Changing one’s name can be a significant decision and is often done for various reasons such as marriage, divorce, or personal preference. In the state of Illinois, the process of legally changing your name can be different for adults and minors. This article will outline the steps, legal actions, and estimated costs for both adults... Read more »
Having a pet is a big responsibility, and one of the most important things you can do to ensure your pet is cared for in the event of your death is to create a pet trust. A pet trust allows you to provide for the lifetime care of your beloved pet while providing legal... Read more »
If you feel that your safety or that of your loved ones is in danger, an order of protection can help ensure your safety. This court order prohibits a specific individual from contacting or harming those protected by the order. It also provides several protective reliefs, including removing lawfully owned guns from the residence, including... Read more »
How Filing for Bankruptcy Can Affect Your Beneficiaries in Illinois Are you accumulating more debts than you can pay? Bankruptcy is an effective way to re-strategize your finances and get creditors off your back. It offers individuals and businesses relief from some or all debts, depending on the type of Bankruptcy. The automatic stay stops... Read more »
When it comes to divorce, you can always count on some sort of conflict. If your divorce has been contested (meaning you and your spouse disagree over important issues, such as custody of your children or how to split property), you can also count on the divorce process taking longer and costing more than... Read more »
A first DUI charge may sound simple, and you may want to represent yourself, thinking it may be reduced to a misdemeanor with no or minimal chances of jail time. Unfortunately, most drunk driving charges are complicated, and you may not be able to handle them alone. There is a civil and criminal side to... Read more »
The police are the law enforcement officers mandated to investigate all alleged offenses. They aim to collect sufficient evidence compelling enough for the prosecutor to use in a court of law. When the police ask you to make a statement, issue subpoenas to obtain specific documents, conduct a search, or summon you for questioning, you... Read more »
Having a bank initiate the legal process of taking possession of your property through foreclosure – in Illinois or any other state is understandably worrisome. However, by undertaking “loss mitigation” for your foreclosure case: devising a plan for keeping your home, or perhaps giving it up, yet avoiding liability, you may improve the outcome. The... Read more »
Postnuptial agreements are relatively new in the legal field, but they are just as powerful as pre-nuptial agreements. Like prenuptial agreements, post-nuptials, post-marital agreements or postnups, as they are also called, outline the ownership of assets in the event of a divorce, among other functions. They also spare spouses costly divorce settlements and bring a... Read more »
The Federal Arbitration Act enacted in 1952 allows businesses to settle disputes in arbitration. Unfortunately, some car dealerships have expanded to mandatory arbitration agreements when selling new or used cars and financing contracts. They expect buyers to sign the contracts to settle future disputes. If you are planning to buy a car in Illinois, it... Read more »