Posted on November 18, 2022 in Immigration

If you are getting ready to go through the naturalization process, congratulations—you have probably been waiting for this moment for many years! Despite the normal feeling of nervousness you may have, remember that more than seven million foreign nationals have become American citizens in the past 10 years and they had to go through the same process as you.

With the help of an experienced Illinois immigration attorney, you can get through your naturalization interview and start your new life as an American citizen. Here are a few tips to help you prepare.

Know What to Expect

At your naturalization interview, a USCIS employee will ask you many questions. These usually include questions about your background, who you are as a person, how you feel about America, where you live, and more. You may be asked about recent travels outside the United States or crimes you have committed. You will be briefly tested on your English skills and your knowledge of American civics (government and history). Sometimes interviews are recorded - this does not mean that you have done anything wrong, but rather that the interview may be used for training new USCIS employees.

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 Posted on November 18, 2022 in Family Law

Most Illinois divorce cases are now resolved using alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation and arbitration. Many couples try to resolve as many issues as possible before even filing for divorce so they can increase the chance of having an uncontested divorce, which allows for a faster, cheaper divorce process.

Unfortunately, divorce negotiation is neither practical nor safe for every divorcing couple. No matter how unpleasant the experience may be, some divorces need to come before a judge so each partner has a fair chance to make their arguments and ensure the law is applied correctly.

When a divorce does go to trial, there is an important fact-gathering step called discovery. If you anticipate divorce litigation, it is important to understand the discovery process, what will be expected of you, and what kind of information you may need to provide.

What is Discovery?

Discovery is the process through which each spouse’s attorney can demand information from the other spouse. Spouses can provide information before the discovery process, but the formal discovery process has more “teeth” - that is, spouses are expected to comply during discovery and providing false or misleading information during discovery can have consequences.

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 Posted on November 11, 2022 in Personal Injury

When we think about someone being hurt in a car crash, fall accident, dog attack, or another injurious event, our first thoughts are often on the physical injuries the individual sustained. The physical pain and discomfort caused by an injury are certainly valid concerns, but they are not the only negative consequences of a serious injury. It is important not to lose sight of the fact that an injury can also have profound effects on a victim's ability to work and earn an income.

In Illinois, lost income and reduced earning capacity are both considered "economic damages" that can be recovered in a personal injury claim.

What is the Difference Between Lost Income and Reduced Earning Capacity?

The terms "lost income" and "reduced earning capacity" are often used interchangeably, but they actually refer to two different types of economic damages.

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 Posted on November 04, 2022 in Family Law

Retirement is usually a lifelong endeavor; people work for decades, looking forward to the time when they can finally quit their job and pursue a life of travel and hobbies. The prospect of divorce can be especially concerning for adults who are nearing retirement age because it begs a host of difficult questions: How much of my retirement will I lose? What kind of home can I afford to live in on my own? Will I be able to retire at all?

The answers to these questions vary for every divorcing spouse, but rest assured that whatever complications your case may present, having an experienced attorney on your side will result in a better outcome than if you decide to represent yourself.

How Are Retirement Plans Treated in an Illinois Divorce?

In addition to the fact that liquid assets and real estate must be divided, retirement plans must also be included as part of the divisible marital estate (unless they are protected by a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement). However, spouses can divide their entire marital estate however they want - as long as both spouses agree. This means that, while you can divide your retirement accounts, you do not necessarily have to.

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 Posted on October 31, 2022 in Personal Injury

Experts generally agree that distracted driving is one of the most common causes of car crashes in Illinois and across the rest of the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that over 3,000 people are killed every year because of distracted driving. Tragically, many of those deaths were people who were driving or otherwise acting safely but were struck by a distracted driver and killed.

Even when distracted driving accidents do not cause fatalities, they can still cause serious injuries. If you or a family member have been hurt in a car crash because another driver was eating, talking on the phone, texting, or doing some other activity that took their attention away from the road, you may be able to pursue compensation for your injuries.

Common Accidents That Result From Distracted Driving

Many people think they can multitask safely while they drive. After all, a quick text response may seem to only take a couple of seconds. Unfortunately, the statistics say otherwise - and, in fact, when a car is traveling at high speeds, the few seconds it takes to send a text may mean a car ends up several hundred feet further than it was when the texting began.

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 Posted on October 18, 2022 in Immigration

People who come to the United States may not have done so because they are looking for love, but they very often find it. When someone is in the United States legally, whether on a tourist visa, student visa, or work visa, they may find someone they want to spend their life with and decide to get married. When this happens, the visa holder and their spouse will need to go through an Adjustment of Status process to get the foreign spouse a Green Card.

Because getting married is one of the easier paths to getting a Green Card (and therefore citizenship), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is very sensitive to the potential for fraud in these cases. It is important, therefore, to have an immigration attorney who can help you carefully prepare your application and get ready for the notoriously difficult Marriage Green Card interview.

Preparing for a Marriage Green Card Interview

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 Posted on October 18, 2022 in Family Law

The financial stresses of getting divorced are usually centered around property division, child support, and alimony. One other important part of divorce that should not be overlooked is health insurance coverage and what happens to a spouse who is covered by their partner’s insurance after the divorce is finalized.

Health insurance is vital, especially as the cost of medical care continues to rise. If you are considering divorce, you need to prepare yourself for the future by understanding your options regarding health insurance and whether you need to take steps now to find alternative coverage.

Spousal Health Insurance After Divorce

Insurance companies and employers allow couples to remain on each other’s insurance policies, even after divorce, because of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). This allows you to buy the same insurance coverage through the same company that insured you while you were married. Your spouse will still have to be insured at the time of the divorce, and they must notify their employer after the divorce is finalized so the insurance company can send you the information you need to manage your coverage. It is essential to manage insurance matters in a timely and detail-oriented manner because small mistakes can leave you without coverage.

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 Posted on October 11, 2022 in Personal Injury

Although the vast majority of births are safe and do not involve serious complications, sometimes complex conditions present themselves and urgent treatment is required. In addition to being aware of a mother’s health risks, doctors and nursing staff must be properly trained on how to respond to difficult birth conditions so infants can get the best standard of care during delivery.

Unfortunately, this standard of care is not always met. Certain conditions can cause a critical bundle of nerves called the “brachial plexus” to become damaged, leading to other serious conditions like cereal palsy. If this happens to your child, it is important to speak with an Illinois birth injury attorney who can determine whether you may be able to seek compensation for your child’s injuries and suffering.

Brachial Plexus Injuries and Their Consequences

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 Posted on October 04, 2022 in Immigration

Although first-generation immigrants in the United States are consistently shown to commit crimes at lower rates than those who were born in American, immigrants face disproportionate risks from being convicted of a crime - up to, and including, deportation. Even immigrants with green cards can be deported for violating certain laws.

Not all criminal convictions trigger deportation proceedings, and it is important to know which crimes could get you deported. If you are not a U.S. citizen and you have been accused of a crime, or even if you are just being investigated for a crime, it is important to retain aggressive legal immigration and criminal defense representation from an experienced Illinois attorney.

Crimes of Moral Turpitude

“Turpitude” is a somewhat old-fashioned word that means “evil” or “wickedness.” American courts have defined crimes of moral turpitude as those which involve fraud, larceny, and the intent to harm people or things. For example, theft - taking someone else’s property with the intent to permanently deprive that person of it - is usually a crime of moral turpitude. So are assault, domestic violence, and many other crimes involving lying, cheating, or violence. However, some crimes of this nature are considered petty enough not to be classified as a crime of moral turpitude, such as shoplifting goods valued under a certain amount of money.

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 Posted on October 04, 2022 in Family Law

You may have been surprised when your spouse served you with divorce papers, but now it is time to take action. Regardless of how you feel about divorce - whether you want it or not - the way you respond to the initial divorce papers will have a major impact on how the rest of the process goes for you. Here are some steps to take if you need to respond to divorce papers in Illinois.

Take a Moment to Think it Through

It can be tempting to react right away to bad news by getting angry, calling your spouse, or responding to the divorce papers with hostile demands. Even if you think your spouse has been totally unreasonable, take a moment to think through the situation before you do anything else. Do not contact your spouse. Do not post about the situation on social media. Do not talk to your kids about it. It is essential to keep a level head and act from a place of rationality.

Find Out When You Need to Respond

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