Recent Blog Posts
Illinois Bill Would Make it a Felony if Police Dog Killed in DUI Crash
Driving under the influence (DUI) is penalized heavily in Illinois – especially if another person is hurt or killed in an accident caused by an intoxicated driver. If great bodily harm results from a DUI car crash, the driver may face felony charges for aggravated DUI and up to three years in prison. If death results from a DUI accident, the driver faces a prison sentence of up to seven years. However, DUI resulting in the death of an animal is not currently an offense under Illinois law. Proponents of House Bill 3019 hope to change this.
Death of Illinois Police Dog Prompts New Bill
Illinois Deputy Robert Rosenkranz was in the middle of a routine traffic stop when an allegedly intoxicated driver struck the back of his police cruiser. The officer’s police K9 “Loki” was in the backseat of the police car. Unfortunately, the dog did not survive the accident. The loss of Loki represented a personal loss to the officers who worked alongside the K9 officer. It also meant losing the many years of training that went into teaching Loki to perform K9 duties. In response to Loki’s death, State Representative Joe Sosnowski filed a bill to make killing a police dog an elevated offense under Illinois law.
My Ex Is Not Paying Child Support. What Can I Do?
Did you know that the total cost of raising a child to adulthood is estimated at over a quarter of a million dollars? Covering housing, food, and other costs without help from the child’s other parent can be extremely difficult if not impossible. Parents have not only an ethical responsibility but also a legal responsibility to financially support their children. Child support is the mechanism through which parents share child-related costs in Illinois. Read on to learn what you can do if your ex is not paying child support.
Establish a Child Support Court Order
Some parents assume that they do not need a formal child support court order, so they make a casual arrangement with the other parent. Perhaps your child’s other parent was giving you funds to help pay for housing or childcare on a weekly or monthly basis but has suddenly stopped. Unfortunately, the court cannot enforce a handshake child support agreement.
Situations in Which DUI Is a Felony Offense in Illinois
The act of drinking and driving is taken seriously by Illinois courts. As a result, the penalties for driving under the influence (DUI) include both administrative and criminal consequences. A first or second DUI is typically a misdemeanor offense in Illinois. While a misdemeanor conviction will still result in heavy fines, a driver’s license suspension of one year, and possibly jail time, felony DUI is punished much more harshly. A third or subsequent conviction for drunk driving or DUI involving certain aggravating factors is considered a felony offense in Illinois. If you are convicted of felony DUI, you could face years in prison and other life-changing consequences.
Receiving a Third, Fourth, or Fifth DUI Conviction
First and second DUIs are typically misdemeanor offenses in Illinois. Many individuals can avoid significant jail time and eventually regain their driving privileges after a first or second DUI. However, if a driver is convicted of driving under the influence for the third time, the penalties increase significantly. A third DUI is a Class 2 felony “aggravated DUI” punishable by three to seven years of imprisonment, a maximum fine of $25,000, and a 10-year driver’s license suspension. A fourth DUI is also punishable by three to seven years in prison and the offense is non-probational. A fifth DUI is a non-probational Class 1 felony punishable by a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. Fourth or fifth DUI convictions also result in a lifetime suspension of the offender’s driving privileges.
Assets That Complicate Property Distribution in an Illinois Divorce
Society typically focuses on the romantic aspects of marriage. However, the joining of two lives through marriage is not only a romantic union, it is also a legal and financial union. Determining how marital property should be divided between the spouses is often one of the most complicated parts of the divorce process. This is especially true if the spouses own complex assets or have a high net worth. If you are preparing for a divorce in Illinois, it is important to know how certain assets may complicate the process.
Small Businesses
If you or your spouse own a business, this may complicate your divorce significantly. In Illinois, only marital property is divided during a divorce. Separate property, meaning property that a spouse owned before getting married, is not divided. However, it is possible for a business that was acquired before marriage to be “transmuted” or transformed into marital property. If you acquired a company during the marriage or you owned a company before getting married but your spouse contributed time or money into growing the business, he or she may be entitled to an equitable share of the company. Often, a spouse who wishes to retain sole ownership of a business “buys out” the other spouse’s portion of the business by giving up assets of a similar value. Before a business may be divided in a divorce, the identity and the value of the business must be determined.
What Are Strategies for Defending Against Illinois Sex Crime Charges?
Being accused of sexual assault, rape, child sexual abuse, or another sex crime can have life-changing consequences. If you were charged with this type of criminal offense, your personal reputation, career, and your very freedom may be on the line. If convicted, you could be looking at months, years, or even decades behind bars. You may also be required to register on the public sex offender registry. Developing a robust defense strategy is the best way to fight sex crime charges.
Avoiding Self-Incrimination by Refusing Police Interrogation
Many people do not realize it, but a strong defense strategy often starts before the criminal defendant even hires an attorney. If you have been accused of a sex crime, the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to remain silent. Do not answer police questions. The police may imply that you “must have something to hide” if you do not answer their questions, but this is only a tactic used to get you to talk. You have a Constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination. The best way to do this is to decline police questioning and ask for your lawyer.
Are Divorced or Unmarried Parents Required to Contribute to College?
The cost of going to college increases with every passing year. If you are like many parents, you probably have concerns about how to finance your child’s college education. You may wonder how college expenses are dealt with when parents are unmarried or divorced. Does Illinois require parents to help pay for college? Does the parent who pays child support automatically pay for university-related expenses? Whether your child is college-aged or you still have a few years before he or she heads off to university, it is important to know how Illinois law deals with college expenses.
Child Support for College Students in Illinois
College expenses are handled differently than typical child support. When the child is still a minor, it is presumed that the obligor pays child support. Regular child support typically ends when the child turns 18 and graduates from high school. Once the child is an adult, this presumption no longer exists. It is up to the parent seeking non-minor child support to show that non-minor support is appropriate. Per Illinois law, courts may require one or both parents to contribute to college expenses, but this requirement is not automatic.
Are the Police Allowed to Lie to Me in Illinois?
Being charged with a criminal offense can be a confusing and overwhelming experience. If you have been accused of drug possession or distribution, a weapons violation, theft, domestic violence, or another crime, it is essential to know your rights. Criminal defendants are afforded rights by the U.S. Constitution and other legislation. Among these important rights are the right to due process, the right to an attorney, and the right to avoid self-incrimination. However, the rights of suspects and criminal defendants are limited. One issue that is commonly misunderstood is whether police are allowed to lie to individuals suspected of a crime.
Understanding the Tactics Police May Use During a Criminal Investigation
What Must Be Included in an Illinois Parenting Plan?
Divorce is challenging regardless of the circumstances; however, a divorce involving children often comes with additional difficulties. If you are a parent who is thinking about filing for divorce, you probably have questions and concerns about child-related issues. In Illinois, divorcing parents are asked to create a "parenting plan" that outlines how they will divide parenting tasks and responsibilities. If the parents cannot agree on the terms of their parenting plan, the court will issue a decision for the parents that is in the best interest of the child.
Allocating Parental Responsibilities
Illinois law no longer uses terms like "child custody," "visitation," or "sole custody." Instead, child custody is separated into two components: parental responsibilities and parenting time. Parental responsibilities describe a parent’s decision-making authority. Parents have the option to share decision-making authority as they see fit. For example, one parent may be in charge of education-related decisions while the other parent handles healthcare. The parents may also decide that one parent will be solely responsible for all of the major decisions about the child’s upbringing.
How Is Child Support Calculated in an Illinois Divorce?
Any parent will tell you that raising children can be quite expensive. Between housing, educational and extracurricular fees, groceries, healthcare, and other costs, child-related costs can be a large part of a parent’s monthly bills. Child support can be a considerable source of financial support for a divorced parent with the majority of the parenting time. If you are planning to divorce, you may be asking yourself, “How much child support does an Illinois parent receive after divorce?”
Current Method for Determining Child Support
Illinois has adopted the “Income Shares” model for child support. According to this model, both parents’ net incomes are used to determine a support payment amount that is reasonably affordable while also providing the recipient parent with the financial support he or she needs to pay for child-related costs. If parents each care for their child 146 overnights or more every year, the parents are engaged in a “shared parenting” situation according to Illinois law. Because each parent has the child a good portion of the time, the amount of child support that the recipient parent receives is reduced. In shared parenting situations, the more parenting time that an obligor parent has, the less he or she pays in support. If parents do not have the children for 146 nights or more each year, they are not in a shared parenting situation and the obligor’s amount of parenting time does not change his or her child support obligation.
How Can I Defend Myself Against Robbery Charges in Illinois?
According to Illinois law, a robbery occurs when a person took property that did not belong to him or her from another person by use of force or the threat of force. If the alleged perpetrator possessed a firearm or other weapon at the time of the offense, he or she may be charged with armed robbery. If you or a loved one have been arrested and charged with robbery, you may be shocked and unsure of what to do next. Being charged with a violent criminal offense has the potential to change the alleged perpetrator’s life forever. An experienced criminal defense attorney can help you build a strong defense against the criminal charges.
Penalties for Robbery in Illinois
Robbery is typically a Class 2 felony in Illinois punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $25,000. If the robbery took place at a rehabilitation facility, church, school, or childcare facility, or the offense was committed against an elderly or disabled person, robbery becomes a Class 1 felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Armed robbery is a Class X felony. In Illinois, Class X felony offenses may result in life in prison. As you can see, the criminal consequences of robbery or armed robbery are severe. It is important to get started on your defense right away.
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