Posted on March 24, 2021 in Family Law

One of the biggest challenges of being a parent is the responsibility to make important decisions that affect the lives and well-being of your children. Married parents at least have the benefit of being able to confide in and consult with a trusted partner when making such decisions, but for divorced or single parents, this is often not the case.

Even co-parents who get along and communicate well must cope with the challenge of raising their children between two different households, and co-parents who are in conflict with each other tend to face even more significant obstacles. The way that you and your co-parent share decision-making responsibilities depends largely on your family’s unique situation, but an experienced attorney can help you work toward an effective arrangement.

What Kinds of Decisions Are Considered to Be Significant in Illinois?

Under Illinois law, parents have the discretion to make routine decisions regarding their children during their allocated parenting time. However, certain types of significant decisions are governed more specifically according to the terms of a parenting plan. These include decisions regarding:

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 Posted on March 05, 2021 in Immigration

For many years, immigrants seeking admission to the United States or an adjustment of status have needed to demonstrate that they will be self-sufficient, or in other words, that they will not be a “public charge” reliant on tax-funded public benefits. This issue has been under much debate over the last two years, with the Trump administration’s Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility final rule taking effect in February 2020 and subsequently being challenged multiple times in federal courts.

Most recently, the question of the public charge rule’s constitutionality is being taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court. However, at least for the time being, the rule remains in effect and can have significant implications on visa and green card proceedings. Further complicating matters is the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential effects on immigrants’ health and employment. As such, it is important for immigrants to work with an attorney who can help them understand how the public charge rule may affect their case.

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 Posted on March 03, 2021 in Personal Injury

While some car accident injuries require minimal treatment and have a fairly short recovery time, in many cases the effects of an injury are long-lasting, or even permanent. This is especially true of injuries that limit mobility. Such injuries can influence all facets of a person’s life, and it is important for victims to know all of the possible damages for which they can pursue compensation when another driver is at fault.

Types of Car Crash Injuries That Limit Mobility

A car accident can cause a variety of serious or catastrophic injuries that temporarily or permanently prevent a victim from utilizing their full range of motion. Some common examples include:

• Neck and back injuries - Injuries to the soft tissue and vertebrae in the neck and back can cause significant pain, and an injured person may need to remain mostly immobile throughout recovery.

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 Posted on March 03, 2021 in Family Law

The outcome of a divorce is heavily influenced by all aspects of the couple’s marital finances, including both assets and debts. Any marital debt remaining at the time of the divorce may need to be divided equitably between both spouses, and this can lead to complications with creditors in the future. Addressing debt before filing for divorce may help you to simplify the divorce process and protect yourself from financial liability.

Types of Marital Debt to Address

It may surprise you to learn that, as with assets, debts incurred by either or both spouses during the marriage are generally considered to belong to the marital estate, meaning that they will factor into the division of assets and debts in the divorce. Common marital debts that divorcing couples must contend with include home mortgages, credit card debt, and vehicle loans. Student loans may also qualify as marital debt if a spouse continued their education during the marriage, especially for the purposes of better providing for the family.

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 Posted on February 26, 2021 in Immigration

President Biden has signified since the first day of his presidency that immigration reform will be a high priority for his administration. The president has signed several executive orders and submitted a bill to Congress known as the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 that includes a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants currently residing in the United States. On February 18, this bill was formally introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. While passage of the bill is far from assured, its effects will be far-reaching if it is passed.

Implications for Undocumented Immigrants

If passed, the bill would allow undocumented immigrants who have been present in the U.S. starting on or before January 1, 2021 to apply for lawful prospective immigrant status. In order to qualify, applicants would need to pass a background check and pay necessary taxes and fees. Once granted, the status would last for up to six years, and could be renewed for additional terms.

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 Posted on February 24, 2021 in Personal Injury

Many victims of assault, sexual assault, battery, robbery, or other crimes are unaware of all of their legal options. Most realize that they may be able to report the perpetrator to the police, but they are unaware of the civil legal actions they may take. If you or a loved one were injured in a bar fight, mugging, or other violent act caused by inadequate security, you may be able to bring a premises liability lawsuit against the property owner or occupier. You may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, physical pain, emotional and mental suffering, and more.

Insufficient Security Measures Can Lead to Avoidable Injuries

Businesses like restaurants, bars, nightclubs, retail stores, and apartment complexes cannot prevent every conceivable injury from occurring on the property. However, property owners are held to certain safety standards by law. Per the Illinois Premises Liability Act, property owners and property occupiers are required to exercise “reasonable care” to prevent avoidable injuries from occurring on their property. This includes taking reasonable steps to prevent crime and violent acts. What constitutes “reasonable care” is often difficult to determine. The level of security that a business needs depends on many different factors including the overall level of crime in the area and whether visitors to the property have been harmed by criminal acts in the past.

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 Posted on February 23, 2021 in Family Law

One of the most important things that divorcing couples should know is that the terms of a divorce resolution are legally binding. This means that violating them can have substantial legal consequences, in some cases including charges of contempt of court. If you believe that you may be facing such charges, an attorney can help you avoid them or defend against them.

What Happens When a Person is Charged With Contempt of Court?

Typically, contempt of court charges come about after one of the parties to the divorce files a petition for enforcement of the divorce order against the other party. This may happen after a person fails to pay court-ordered spousal maintenance or child support, or a party violates the terms of the allocation of parenting time or parental responsibilities.

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 Posted on February 08, 2021 in Personal Injury

According to the most recent data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, pedestrians are involved in less than 2 percent of all motor vehicle accidents, but more than 16 percent of all fatal accidents. In total, more than 150 pedestrians were killed and more than 4,500 were injured in Illinois in 2018. It is important to understand the causes of these accidents, both to try to reduce their number and so that victims know when they have a case for compensation due to a driver’s negligence.

Contributors to Pedestrian Accidents and Injuries

Pedestrian accidents can happen for many reasons, but certain factors are especially prominent both in Illinois and throughout the U.S. Some of these include:

• Environmental factors - In Illinois, the majority of pedestrian accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities occur in urban areas. Pedestrian injury crashes are fairly evenly split between day and night hours, but fatal pedestrian accidents are much more likely to happen at night, when there is less visibility.

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 Posted on February 05, 2021 in Immigration

On February 2, President Biden continued his executive action on immigration by signing three new executive orders, including one that addresses processing and eligibility criteria for those seeking asylum in the United States.. The order is part of what the Biden administration describes as a more compassionate and humane approach to the immigration system. It is important to understand the implications this order may have if you or a family member is seeking asylum to remain lawfully in the United States.

Changes to U.S. Asylum Policy

In large part, the president’s new executive order deals with the processing of asylum seekers at the Mexican border. The order provides for the review, termination, or revocation of several executive actions and policies instituted by the Trump administration. Perhaps most notably, it includes a direction to review and stop enrollment in the Migrant Protections Protocols program, which requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their case is processed. The order also states that health and safety concerns, including those related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, should be considered when processing asylum claims.

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 Posted on February 04, 2021 in Family Law

Most people are aware that when a couple gets a divorce, they will need to reach a resolution on important issues including the division of marital property and the allocation of parental responsibilities. However, there are many other implications of the divorce process that may not be immediately apparent. One such issue is continued health insurance coverage for a spouse or child.

This issue is of particular relevance now, when many families are struggling with health problems related to COVID-19, or the risk of contracting the coronavirus. If you are concerned about losing access to affordable health care at a time when you need it most, you may have even decided to delay your divorce or pursue a legal separation while remaining legally married. However, it is important to know that if you decide to move forward with your divorce, there are options for maintaining coverage.

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