Think before You Post: Social Media Can Impact Family Law Cases

 Posted on August 14, 2014 in Family Law

With the advent of social media, people have become comfortably used to sharing the intimate details of their lives. However, many forget that what gets posted online does not always stay online. Hence, there is a good chance that what a person says on Facebook could come back to haunt them in the courtroom. Below are examples of ways social media use may impact family law cases

Hidden Assets? Not Any More

Hypothetically, a husband decides he does not want to pay his soon-to-be-ex spouse a significant amount of spousal support. Thus, he decides to hide some of his assets during the acrimonious divorce. He sells stocks, stashes money in offshore accounts, and downsizes his house and car. The judge believes his riches-to-rags story, and his now ex-wife gets a far smaller support order than she had anticipated.

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Illinois Traffic Fatalities on the Decline

 Posted on August 12, 2014 in Personal Injury

Numerous laws and traffic codes are put in place in an effort to improve the safety of the roadways and, in turn, to also ensure the safety of drivers and passengers who use them on a daily basis. While nothing can guarantee safety on the road, a new study suggests that the number of traffic-related fatalities has significantly declined in Illinois over the past several years.

The Study

According to a news article recently published by the chtribune, a new study was released which found that Illinois traffic fatalities have been on the decline in the state of Illinois over the past several years. More specifically, the findings show that crash-related deaths have decreased 30 percent from the year 2005 to 2012 in the state. This trend echoes one seen across the nation, with a 23 percent decline in traffic fatalities across the United States in the same time span.

Previously, the numbers showed a trend in the opposite direction. Statistics from the 1990s to 2005 showed an increase in traffic fatalities. The noticeable drop in numbers came after the year 2005.

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New Boating Laws in Illinois

 Posted on August 08, 2014 in Personal Injury

According to a news report, Governor Pat Quinn recently signed three new boating laws into effect in the state of Illinois. His signing of the laws, which are aimed at increasing boater safety, was purposely done at a time when many Illinois citizens were likely spending time on bodies of water in an effort to raise awareness about the safety issues. He emphasized the importance of residents staying safe on waterways in Illinois specifically while celebrating throughout the summer months.

Taking Precautions

Governor Quinn pointed out that boating is a fun and popular way to enjoy the outdoors, but the proper precautions must be taken in order to keep both drivers and passengers safe and avoid boating accidents. The new laws that were signed into effect are meant to keep waterways in Illinois safer and more enjoyable for everyone. Boat safety is likely on the mind of many citizens of the state, especially in light of the three drownings that occurred in the state just last month alone.

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Alone and Afraid: The Immigration of Undocumented Minors

 Posted on August 06, 2014 in Immigration

There has been a recent influx of minor children traveling over the southern border of the United States. Additionally, there has been a backlash against keeping them detained in centers in the U.S. instead of shipping them immediately back over the border. However, many people are misinformed about what rights can be granted to them. The law for undocumented minors is very different than that for undocumented adults, and they also face unique trials that their adult counterparts often can avoid.

Protections Granted to Children

The current wave of undocumented minors coming over the border is not in fact comprised of Mexicans, for the most part; a large portion of these undocumented minors are in fact from points further south like Honduras and El Salvador. They are fleeing poverty and gang violence, and many of them were sent ahead by their parents because uncertainty is better than what they perceive as certain death.

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Tax Considerations & Marriage Penalties for Middle Class Families

 Posted on August 06, 2014 in Family Law

When a couple decides to get married, buy a home, have children, and plan for their future retirement, they must think about the tax consequences at every step in the process to maximize the financial consequences of each event in their lives. Speaking with an attorney versed in family law can help ensure that the couple is on the right track, and can be of assistance in the event of divorce or other family-related issues.

Marriage

When a couple gets married, they may be subject to both marriage penalties and marriage bonuses. A marriage penalty occurs when a couple pays more income tax filing jointly as a married couple than filing separately as individuals. A marriage bonus is the reverse and occurs when a couple pays less tax filing jointly than filing separately as individuals.

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Speeding on Popular Road in Chicago

 Posted on August 05, 2014 in Personal Injury

Citizens of Chicago are urging police to focus on drivers who speed on North Lake Shore Drive by increasing the number of tickets issued to violators. However, less people are reportedly on board to create a lower and upper North Lake Shore Drive in connection with a revamping of the road, according to a recent news article. Residents were given the opportunity to voice their opinions during a project called "Redefine the Drive," which seeks to get citizen proposals to solve the problems along the seven-mile stretch at the north end of Lake Shore Drive.

Officials' Positions

Officials from the Illinois and Chicago Department of Transportation say a majority of the parts of North Lake Shore Drive are old and in need of being rebuilt. While doing so, it is their hope that other problems will also be addressed, including structural issues and the lack of space for joggers and bikers. The double-decker drive idea was proposed to address some of these concerns. The suggestion would include the lower drive being used by faster vehicles and maybe carrying a toll. The upper drive could feature a lower speed limit, as well as a bike lane.

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General Motors Will Not Limit Compensation to Crash Victims

 Posted on July 28, 2014 in Personal Injury

The automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) has been in the news multiple times in the recent past for production errors and malfunctions in their vehicles. Numerous car models have been recalled since, but not before some tragic, fatal crashes occurred, which were caused by the manufacturing defects. Now, a recent news article is reporting that the company decided that they will not limit compensation to crash victims whose accidents were caused by one of their installation errors in particular.

No Limits

The attorney representing GM in the company's pending compensation cases has announced that there will be no limit to the amount of compensation GM will pay car crash victims whose accidents were caused by their vehicle's faulty ignition switch. Some are saying that the final total payout could reach the billions of dollars. So far, GM says 13 deaths were likely caused by the ignition switch failure in two of their small car models, but others say there could be hundreds of other cases involving death and serious injury.

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Adjusting Your Status: When and How

 Posted on July 25, 2014 in Immigration

When a non-citizen wants to visit the United States, they must first obtain immigration status by getting a visa. Over time, however, one’s status may change from non-immigrant to immigrant. A visitor might have entered the country as a student, for example, and then wanted to marry a U.S. citizen. Visas differ for these situations, and in light of this the immigrant would need to officially adjust immigration status before plans could go forward. Very often, it is helpful to hire a good immigration attorney to speed up the process.

Adjustment of Status

An actual adjustment of status is only for people inside the United States already. If a visitor wishes to enter the United States as a permanent resident instead of adjusting from within the country, they would file the application through the nearest consulate or embassy.

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Challenges to Collecting Child Support

 Posted on July 25, 2014 in Family Law

Illinois Law 

When a couple divorces in Illinois, in most cases, the non-custodial parent will be required to pay child support to the custodial parent. The law governing child support payments in Illinois is the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (“Act”). Under the Act, a couple can negotiate on their own what terms they want to work out for payment or, if the couple cannot agree, the court will arraign a structured payment plan that is in the best interests of the child or children.

Enforcement Mechanisms

Just because the court orders a parent to pay child support, it is not guaranteed that payments will be enforced or that the custodial parent will receive the money. The court does have mechanisms in place to collect payment, like garnishing the non-custodial parent’s wages.

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The Problem with Unlicensed Drivers

 Posted on July 24, 2014 in Personal Injury

Some drivers may see certain traffic laws as a nuisance or annoyance, such as parking ordinances or being ticketed for failure to come to a complete stop. While all traffic regulations and laws are likely put in place to promote the safety of drivers and passengers while traveling on the roadway, some regulations have a much more obvious impact on promoting safety and come with more serious consequences for their violation.

Traffic Laws

Laws relating to driving without a license often have serious criminal consequences if they are violated. Some drivers may have never obtained a license, while others may have had it suspended or revoked for various reasons. No matter why a driver does not have a valid driver's license, the fact remains that operating a vehicle without one is a crime.

It should be obvious that besides the need to regulate and keep track of drivers that are on the road, a state's licensing requirement also goes a long way in ensuring that those who are operating vehicles on the roadways are at least somewhat qualified to do so. In order to acquire a driver's license initially, all individuals are required to submit to a driver's test with a licensed instructor who will determine if the person operated the vehicle well enough to be granted a license. In order to keep that license, the driver must refrain from engaging in driving behaviors that would result in their license being revoked or suspended.

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