Posted on July 21, 2022 in Immigration

Just getting a visa application approved so that you can lawfully enter the United States can take a lot of hard work. You probably had to submit quite a bit of paperwork and prove all sorts of things. The last thing you want is to put all the effort into coming here legally only to find yourself getting deported. Deportation happens to thousands of people, many of whom were hoping to become citizens.

Knowing some of the most common reasons that people get deported and how to avoid trouble can be very helpful. If you find yourself facing potential deportation, there are steps an attorney can take to help you. It is important to respond very quickly, as deportation can happen quickly.

Avoiding Problems That Can Trigger Removal Proceedings

Even if you are not purposely doing anything wrong, deportation or removal from the U.S. can be based largely on a technicality. Common reasons that immigrants and visa holders can face deportation include:

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 Posted on July 19, 2022 in Personal Injury

After an accident involving a drunk driver, it is usually fairly obvious that they have been drinking. As soon as they exit their vehicle, you can smell alcohol on them. They are slurring their words and stumbling or falling over. You have probably been around drunk people before and know generally what to look for.

Spotting a driver who is intoxicated by a substance other than alcohol can be a little more difficult. There may not be any kind of noticeable odor. Unless you have spent considerable time around drug users, you might not have a very developed sense of what to look for. In some cases, even trained police officers can fail to notice that a driver is under the influence of drugs. Knowing the signs of drug intoxication can help you catch on quickly if your car accident was caused by an impaired driver.

Signs of Drug Intoxication

There are often signs of an intoxicated driver’s impairment if you know what to look for. The problem is that most people who do not have a drug user in their life do not know what the signs of drug impairment are. When the driver who just hit you steps out of the vehicle, look out for:

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 Posted on July 14, 2022 in Immigration

A naturalization ceremony is the final step in the process of immigrating to the United States. At one of these ceremonies, people who were not born American citizens officially gain their citizenship. Once you become a citizen, you will be able to permanently reside in the United States in addition to gaining all the rights of a full-fledged citizen, like the power to vote. People who are going through this ceremony have put a lot of effort into reaching this point. It may take years from your first contact with UCSIS to receive final approval on your Application for Naturalization.

The day of the ceremony can be a very exciting and rewarding day for immigrants and their loved ones. Knowing what to expect can be helpful as well. If you are considering beginning the process of becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, or are having some trouble along the way, Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices can help.

When Can I Participate in a Naturalization Ceremony?

Once your Application for Naturalization has been approved and you have completed a final interview, you may be eligible to participate in a naturalization ceremony right away. Same-day ceremonies are sometimes available but not always. These ceremonies take place all over the nation, and now that COVID restrictions have been eased, they are now taking place in person again.

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 Posted on July 13, 2022 in Family Law

All married couples have disagreements. In some cases, those disagreements lead one spouse to file for divorce. Most of the time, once someone initiates divorce proceedings, the marriage is effectively over and the divorce will go through. However, in some cases, the married couple reconciles and chooses to call off the divorce. Divorce proceedings can take over a year in some cases. While the divorce is pending, a married couple may elect to seek couples’ counseling in an effort to save their marriage. Sometimes these efforts succeed, and sometimes they do not. If you are uncertain about going through with the divorce, make sure to inform your attorney of any attempts at reconciliation. They may be able to “pause” divorce proceedings while you attempt to reconcile with your spouse.

What Happens If My Spouse and I Want to Try to Reconcile?

If one of you has already filed for divorce, but your divorce has not been finalized, there is a way to temporarily halt divorce proceedings. Illinois divorce courts keep what is called a reconciliation calendar. This is a good option if you are not sure whether you and your spouse will be able to resolve your differences and remain married, but you would like to try.

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 Posted on June 27, 2022 in Immigration

If you are a United States citizen and are engaged to marry a foreign national, you may be able to obtain a K-1 immigrant visa for your fiancé. These “fiancé visas” are designed to help Americans legally bring their fiancé to the United States to get married and live together permanently. To obtain a K-1 visa, there are a few requirements you and your fiancé must meet. These requirements are intended to make sure that the intended marriage is not a sham or forced.

Understanding these requirements can help you decide whether this is the best possible route to getting your significant other a U.S. visa or whether there may be a better path. The immigration process can take some time, and it is often not easy. One of our attorneys can help by guiding you through each step of this frequently challenging process.

What Are the Requirements for a K-1 Visa?

To be eligible for a fiancé visa, you and your spouse-to-be must meet all of the following requirements:

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 Posted on June 27, 2022 in Personal Injury

A “fender-bender” is a colloquial term for what most people would consider a very minor car accident. The name suggests that no real harm was done except for a dented bumper or wheel well. However, this is not always the case. Even a light bump can potentially cause serious harm to the people inside the vehicle.

People who have suffered an injury in a “minor” car accident often feel that they are struggling to get others to take their injuries seriously. Certainly, the driver who caused the accident and their insurance company are likely to try to downplay your injuries. You might be accused of “faking” or “exaggerating” your very real pain and bodily harm. If this is happening to you, know that a fender-bender is still a car accident, and the responsible driver is still liable for the injuries you actually suffered, not the injuries they think you should have suffered.

Why a Relatively Light Impact Can Cause Serious Harm

It should be fairly obvious that a human is much more vulnerable than a car. Even if the damage to the large chunk of metal you were sitting in is fairly minor, the damage to you might not be. When your car is hit, the force of the collision affects not only the car, but everything and everyone inside it. This commonly forces people’s necks to move suddenly in a way they were not meant to, causing injury.

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 Posted on June 27, 2022 in Family Law

After your divorce was finalized, you probably felt a huge amount of relief. The road to a final divorce decree can be long and difficult. The terms of your divorce seemed fair at the time, but now things have changed. It could be that your children’s needs are different, or that your ability to provide for them has changed. People’s personal situations can change drastically after a divorce, making the terms in the divorce order no longer fair or reasonable.

In certain situations, it may be possible to modify an existing divorce decree to reflect a change in circumstances. However, seeking a modification to a divorce decree can be complicated. You will need to work with an attorney who understands the grounds for modification and the process of seeking one.

When Can I Get a Divorce Modification?

Courts are often reluctant to modify an existing divorce decree. Once a divorce is finalized, you will need to prove that you have a very good reason to change the terms. Generally, this means that you will need to show the court that you have experienced a “substantial change in circumstances.” This requirement is likely to be met in situations like:

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 Posted on June 09, 2022 in Family Law

No one deserves to be abused by their spouse. No matter what has happened between you and your spouse, there is never any excuse for your spouse to abuse you. Spousal abuse can take many forms. While domestic violence is the classic form of abuse, there are other ways one spouse might abuse the other. Financial abuse, where one spouse controls all the assets to keep the other dependent is also common. Psychological or emotional abuse can be just as damaging as physical violence. Excessive control is also abuse. For example, if your spouse does not “let you” do things like seeing your friends or forces you to live by their rules, that is also abuse.

Seeking a divorce from an abusive marriage takes a lot of courage. Leaving an abusive marriage is not without risks, however. If you need help getting out of an abusive marriage, Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices will do everything in our power to keep you protected during this time.

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 Posted on June 07, 2022 in Immigration

Learning that the U.S. visa you or your loved one in another country applied for has been denied can be frustrating. For some, it can even be frightening. You may have an idea of why you were denied, or you may have been blindsided by the denial. Even if your initial application for a visa was denied, there may be steps an attorney can help you take to ultimately get approved.

It is important to understand the reason for your denial in order to potentially overcome any issues and get a visa. What your next steps could look like may depend on the reason for your denial and whether it is temporary or permanent in addition to whether it is waivable. An immigration attorney can help you better understand why you or your loved one was denied and what to do next.

What Are Some Common Reasons U.S. Visa Applicants Get Denied?

There are a few very common reasons that U.S. visa applications are not accepted. Yours is more likely than not among them. Some are temporary and can be overcome. These reasons for denial include:

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 Posted on June 02, 2022 in Personal Injury

Driving an 18-wheeler takes focus and skill. It is critical that truck drivers are completely sober when working. Drugs and alcohol can impair the driver’s focus and coordination, making it impossible for them to safely drive a large vehicle. Substance use among truck drivers is more common than you might hope. The job can be demanding. Truck drivers are away from home for weeks at a time and often work long, monotonous, hours. Some resort to using substances to cope. Stimulants are a popular choice, as drivers may believe that they will help, rather than hurt, their driving ability. It is, of course, illegal for a truck driver to operate their rig while impaired. If you suspect that an impaired truck driver caused your accident, it is particularly important that you contact an attorney within a day or so of the accident and alert them of your suspicions.

Will the Truck Driver Be Drug or Alcohol Tested?

It depends. There are a number of rules set out by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association that pertain to drug and alcohol testing after a truck accident. If there was a fatality, the driver should be automatically tested. If the driver was given a citation for causing bodily injury that required urgent medical attention, then testing should also be automatic.

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