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On an annual basis, hundreds of thousands of Americans are pulled over for violating basic traffic laws. While the vast majority of people will simply accept their ticket, pay the fee, and move on, these violations can have drastic implications on your driving future. Here in the state of Illinois, paying a traffic violation ticket will result in a mark against your driving record. Repeat driving offenses can result in license suspension or possible permanent loss of driving privileges. If you have been given a traffic ticket, it is critically important to consult with an experienced legal team, before making any decisions regarding the violations.
Within the Illinois Administrative Code, every traffic violation results in a number of points on your driving record. Accumulating a high number of points can result in license suspension or revocation. As stated in Illinois Section 1040.30, minor violations such as a non-working light or a speeding violation less than 10 mph over the legal limit, will likely result in no more than a 10 point penalty. The worse the offense, the higher the point penalty, as traveling more than 15 mph over the speed limit, can result in a penalty of up to 20 points, while reckless driving charges come with a penalty of 55 points.
Every year, thousands of Americans are arrested on domestic battery charges. In the state of Illinois, domestic battery is defined as the act of knowingly causing physical harm to a family or household member. A domestic battery charge can lead to potential jail time and substantial monetary fines. An aggravated domestic battery charge could result in up to seven years behind bars. If you are in the midst of a divorce, a domestic battery charge can significantly impact the well-being of you and your family. If you are accused of domestic battery, it is critically important to contact a qualified attorney, as soon as possible.
If you are in the process of a divorce, and are accused of domestic battery, it is likely that the court’s decision will weigh the accusations heavily in their decision-making process. In a custody battle, a domestic battery charge can lead to loss of child custody and potential loss of parenting time privileges. A domestic battery charge can also impact the court’s decision on issues of property ownership and financial allocation.
Domestic abuse continues to be a massive issue for law enforcement officials throughout the United States. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), approximately one million Americans are abused by an intimate partner, each year. Shockingly, an average of 20 Americans face domestic abuse, every single minute. If you have been abused by an intimate partner, it is incredibly important to contact the local police, and meet with a qualified domestic abuse lawyer. Coming forward about the domestic abuse you face in your relationship can be one of the most emotionally challenging moments in your life, but it can be paramount to ensuring the safety of you and your family.
A qualified legal team can help you establish an order of protection, and in doing so protect you from your assailant. In cases of domestic abuse, it is important to react quickly and inform both law enforcement and your legal representatives of the true extent of the violence. Domestic violence can escalate from minor transgressions to life-threatening violence, rapidly. According to studies conducted by the NCADV, just under 20% of all domestic violence incidents involve use of a weapon. The likelihood of homicide increases by a staggering 500% when a gun is present during the violence. Despite the life-threatening nature of domestic abuse cases, only 34% of people injured by an intimate partner, ever receive medical attention for the injuries they have suffered.
Every year, thousands of American couples elect to separate and file for divorce. While the divorce process can be a painful transition, a divorce can lead to much-needed independence, a newly invigorated lifestyle, and another chance at finding love. When children are involved, divorce can come with complications. Despite the misconception that a child is better off in a household with two parents, even if the relationship is unhealthy, it is never healthy for a child to experience a marital relationship that is no longer functioning.
If your relationship with your spouse is no longer healthy, it is incredibly likely that you are no longer operating as a healthy parenting team. All that said, life as a sole-custodial parent can be highly stressful. Nothing causes single parents as much stress as questions of financial security. If you believe you are entitled to child support payments from your former spouse, it is time to contact a quality legal team.
While some people believe that a retail theft charge can only come with limited consequences, this notion could not be further from the truth. In all actuality, even the most minor of retail theft convictions can come with life-changing legal implications. The theft of a retail item, worth $300 or less, can result in a Class A misdemeanor, a fine of more than $2,000, and a potential jail sentence of up to one year in prison. Every year, thousands of Illinoisans are accused of retail theft. If you have been arrested on accusations of shoplifting, contact a qualified criminal defense team, as quickly as possible.
According to Illinois state law, shoplifting is defined as the crime of possessing or transferring an item while depriving the merchant of the full value of the product. The legal consequences of a retail theft conviction depend on a number of factors, primarily the value of the product, and the number of prior convictions.
Everyone makes mistakes, unfortunately, some mistakes come with severe consequences. For those that elect to drive while under the influence of alcohol, the mistake of getting behind the wheel can be life-altering. Driving under the influence can result in a fatal car accident, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that over 10,000 Americans were fatally injured in automobile accidents involving alcohol, throughout 2016.
While not all drivers that make the decision to drive while inebriated, take their own life or the life of another, many are arrested on charges of driving under the influence. In 2016 alone, over 1 million Americans were convicted of DUI charges. Understanding the implications of a DUI conviction may keep you from getting behind the wheel of a car. That said, if you have been accused of driving under the influence, it is time to seek out a legal team you can trust.
Your vehicle is likely one of your largest investments. Imagine walking out of your house, job, or another location you frequent and finding out that your vehicle is not where you left it. Believe it or not, vehicle theft is a common occurrence.
In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA found that approximately 750,000 drivers experience vehicle theft. The NHTSA also discovered that Illinois was ranked among the top 10 states for the most stolen vehicles in 2016.
Vehicle thefts happen during all four seasons. However, they are most common in the summer months. When the weather is nice outside, individuals are more motivated to go through the hassle of stealing a vehicle. They are less likely to commit vehicle theft when it is cold and/or snowy.
While it is true that vehicle theft does not cause physical harm, it is a crime and can leave a victim with significant financial consequences as well as an inconvenience. Sometimes, stolen vehicles are used to commit other more serious crimes such as robbery or assault. Therefore, vehicle theft should not be taken lightly.
Public indecency in Illinois is not taken lightly. Although the consequences of this criminal charge depend on the particular circumstances of the incident, they are always harsh. Usually, public indecency is considered a Class A misdemeanor. In the event you are charged with a Class A misdemeanor, you may face a year in jail as well as a fine of up to $2,500.
Since public indecency is a sex crime, you may also be required to register as a sex offender. The registered sex offender list can be viewed by anyone and make it difficult for you to keep or land a job, rent a place to live, and/or gain custody of your children. Being registered as a sex offender can also hurt your personal and professional reputation.
Who Can Be Charged with Public Indecency?
Any individual who is 17 years of age or older may be charged with public indecency if they engage in sexual conduct in a public setting or expose their body in a lewd way, with the hopes of satisfying or arousing their own sexual desire in public. It is important to note that while individuals under 16 cannot be charged with public indecency, they may face disorderly conduct charges.
The Illinois Supreme Court has defined dissipation as the “use of marital property for the sole benefit of one of the spouses for a purpose unrelated to the marriage at a time that the marriage is undergoing a breakdown.” Gambling is an example of a dissipation.
Gambling can hinder marriage, finances, and family life. If you are in the process of divorcing a spouse with a gambling problem, you likely have many questions about how gambling affects divorce. Let’s take a closer look at how a spouse’s gambling addiction, as well as the behaviors that stem from it, play a role in divorce proceedings.
What Is Gambling?
Gambling is referred to as an impulse-control disorder. In most cases, gamblers continue to gamble despite the negative consequences it brings. Believe it or not, there are approximately 2.5 million Americans that are considered compulsive gamblers. Unfortunately, the popularity of the internet and social media has made it even easier to gamble.
The amount of money a non-custodial parent is required to pay for their minor child is called child support. Child support calculations in Illinois are based on both parents’ incomes as well as their parenting time and parental responsibility.
Although child support payments typically end when a child turns 18 or 19 and has graduated from high school, there are some situations where a parent may be required to provide their child with financial support beyond age 18 or 19. These situations include:
A Disabled Child
If a child has any type of disability, a parent may need to support them financially beyond age 18 or 19. In the even their disability is severe, this financial support may go on for the remainder of the child’s life.
If supporting the child financially is in the child’s best interest, the court can order that a parent continues to pay child support. The child’s physical and emotional well-being, as well as their educational needs and their ability or inability to be self-sufficient, will all be taken into consideration.
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