASFA was enacted to modify and clarify certain requirements of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act, a federal law enacted in 1980, and the Family Preservation and Support Services Act, a federal law enacted in 1984. More...

Interspousal Tort Immunity Doctrine

Interspousal tort immunity is a doctrine that precludes tort actions between married individuals. The doctrine has common-law roots. The doctrine is based on the theory that a married couple is a single entity. In the early 1900s wives were considered the property of their husbands, therefore they were not permitted to sue their husbands. Obviously now this is no longer the case. More...

Adoption and Safe Families Act - Reasonable Efforts

The Family Preservation and Support Services Act required states to make "reasonable efforts" to reunify families and prevent the permanent removal of a child from his or her home. The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) attempts to clarify the "reasonable efforts" requirement. More...

Planning for a Disabled Child

There are many parents that have children with disabilities. It is important for those parents to plan for the care of their children when the parents are no longer living. Often times, when parental death occurs the responsibility of the disabled child falls on the siblings, other family members, or the community. More...

Same-Sex Marriages, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships

Although many people interchange the terms same-sex marriage and civil union, they are actually two different and distinct concepts. A same-sex marriage is defined as a marriage between two individuals of the same gender. A same-sex marriage involves a certain legal status for the couple. Further, each state has its own requirements with respect to marriage. More...