Posted on August 02, 2016 in Family Law

Early studies on children of divorce found that divorce negatively impacted children in all sorts of ways. They struggled in school, found it difficult to adjust, suffered psychological problems long into adulthood, and often experienced issues in their own adult relationships. Divorce has changed a lot since then – it is more common, more socially acceptable, and it is far more likely that both parents will continue to be a part of the child’s life after the divorce. However, more recent studies have found that the effect of divorce on children has changed very little.

Possible Negative Effects of Divorce on Children

There is no shortage of studies on children of divorce. One published in Journal of Youth and Adolescence found that twice as many children from divorced families experienced a condition known as “destructive parentification” – a situation in which the child takes on parental responsibilities, possibly even caring for the parent themselves. The effect was found to be long-lasting, carrying into many of their adult lives. Many went on to experience anxiety or depression of their own and struggled with forming healthy romantic relationships.

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 Posted on August 01, 2016 in Personal Injury

While improvements in safety regulations on automobiles and car seats have become more stringent to protect children from injury and fatality during an auto accident, traffic fatality remains the leading cause of death among those under the age of 4. Even more concerning is that the number of child fatalities has slightly increased, going from 1,139 in 2011 to 1,168 in 2012. However, a recent study suggests that some of those deaths could be prevented if children were treated at designated pediatric trauma centers instead of general adult trauma centers.

Non-Pediatric Trauma Centers versus Pediatric Trauma Centers

Published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, the recent study examined medical data of 28,145 patients under the age of 18 injured in an automobile accident to determine the quality of care of those treated at general adult trauma centers against those treated at pediatric trauma centers. Overall, 21.4 percent received treatment at a combination pediatric and general adult trauma center, 58 percent received treatment at a general adult trauma center, and 19.9 percent received treatment at a pediatric trauma center. Their injuries included those to the head and neck (66.2 percent) and multiple injuries (42.7 percent).

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 Posted on July 27, 2016 in Family Law

Most couples realize that the divorce process is an emotionally and mentally taxing process. However, many underestimate just how financially complicated divorce can be. Then there are those who are at risk of losing money in their settlement because their spouse is deceptively hiding or dissolving marital assets. If you are planning on filing for divorce, prepare yourself for the complexities of dividing assets during divorce with the following tips.

Know What You Own

Before you can fairly divide your assets, you must first know what you own. This might seem obvious, but for those that have been in the dark about their day-to-day finances, uncovering their shared marital assets can seem like an overwhelming task. Do not despair! There are ways that you can track down finances and discover assets.

For the most obvious, easy to find information, such as a car or a home, contact the lender and find out how much is owed. If you and your spouse have a joint bank account,contact your financial institution to verify account information, such deposit amounts and withdrawals. To find information on retirement accounts, look at pay stubs or annual summary notifications. If you run into trouble accessing information, your attorney can help you track down information and pull assets into discovery.

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 Posted on July 26, 2016 in Immigration

During an election season, quite a lot of misinformation is passed around, with both good and bad intentions. Unfortunately, immigrants - especially newly arrived immigrants - are often misled by this, especially regarding their own rights with regard to participating in the process. It is imperative to set the story straight, especially when there can be serious consequences otherwise.

What Does The Law Say?

Many believe that immigrants who are lawfully present have the right to vote, and in a few locations, they do, such as Takoma Park in Maryland, but only in local elections. However, federal law has made non-citizen voting in federal elections unlawful since 1996. The rationale is that non-citizens should not be entitled to a voice upon subjects they are not affected by (because, in theory, non-citizens are not affected by issues like tax revenue, U.S. foreign policy or other issues they could simply return home to avoid). While this rationale is often insufficient in practice, the law is still upheld.

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 Posted on July 22, 2016 in Personal Injury

Driving on today’s roads can be treacherous. Many factors can contribute to accidents, injury, and death. Drivers can encounter distracted drivers, reckless cars and those who simply ignore the rules of the road and show their frustration at seemingly insignificant situations. With almost thirty thousand fatal car accidents in 2014, it is no wonder that we should all be concerned about how and where we drive especially at intersections, where people are t-boned and sideswiped frequently.

If you were involved in a car crash that occurred at an intersection due to another driver’s negligent actions contributed to the accident, obtain legal advice from an experienced personal injury attorney. In the event of an injury you may also be able to make a case for a financial settlement to assist you in your recovery.

Tricky Turns?

Many experts claim that burgeoning populations and older infrastructure in cities are contributing to the accidents as is extra technology and gadgets in cars. But unfortunately, while that may be true, driver personas are also a major factor.

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 Posted on July 21, 2016 in Personal Injury

As we age, bone density, muscular strength, mobility and our general health can deteriorate. While some are fortunate to maintain their strength and agility, many do not. This does not mean that we should be any less forgiving when someone slips and falls on the sidewalk, in a mall, or another business premises.

Slips and falls can cause serious injuries and are among the most common causes of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Falls account for over 8 million hospital emergency room visits.

These injuries can take a long time to heal. If you slipped and fell because a business owner failed to make a safe environment to walk on, you may have a legal case and you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your injuries. A personal injury attorney can help determine if you have a case.

Leading Causes of Slips and Falls

About 20,400 people died from falls at home in 2014, and the vast majority of them were over the age of 65.

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 Posted on July 21, 2016 in Immigration

If you or someone you love winds up in immigration removal proceedings, there are only a few select ways where it might be possible to avoid that eventuality. One of those is called cancellation of removal. However, unless you are a lawful permanent resident (LPR, or a holder of a ‘green card’), cancellation can be extremely difficult to win. You must be able to prove that your removal would pose an ‘exceptional and extremely unusual hardship,’ which is an extremely high standard to meet.

How Will Your Removal Affect U.S. Citizen Family?

To be blunt, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) cares very little about the inconvenience to an undocumented or non-LPR immigrant. What is more relevant is the potential difficulty to any U.S. citizen family members you may have. For LPRs, the standard is to show that your removal would cause ‘extreme’ hardship to a U.S. citizen spouse or children. For non-LPRs, the standard is raised to “exceptional and extremely unusual.”

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 Posted on July 20, 2016 in Immigration

The 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees and its ensuing 1967 Protocol are perhaps the founding documents of asylum law in the United States, providing everything from a working definition of ‘asylee’ and ‘refugee’ to the categories under which one can claim asylum. It does also specify certain bars and exclusions, setting forth some conditions under which someone is expressly unable to claim the Convention’s protections. Being ‘firmly resettled’ in another country is one of the most often seen.

What Is Firm Resettlement?

An alien or potential asylee is considered to be ‘firmly resettled’ in a country when they received an offer, while in that country, of permanent residence, citizenship or any other potentially permanent immigration status, unless they show one of two exceptions are true. The first is that they only entered the country as an expedient path on their flight from persecution or danger, while the second is to allege that they were not actually resettled because the country’s authorities put such restrictions on the person’s freedoms as to render them subject to governmental whims. In the latter case, the issue of firm resettlement is usually decided on a case-by-case basis by analyzing an individual’s restrictions and freedoms during that period of time.

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 Posted on July 19, 2016 in Family Law

When a divorce happens, everyone in the family is affected. However, children are often the most at risk for long-term emotional problems and maladjustment. This is especially true when conflict continues after the divorce is complete. You can minimize the risk to your children by developing a well-planned, thoughtful, and intentional parenting plan that reduces conflict and encourages a healthy, lasting relationship with the other parent. Of course, this is often easier said than done. To help you get started, here are some of the most commonly used parenting plan structures.

Traditional Co-Parenting Plans

Most parents are familiar with the traditional co-parenting plan. It is one in which the allocation of parental responsibilities follows a predictable schedule, and both parents have equal (or close to equal) decision-making power. Of course, this can look very different from one family to the next. Whereas one family might switch off time with their child on a weekly basis, others might alternate holidays and weekends. Some may even switch off a couple of times throughout the week. This parenting plan is often most beneficial for parents who can communicate effectively.

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 Posted on July 12, 2016 in Family Law

When it comes to divorce in Illinois, marital property is divided equitably, but not necessarily equally. This can result in a great deal of contention, and even confusion over who gets what out of a divorce. If you are separated, planning on filing for divorce, or have already begun the process, the following information can help you better understand how marital property is divided in divorce.

Marital Factors That Influence Property Distribution

Once the assets and debts have been valued in a divorce, couples can begin to negotiate a reasonable settlement regarding how the marital estate can be distributed. However, those that are unable to reach an agreement may take the matter to court. Here, a judge will consider several factors to determine how marital property should be distributed. These include:

• Each party’s income, property, and assets;
• Needs of each party;

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