Posted on June 13, 2014 in Immigration

While the American school system is not the best in the world - that honor belongs to Finland - there are still many students worldwide who want to study in the United States at all levels of education. In order to study academically in the U.S., one must obtain what is referred to as an F visa. This type of visa allows a foreign national to come to the United States and study, even if the same program is offered in their country. Vocational students have a separate visa, the M visa, which covers their category of study.

Application for F Visa

Before a foreign national can even apply for an F visa, he or she must apply and be approved by a school that is a member of the SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program). A fair amount of U.S. schools are members of this program, but not all. If a foreign national applies and is accepted by a non-member school, their F visa will most likely not be granted because that school has no infrastructure in place to communicate with the State Department about their student status via SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System).

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 13, 2014 in Family Law

Commingling Lives

When a couple decides to marry they are choosing to come together and combine all aspects of their lives. They consolidate their living space, blend their families, and join finances. Unfortunately, joining finances sometimes also means taking on the other spouse’s individual debts.

Am I responsible for my spouse's debt when I get married?

Marriage is a symbolic joining of two parties into one unit. Marriage is also a contract. When you first get married, there are many ways to avoid taking on your spouse’s debt. However, how you go about managing your finances throughout the marriage will determine if you will be responsible for the debt later on in the marriage or upon divorce.

Make sure to be clear in whose name the debts will be titled. If you do not want to be liable for the debt, make sure your name is absent from the title. Also, depending on the state in which you reside, different property laws may apply to ownership, division, and debt.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 12, 2014 in Personal Injury

Those who have been injured in a car accident in Illinois may be hesitant to seek the help of legal counsel. This may be true because they feel overwhelmed by the process, because they simply do not know whether the facts of their specific case would give rise to a claim at law, or because they are unsure of whether they would be entitled to any form of compensation.

No matter what the the circumstances surrounding the accident or the extent of the injury, it is always a good first step to meet with an attorney to determine whether there is basis for a lawsuit or other type of action. A personal injury attorney would be able to advise a potential client about what claims he or she has, if any, and what to expect if he or she decides to institute a claim. In addition, the attorney can explain how the laws in the state of Illinois affect the case and can immediately take steps to protect the client's rights.

Illinois Law

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 10, 2014 in Personal Injury

It is important to realize that accidents between vehicles are not the only causes of injuries and fatalities on Illinois roadways. Pedestrians are also at risk, and often they are severely hurt when involved in an accident with a car. It is important for pedestrians to take proper safety precautions while on the streets in order to avoid an accident.

The Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 70,000 pedestrians suffer injury and more than 4,000 are killed across the country each year as the result of a collision with a vehicle. The nicer the weather, the more likely an accident is to happen. In addition, age contributes to the likelihood of a pedestrian accident, with a significant proportion involving either those over the age of 65 or under the age of 15.

Likely Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 06, 2014 in Immigration

Removal proceedings can be terrifying. They can break up families and interrupt lives. When you or a loved one has been placed in removal proceedings, you have a few options. One of the most common prayers for relief from removal is a discretionary grant called cancellation of removal.

Cancellation of removal replaced an old program referred to as suspension of deportation (SoD). The problem with SoD is that it did not discriminate; it did not give a different standard to legal permanent residents (LPRs) who had been in the country lawfully and to people not lawfully in the United States. Cancellation of removal does have different standards for both categories, though in both cases, it is entirely at the discretion of the immigration judge.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 06, 2014 in Family Law

Child Welfare

Keeping children away from harm and making sure they are part of a loving and safe home environment is a top priority for any federal or state government. Child welfare in Illinois is safeguarded by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (“DCFS”).

DCFS is in charge of investigating claims of abuse and, if necessary, removing children from unsafe environments. Because DCFS is tasked with such an important responsibility, it must be adequately funded. It must also be staffed with highly capable and vigilant guardians who will protect vulnerable children in need of care.

Financial and Budgetary Constraints

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 05, 2014 in Personal Injury

A recent news article reported on an organized effort in Bloomington to bring awareness to the issue of bicyclists' safety. About 200 people participated in the event, called Ride of Silence, in an effort to assert their right to share the road and remember cyclists who have been injured or killed while riding. The hope for many was that the ride would increase drivers' awareness of bicycle riders.

Purpose of the Event

Some participants dedicated their ride in the event to the memory of a friend or loved one who had been killed in an accident while riding. Others attended the event for the same reason. Event organizers said the purpose of the Ride of Silence is for cyclists to bring attention to safety issues, to symbolize that they are a part of a the road, and to honor those who have died. The ceremony is a solemn one meant to make a point.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on June 03, 2014 in Personal Injury

During the spring and summer season, many individuals in the Chicago area and throughout the state of Illinois will seek to enjoy the outdoors in different ways. The use of all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other recreational vehicles will undoubtedly be on the rise in the coming months. This increased use will unfortunately, yet likely, lead to more accidents and resulting injuries involving ATVs and their drivers.

It is important to highlight the dangers and concerns associated with the operation of these vehicles, since accidents involving ATVs too often result in serious and traumatic injury and even death.

Dangers

While many people enjoy driving ATVs, which may include jet skis, three- and four-wheelers, and dirt bikes, the vehicles can pose a danger to drivers and their riders who are at risk of serious injury in the event of an accident. Particular dangers can include the vehicle flipping or rolling over during an accident due to operator error or improper maintenance, or hitting a hole or unexpected object on the road or path on which the vehicle is driving. If a driver or rider fails to wear safety equipment, such as a helmet, any potential injury will likely be significantly worse than it otherwise would have been.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on May 29, 2014 in Personal Injury

A common tenet of driver safety is to never get behind the wheel while intoxicated. However, the fact remains that many people, at varying degrees of intoxication, do decide to drive their vehicle while drunk. This puts not only the driver and any passengers in danger, but also poses a significant risk to others on the road.

Yet what happens when the situation is seemingly even more egregious, and the drunk driver's passengers include small children? A recent news article examined some troubling statistics in light of an incident that occurred in Illinois.

DUI-Related Deaths among Children

When it comes to DUI-related deaths of young children, many typically think that the minors were riding in a car that was struck by a drunk driver. However, a recent study revealed findings that show this is simply not true.

The study, which was recently published in the journal Pediatrics, found that 65 percent of children killed in DUI-related crashes are actually riding in the car with the drunk driver. The journal's finding also included that between 2001 and 2010, over 2,300 minors under the age of 15 were killed in accidents that included at least one driver under the influence. Of those deaths, 42 occurred in the state of Illinois.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on May 27, 2014 in Personal Injury

Most car accidents occur as the result of at least one driver's negligence or carelessness. In some of these cases, it may be difficult to prove which driver was at fault and whether he or she was being negligent at the time of an accident that resulted in property damage or injury. Other times, it seems that driver negligence is all too obvious. When obvious fault exists there is a chance that an actual crime was committed. In these cases, the at-fault driver may not only face a civil lawsuit from those affected but also criminal charges filed by the State.

Civil v. Criminal Laws

Most car accidents, no matter what the underlying cause, gives rise to civil liability. The civil law involves disagreements between individuals parties, like two drivers. After an accident, the party that was negligent is usually required to compensate those hurt. Injured patrons can file a lawsuit to protect their rights depending on the extent of their injuries. If a lawsuit is filed, the success of any case will depend on a thorough investigation into the facts of the case and a proper estimation of plaintiffs' damages that were caused by her negligence. At other times an actual lawsuit is not necessary, because attorneys can negotiate with insurance companies for full payment without the need for court intervention.

Continue Reading ››