Posted on January 28, 2020 in Immigration

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Statistics show that millions of people are victims of trafficking worldwide, many of them females and minors. The topic of human trafficking has been in the news lately, with more emphasis placed on awareness of this crime. Also referred to as “trafficking in persons,” it is akin to modern-day slavery since traffickers entice individuals with fake promises of work and a better life. Immigrants, in particular, can be vulnerable to traffickers because they do not have citizenship status, do not speak English, are unfamiliar with the U.S. legal system, have a lower educational level, and lack employment options. However, the United States government provides certain options regarding immigration for victims of human trafficking, which can also include sex trade and forced labor.

USCIS Protections

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 22, 2020 in Immigration

The Diversity Immigrant Visa program is a United States government lottery program for those immigrants who want to obtain a U.S. Permanent Resident Card. Run by the U.S. Department of State (DOS), it is also known as the Green Card lottery. The Immigration Act of 1990 established the current Diversity Visa (DV) program. The Act was an amendment to the U.S. immigration law, which increased the number of legal immigrants allowed to enter the country each year. The majority of the lottery winners reside in another country and immigrate by obtaining an immigrant visa. However, each year there is a minority of lottery winners who are living in the United States with a nonimmigrant or a different legal status at the time their lottery number is selected. For these winners who are living within U.S. borders, USCIS processes applications for adjustment of status.

Who Is Eligible and What Visas Are Available?

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 22, 2020 in Family Law

Despite the misconception that divorce is often a hastily-made decision, many couples will go to extreme lengths to avoid ending their marriage. They go to therapy, attend marriage counseling, or supplement their efforts with anger management or parenting classes. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, couples must sometimes come to terms with the fact that divorce is their best option. While each situation is unique, there are some common threads between couples who eventually do call it quits.

Painful Conflicts That Often Lead to Divorce

For many couples, efforts to resolve marital problems may ultimately prove futile. In marriages involving the following issues, couples may feel that it would be best for everyone involved to end the marriage and get divorced:

• Abuse - When one spouse has inflicted physical, emotional, or financial harm on the other, this can be difficult to overcome in a marriage. Trust is broken, and the relationship may never recover. Even if an abusive spouse receives therapy or a couple works with a marriage counselor, it can be easy to fall back into old habits. In these cases, it can be difficult (if not outright impossible) to repair a relationship. Under these circumstances, divorce may be the most appropriate path to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved parties.

  Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 21, 2020 in Personal Injury

You are sitting in your car on the way home from work. The traffic is terrible today, and you are crawling along at a snail’s pace. You stop for what seems like the hundredth time in the past five minutes and take a deep breath. Suddenly, the car behind slams into you, sending your head flying forward, only to snap backward and then upright again -- a classic case of whiplash. According to Harvard Health Publishing, more than one million Americans experience whiplash injuries each year. Although whiplash is thought to be one of the less serious types of car accident injuries, it can cause a person to experience immense pain and discomfort.

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a common neck injury that occurs when your head is suddenly and forcefully thrown forward and then backward. When the neck extends past its normal range of motion, which it usually does during a whiplash injury, the bones, discs, nerves, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage that are located in the neck can become damaged or strained. The most common way whiplash occurs is during car accidents, although you can sustain a whiplash injury from other activities, such as contact sports, physical abuse, being hit in the head, or even a hard fall.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 15, 2020 in Family Law

Just as every relationship and marriage is unique, so too is every divorce. While some couples may choose to split amicably, with almost no signs of contention, others may struggle with hostility, arguments, and conflict. In some cases, people may be floored by the vengeful nature of their soon to be ex-spouse. Thankfully, there is a solution for every situation, and it is important to understand which divorce option may be best for you.

Mediation Versus Litigation

There are two basic ways to handle a divorce: mediation or litigation. Mediation (a common form of alternative dispute resolution) is a process in which the parties attempt to come to an agreement regarding the details of their divorce. A third-party mediator will work as a non-biased facilitator who will not make decisions for the spouses, but who will guide them toward reaching a compromise on any outstanding legal issues they need to address. While a mediator may help the parties understand how the law applies to their situation, they will typically not offer legal advice. For this reason, even when using mediation, you should hire your own divorce attorney who can explain your rights and ensure that your divorce settlement will meet your needs.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 15, 2020 in Immigration

There are many reasons why people from other countries wish to live in the United States. It could be to join extended family members who reside here or to obtain better education or employment. The legal steps for becoming a U.S. citizen can seem daunting at first. However, the government offers guidance on the proper procedures depending on the situation. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is responsible for managing the legal immigration to our country. The USCIS is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Recently, the USCIS announced it expanded the guidelines related to the naturalization requirement of “good moral character (GMC).” It is important to understand how GMC is defined and how this news can affect the immigration process.

How Is “Good Moral Character” Defined?

Good moral character is typically defined as an ideal state of a person’s beliefs and values that benefit society. According to U.S. law, GMC can be assessed through the requirement of virtuous acts or by evaluating negative conduct. In legal judgments, GMC can include several different characteristics, such as the below:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 15, 2020 in Personal Injury

If you have ever traveled on any of America’s highways, you have probably noticed how many large trucks drive on the road each day. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), there were 36 million large trucks registered and used for business purposes in 2017. When large trucks are involved in motor vehicle collisions, the results can often be catastrophic, especially when other vehicles are involved. Large trucks can weigh tens of thousands of pounds, compared to the average passenger vehicle which typically weighs about 5,000 pounds. Due to this disparity, truck accidents are likely to result in serious injuries to the occupants of other cars. Even though the causes of truck accidents can vary, the following are a few examples of who could be held liable for injuries sustained in a truck accident:

The Truck Driver

One of the most common parties to be held liable for a trucking accident is one of the most obvious -- the truck driver. The motorist is the person who is in actual physical control of the vehicle, so everything that he or she does can contribute to whether or not an accident occurs. For example, a truck driver who speeds, drives while distracted, violates traffic laws, or drives while drowsy or under the influence of drugs or alcohol may be held responsible for his or her actions.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 08, 2020 in Immigration

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced it is updating its policy manual to reflect information on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients who travel outside of the United States and who are subject to deportation or removal proceedings. Specifically, this amendment covers those immigrants with final removal orders, who leave the United States and reenter with an advance parole travel document.

What Is an Advance Parole Travel Document?

In U.S. immigration matters, an advance parole travel document is temporary “approval” to travel outside of the United States. Nonimmigrants, including TPS immigrants, must obtain Advance Parole to receive permission to reenter the United States after traveling abroad without threatening their current status. This works similar to a visa when an immigrant lawfully enters the United States.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 07, 2020 in Family Law

Informing your children of your impending divorce is likely one of the most difficult tasks you will face as you make the transition from married to single parent. Since the divorce process is unique to each family, there is only so much you can control as you navigate this difficult journey. No one knows your children or understands the bond you share as a family better than you. Delivering the news is never easy, but according to psychology experts, a premeditated conversation can create the opportunity for a smoother, less stressful experience for everyone involved.

Set the Stage

Psychologists emphasize that learning of their parents’ divorce is something that a child will always remember. How you handle the conversation can have a lasting impact on your children’s perception of their long-term family life, and it can also affect how they take the news in the immediate, short term. You will likely want to approach this matter with delicacy, but you can also use the conversation as a chance to reassure your children that you will always be there for them and let them know about some positive changes they may be experiencing.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 30, 2019 in Family Law

Time and time again, we hear about the many different factors that can contribute and ultimately lead to a divorce. While certain red flags have proven to be important in predicting the outcome of a marriage, identifying the qualities in a relationship that can boost the chances of success are just as crucial. Although the aspects that support and strengthen the bond of a life-long partnership may not prevent a divorce that is already in motion, knowing what to look for may help avoid one in the future.

Qualities that a Married Couple Should try to Possess

Marriage is a partnership that requires hard work and dedication from both spouses. If the aspects listed below are present in your relationship, experts believe you have a higher chance of experiencing a healthy, lasting marriage:

• A safe-zone dynamic - It is no surprise that a key quality in every healthy relationship is a mutual sense of trust, but studies suggest that this can mean several different things in a lasting marriage. Not only do partners need to have faith in one another on a basic level, but husbands and wives should also be able to confide with each other and be themselves. Spouses who feel a sense of refuge in their relationship are more likely to experience a stronger marriage.

Continue Reading ››