Posted on November 10, 2014 in Family Law

Spousal maintenance is often one of the most contentious issues during divorce. Often referred to as “alimony,” this payment of support from one spouse to another has come under criticism in recent years. As a result, some legislatures across the country have revised the legal aspects of maintenance in an effort to provide more structure to when and how it is awarded.

Traditionally, in most jurisdictions around the country, it has been left to the judge’s discretion about whether spousal maintenance should be applied in any given case. After various factors are considered, the judge may decide upon a maintenance award that he or she believes would best support the designated spouse.

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 Posted on November 10, 2014 in Personal Injury

The fall weather and upcoming holidays will undoubtedly keep many pedestrians walking along sidewalks and roadways across the country. While the Chicago area of Illinois in particular sees a lot of foot traffic from walkers, it is by no means unique in that aspect from other cities and communities in the United States. One factor that many, if not all, of these locations have in common is pedestrian safety. To that end, a recently published news article reported that government agencies and private organization alike are taking this matter into account in promoting both pedestrian and driver safety.

Staying Safe

Despite the number of people occupying sidewalks and making up street traffic this time of year, there is a concern that many of them indicate they are not well versed in traffic safety. The National Highway Safety Administration released information saying that neither walkers nor drivers are particularly knowledgeable in how to stay safe while traveling on the road. In fact, the data shows that the state of Illinois has a relatively high number of pedestrian crashes that result in death. In 2012, for example, 138 pedestrians were killed as the result of being involved in car crashes that year alone.

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 Posted on November 05, 2014 in Immigration

The majority of visitors and potential immigrants to the U.S. apply for and receive visas in roughly five or six categories: business (B1), tourist (B2), investor (E), student (F or J), and ‘priority workers’ (EB). However, the United States has over 30 different types of non-immigrant visas alone, with the immigrant visa categories pushing the total to over 100. Depending on your situation, you may be better suited to apply for a more specific type of visa that fits your individual needs.

Specific Jobs

Many people who intend to conduct some kind of professional activity in the United States and do not intend to remain apply for a simple business visa, a B1/B2, which is a combination business and tourist visa that can be customized by the consulate granting it. Depending on factors such as nationality, ties to one’s home country, and documentation regarding the reason for the visit, B1/B2 visas can be granted for single, double or multiple entries, as well as for varying lengths of time; the maximum is usually one year, though a six-month extension may be available.

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 Posted on November 05, 2014 in Personal Injury

The state of Illinois has seen its fair share of tragedies this summer involving car accidents on the roadways. While many of these collisions resulted from different sets of facts and circumstances, it seems a notable portion of them occurred in or around construction zones.

Even though construction season is near its end as summer is over and fall is upon us, officials in Illinois are still focused on the importance of careful driving in construction zones and are encouraging motorists to take the proper precautions in order to avoid any further incidents.

Continuing Crashes

According to an article recently published by a local news outlet, both police officers and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) spokespeople are continuing to urge drivers to use caution in working zones as construction season draws to a close. This focus was especially emphasized after a crash that occurred in a construction zone on Monday, October 6. In light of this recent event, officials are continuing to encourage motorists to be careful while navigating through a construction zone, especially since the final weeks of the construction season are expected to be busy and hectic.

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 Posted on November 03, 2014 in Personal Injury

Since the start of the school year, law enforcement officials in the state of Illinois are noticing the continuation of a disturbing occurrence. Many drivers are violating the law and are simply not stopping for school buses across the state. According to a news article recently published, police officers are considering this practice a sign of trouble.

Common Occurrence

Officers have apparently reported seeing a car illegally pass a school bus while in the process of picking up or dropping off students a few times a week throughout the school year. This violation happens all across the town of Danville, Illinois, and undoubtedly occurs in other communities throughout the state as well. Despite the fact that on many of these occasions, the school buses have stop arms out and lights flashing, as well as posted signs instructing motorists not to pass buses, the violations still occur. Some drivers pass the buses in the farthest left lane and may think that is acceptable; the fact is, however, it is not.

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 Posted on November 03, 2014 in Family Law

A survey published by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) shows a significant increase in the use of evidence taken from smartphones and social networking websites in matrimonial litigation. Men and women have become more attached to their social media websites and smartphones, and matrimonial litigation has reflected this attachment with the increased use of this information being put under the microscope.

Not only has this information been exploited more often, but new spying gadgets and technology have made it easier for spouses to collect evidence prior to obtaining a divorce. The use of this type of spying and surveillance is generally invoked when there is a fear of infidelity or a concern of marital assets slowly disappearing into hidden accounts.

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 Posted on October 30, 2014 in Personal Injury

October's holiday theme traditionally includes scares and spooky characters, and many children of all ages come out Halloween night to enjoy the festivities. However, with so many people—children, teens, parents and pets—out on the street to partake in the holiday, some safety concerns are warranted and worth addressing in order to keep everyone safe on Halloween.

Pedestrian Dangers

Parents often worry about dangers their children may face when trick or treating. Talking to strangers or receiving tainted candy are just a few of the concerns parents may have as children venture out on Halloween night. However, a recently published article suggests there may be more realistic, and more common, dangers in which to worry. Specifically, those who are out and about on the night of October 31st are generally at greater risk of being involved in a collision with a vehicle than encountering any of the other dangers previously mentioned.

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 Posted on October 29, 2014 in Personal Injury

Personal injury cases involve many factors about which members of the general public may not be aware. Specifically with car accident cases, much work and behind-the-scenes preparation goes into the investigation and evaluation of the case by professionals on multiple levels, long before the case ever goes to trial or is looked at by an accident and injury attorney. Often, the collection of information begins almost immediately after an accident occurs.

Police Investigation

Besides the parties themselves and any eyewitnesses to the incident, police officers are often the first to arrive on the scene of an accident. The police are usually called by one of the parties involved in the accident, or by someone who witnesses it occur. If someone is injured or even thinks he or she may have been injured in an accident, it is always a good idea to call the police to obtain a police report of the accident, have the incident investigated, and begin building a record in case a lawsuit follows. A police officer's investigation into an accident, particularly if the accident resulted in serious injury or loss of life, is an important step in the legal process and may significantly contribute to the success or failure of a personal injury case.

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 Posted on October 28, 2014 in Family Law

In the United States, there is a firm commitment to keeping religion out of its legislative affairs. All religious issues are generally tempered by standards that the Supreme Court has set to help balance religious ideas against secular interests. However, in situations of the family, where religion is closely tied to the concept of the family, the lines become more blurry. Divorce and religion, for example, are generally two concepts that are mutually exclusive, especially in the Judeo-Christian ideology. But where does religion and the law meet? How can the law be utilized in family issues arising in a religious home?

Jewish Divorce: The Getting of the Get

Recently, family law practitioners have been attempting to intervene in Jewish divorces. Though not necessarily encouraged in Judaism, the religion anticipates the possibility that divorce may be a necessity. Jewish marriages are commenced by a marriage contract, known as a ketubah, which defines the responsibilities of the husband to the wife. In the Jewish religion, a wife cannot independently divorce her husband; her husband must provide her with a get, which voids the marriage contract and releases the wife from the marriage. Though this has a similar foundation as the divorce procedures currently in place in the secular world, the difference is that there is no process in the Jewish world by which a wife may force her husband into providing her with a get, thus leaving her at the mercy of a potentially spiteful husband. Married women who are trapped within the marriage are known as agunot.

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 Posted on October 24, 2014 in Immigration

In discussing immigration, it has become common to bring up the two million deportations statisticians claim are at the feet of the Obama administration. However, some do call that statistic into question, on both sides of the political spectrum. This becomes particularly true when one examines a curious trend: arresting people attempting to leave the United States. Do these arrests count in the overall deportation statistics? Why or why not?

The Situation at the Border

Currently, along the country’s southern border, vehicles and people are often searched to ensure they are not taking out anything that requires reporting to authorities—most commonly, currency in excess of $10,000. Sometimes, people carrying that amount are doing so for nefarious purposes, such as muling for Mexican cartels; such mules have been stopped before at the border, especially in Nogales, Arizona, and in El Paso.

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