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Why You Need A Prenuptial Agreement
Getting married is one of the biggest decisions an individual makes in their life, and while exciting, it can also be scary. Prenuptial agreements, or prenups, are a beneficial tool to minimize stress and also safeguard your interests and assets. In recent years, prenup agreements have become increasingly more prominent and the stigma surrounding the
When Are Support Obligations Modifiable?
When Illinois courts order a support obligation – whether for a child or former spouse, they consider the financial standing of each party. Despite the court’s attempt to ensure support obligations are equitable and fair, the reality is that financial situations may change. Courts will alter support obligations only in particular situations. Because of this,
Parental Rights Of Unmarried Parents
In 2018, 39% of the babies born in the state of Illinois were born to unwed parents. [1] When a child is born to unwed parents, specific legal steps must be taken to ensure that each parent’s rights and responsibilities regarding the child are allocated properly. This is different from when a child is born
Illinois Mandates Teaching LGBTQ+ History Beginning With The 2020-2021 School Year
In 2019, Illinois legislatures enacted a bill requiring public schools to include the historical contributions of members of the LGBTQ+ community in their annual curriculum. Specifically, the new law requires public schools to incorporate the positive contributions of members of the LGBTQ+ community in the history curriculum for grades kindergarten through twelve. Illinois is the
Privacy Rights In A Digital Age
Today, individuals are connected nearly every second of the day. This has only increased with the recent COVID-19 restrictions, which have caused people to work, learn and interact through technology even more than before. While this technology allows for increased human connection, it can also create issues regarding an individual’s ability to maintain privacy. Modern
Planning For Incapacity
When most individuals think of “estate planning,” their mind immediately turns to documents addressing the death of a person. This belief, however, captures only part of estate planning’s purpose. One of the most significant aspects of estate planning is planning for the incapacitation of an individual. Everyone should have a legal document detailing their wishes
Parenting Time During COVID-19
With children now home from school and the state under a shelter in place order, you may be wondering how the COVID-19 situation will impact your court ordered parenting time. The current “stay at home” order for the State of IL mandates that nonessential businesses close and prevents residents from any nonessential travel. But how
CARES Act Raises Questions For Overdue Child Support and Newly Divorced Couples
On March 27, 2020 Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, as a measure to assist Americans in navigating through the uncertainty wrought by COVID-19. The Act provides a number of remedies from expanding unemployment assistance to addressing medical supply shortages. The provision that have garnered
These Employees Have Paws
In October of 2019, the State’s Attorney of Illinois welcomed its newest member, Hatty the black lab. The 2-year-old lab was sworn into duty by placing her right paw over a law book at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago on October 29, 2019. Hatty will now share in the duty of providing
Illinois EpiPen Coverage For Children
This year, the state of Illinois made history as the first state to require insurance companies to offer EpiPen coverage for all resident children. House Bill 3435 took effect on January 1, 2020 and effectively shifts the burden of paying for the live-saving injections from parents to insurance companies. The law requires all insurance companies
Legal Sports Betting & Gambling May Be Coming To Illinois
In May 2018, The Supreme Court of the United States handed down a verdict which permitted states other than Nevada to legalize sports betting and gambling. Since this opinion has come out, many states have introduced proposed legislation to legalize sports gambling within their borders. In 2019, Illinois joined states like Kentucky and Missouri in
Will Illinois Be The Next State To Allow Rent Control Laws?
Recently, California joined the ranks of states like Oregon and New York in enacting a law controlling the maximum amount of rent a landlord may charge a tenant. These laws, commonly known and rent control laws, prevent landlords from raising rents to levels which the state deems unreasonable. Since 1997, restrictions of this kind have