Every single year, thousands of couples throughout the United States make the difficult decision to file for divorce. The divorce process can be increasingly complicated when children are involved. In the state of Illinois, child custody is now referred to as parental responsibilities. Parental responsibilities will define how time with the children and decision making is allocated between the parents. Due to the fact that the court will make their decision based on the best interest of the child, it is your responsibility to prove that you can provide your child with a safe and healthy living environment. Below we will examine some of the steps you can take to secure parental responsibilities during your divorce.

What Do Parental Responsibilities Entail?

When you are awarded parental responsibilities, you will be in charge of ensuring that all of your child’s needs are met. This means that you will be tasked with providing your child with a healthy diet, getting your child to and from scholastic and extracurricular activities, addressing all medical needs of your child, and ensuring that some level of supervision is provided when you are not available to directly care for your child. In the state of Illinois parental responsibilities are divided into two categories: decision-making-power and parenting time.

Throughout the state of Illinois, hundreds of law enforcement officials statewide are tasked with keeping our roads safe. With that in mind, police personnel are constantly on the lookout for drivers that are failing to adhere to state traffic laws. While some traffic violations will only result in minimal fines and points against your driving record, others can lead to serious legal consequences. Below we will examine some of the more serious traffic violations in Illinois, and why you should seek legal counsel if you have been charged with a violation.

• Aggravated Speeding: Due to the dangerous nature of traveling at speeds over the legal speed limit, speeding can come with serious consequences. In Illinois, a person can be charged with aggravated speeding if they are clocked driving 26 miles per hour or more over the speed limit. Unlike many traffic violations, an aggravated speeding charge constitutes a Class B misdemeanor and can lead to up to 6 months in jail. Fortunately, there are a number of defense strategies a skilled attorney can utilize in an aggravated speeding case.
• Reckless Driving: According to Illinois state law, reckless driving is defined as the willful disregard for the safety of one’s self and others while operating a motor vehicle. The most common examples of reckless driving include driving 35 miles per hour or more over the speed limit and swerving between lanes of traffic recklessly and without signaling. If convicted, a person will face Class A misdemeanor charges. It should also be noted that if a person’s reckless driving results in severe bodily harm to another party, the charges will likely be elevated to a felony.
• Driving Under the Influence: Every single year, thousands of Illinoisans are arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Much like reckless driving, a DUI constitutes a Class A misdemeanor and can be elevated to a felony if aggravating factors are present. While many people assume that a DUI charge will automatically result in a conviction, there are a number of ways in which an experienced attorney can fight against a conviction. Whether a law enforcement officer pulled you over without probable cause, forced you to submit to chemical testing, or violated your rights throughout the arrest process, you need to work with a knowledgeable legal professional when facing DUI charges.

Contact a Lombard Traffic Violation Attorney

As mentioned above, many traffic violations can result in serious ramifications. A misdemeanor conviction can lead to difficulty in securing employment, housing, or loan opportunities. At Aldrich & Siedlarz Law, P.C., our team is dedicated to helping our clients fight against traffic violation charges. To schedule a free consultation with an experienced Will County criminal defense attorney, call us today at 630-953-3000.

When a court order is established regarding child support payments or child custody, it is meant to last, but that does not mean it is not subject to alterations. In the state of Illinois, post-decree modifications are common in court order surrounding divorce. Whether you are looking to adjust your child support or child custody order, it is important to understand the steps you need to take to ensure those changes can be made. The most critical step you can take in this process is hiring a skilled attorney with experience in cases of post-decree modifications.

Understanding Post-Decree Modifications

At the conclusion of a divorce case, a judge will sign an order or decree that will resolve various issues surrounding the divorce. In order to seek a modification to the order, you will need to file a motion. If you believe changes are necessary to the order, it is important to file the motion in a timely fashion. It should be noted that in order to seek post-decree modifications you and your attorney must be able to note significant changes that have occurred since the time of the initial order. In issues of child support, these changes most commonly revolve around changes in either parent’s income. If you are paying child support to your former spouse and you lose your job, you should file a motion to adjust the amount of child support owed, rather than being delinquent on your child support payments.

With the divorce rate rising on an annual basis, there is no doubting the fact that there are thousands of unhappy marriages throughout the United States. While most people would simply assume that all unhappy spouses would pursue a divorce, the truth is that things can get complicated. Things can become especially challenging to sort out when children are involved. Many Americans falsely believe that staying in an unhealthy marriage is the best thing they can do for the well-being of their child. In truth, pursuing a divorce and seeking happiness for yourself is oftentimes incredibly beneficial to the mental and emotional health of your children. If you are contemplating pursuing a divorce, it may be time to speak with a legal professional.

The Impact of Spousal Fighting on Children

If you and your spouse are unable to avoid verbal spats and other forms of fighting, it is likely that these conflicts are having an emotional impact on your child. Even if you believe that you and your spouse are able to keep your fighting away from your children, children are capable of sensing unhappiness. The tension in an unhappy marriage can lead to health problems such as social anxiety, depression, and lack of sleep. If the fights escalate into physical abuse, it is critically important to speak with law enforcement officials and remove yourself and your children away from your spouse in a prudent fashion.

Despite the fact that law enforcement officials are constantly on the lookout for drunk or impaired drivers, many Illinoisans make the decision to drive while intoxicated. Perhaps it should come as no surprise, that over 20,000 DUI arrests were made throughout the state, in 2018 alone. If you have been charged with drinking and driving, it is important to understand the true severity of a DUI conviction. Below we will discuss how a DUI conviction can impact you, and how a skilled criminal defense attorney can help.

Why You Should Fight Against a Conviction

In the state of Illinois, a DUI conviction constitutes a Class A Misdemeanor charge. Along with the mark on your permanent record, comes fines up to $2,500 and potential jail-time. The driver will also face a one-year license revocation period. While some people view a DUI as a common crime that will not impact their life long-term, this assertion could not be further from the truth. In all reality, a conviction of this magnitude can lead to loss of employment, future difficulty securing jobs, and problems securing bank loans or housing. It should also be noted that a DUI conviction can come with significant financial challenges.