Posted on May 08, 2019 in Divorce

Any divorce can be difficult, but certain complex investments or assets can significantly complicate the end of a marriage. If you are planning to divorce, you have probably already considered how certain assets will be divided between you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse. Apportioning bank account balances or figuring out whether or not to sell the family home can be a challenge, but other assets may be even more difficult to value and divide. Among these complex assets are Bitcoin and other types of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is a relatively new form of currency which can be extremely hard to value. If you or your spouse have invested in cryptocurrency, read on to learn about how this investment could affect your Illinois divorce.

Virtual Currency May Be Considered a Separate Asset or Marital Asset Depending on the Circumstances

As cryptocurrency rises in popularity, it has become more and more common for couples getting divorced to have Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Zcash, and other types of digital currency as a part of their marital estate. Because regulations and protocols on digital currencies are still being evaluated by governments and financial regulators, there is a good deal of mystery surrounding this type of investment.

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 Posted on April 25, 2019 in Domestic Violence

Being accused of domestic violence can be terrifying. It is likely that your accuser is someone you love, and there is a possibility you could end up with a criminal record. Not knowing what is going to come next is one of the most frightening aspects of the entire process.

While each domestic violence case is different, there are a few similarities they all share. They all typically begin with a phone call to the police, reporting the domestic violence. It is important for anyone to understand that once this happens, the decision to lay charges does not rest with the alleged victim. When police respond to a 911 call to report domestic violence, they must make an arrest. After the arrest is made, the accused will face a number of hearings and possibly a trial.

The Bond Hearing

When people are accused of committing a crime, they are often able to post bond or bail. This releases them from the police station until they have their first hearing in front of a judge. According to the Illinois Code of Criminal Procedure, however, bond is not possible for those accused of domestic violence. At least, not right away.

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 Posted on April 18, 2019 in Burglary

Recently, thieves broke into a Lincoln Park bike shop. It is estimated that approximately $20,000 in merchandise was stolen. It was also the second time in the same month the shop was targeted. Police do not yet have anyone in custody for this latest crime that seems to be part of a rash of burglaries in the same neighborhood.

Some may consider this burglary, while others may consider the value of the goods stolen and think it is a burglary, but one with a more serious charge. The confusion begs the question, when does burglary become a serious felony in Illinois?

The Crime of Burglary in Illinois

Under Illinois law, burglary is defined as the act of entering a structure illegally with the intent to steal property or commit another serious felony. Normally, burglary is charged as a Class 2 felony, regardless of the amount of goods stolen. This means that the crime is always a felony.

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 Posted on April 12, 2019 in Child Support

Child support is designed to help children with unmarried or divorced parents enjoy the same quality of life as if his or her parents were married. There are many misunderstanding about the child support laws in Illinois. Child support is a separate issue from parenting time (visitation) and parental responsibilities (custody). A parent who does not have any custody of a child may still be required to pay support. Court-ordered child support obligations may be changed, but only if the parent requesting the change meets certain criteria.

Recently Updated Child Support Laws

Illinois child support laws changed significantly in July 2017. Child support amounts are now calculated with an income shares model. Before this change, child support obligations in Illinois were calculated by taking the payor’s net income and applying a certain percentage based on the number of minor children. For example, if you had one minor child, 20 percent of your net income would go to the child’s other parent in support at minimum. Now, child support in Illinois is calculated using an income shares model. Under this model, the Court considers the combined net income of both parents as well as other factors to determine a fair and reasonable support order.

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 Posted on April 11, 2019 in Drug Charges

The drug laws in Rolling Meadows and throughout Illinois are often confusing, and the line between a misdemeanor drug charge and a felony charge can become blurred. Most of the time, the charge that is laid depends on the scenario surrounding the alleged crime.

There are instances though, in which a drug crime is automatically a felony. Typically a harsher charge is laid when there are large volumes of a controlled substance involved, or when the crime includes certain substances. LSD, cocaine, and heroin are a few drugs that automatically make a crime a felony. Methamphetamine, or meth, is another.

Methamphetamine Laws in Rolling Meadows

According to 720 ILCS 646/60 of the Illinois statutes, meth crimes are always charged as a felony. This means that even when a person is caught with the smallest amount on them, and they did not intend to distribute the drug, they will face felony charges.

The law imposes such strict charges and penalties on those caught with meth because it is a very dangerous drug. It is incredibly addictive and exposes those that use it to toxic chemicals. Manufacturing the drug is also particularly dangerous, which is why the law also outlines severe penalties for anyone that does.

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 Posted on April 04, 2019 in Divorce

The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports that approximately three in 10 women and one in 10 men in the United States have been the victim of rape, physical violence, or stalking by romantic partner. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to leave an abusive relationship. Abusive spouses often convince their partners that they cannot lead a successful life without them. Perpetrators of abuse use put-downs, gaslighting, threats, intimidation, and more to maintain control over their partner and convince them not to leave. If you are considering divorcing an abusive spouse, you may be unsure of where to start. Read on to learn about divorce in Illinois and how you can protect yourself and your children from an abusive spouse.

Illinois is a “No Fault” State

In some states, married couples who wish to divorce must list a reason, or grounds, for why they are seeking the dissolution of marriage. Illinois, however, is a “no fault” state. This means that anyone can seek a divorce for any reason. Those wishing to end their marriage simply list “irreconcilable differences” as the grounds for the divorce. If your spouse has been abusive to you, you will not need to prove this in order to be granted a divorce. However, even though domestic abuse cannot be the grounds for a divorce, you will still have an opportunity to introduce evidence of your spouse’s violent, threatening, or demeaning behavior during the case.

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 Posted on April 04, 2019 in DUI/DWI

Many states have a lookback period for DUI convictions. A lookback period, which is typically five to 10 years, indicates the amount of time a DUI conviction remains on a person’s driving record. This is helpful for those charged with subsequent DUIs because the prosecution and courts can only see DUIs within that timeframe. If a person was convicted of a DUI but the conviction took place longer than the lookback period, that DUI is not considered during sentencing.

So, is there a lookback period in Illinois for DUIs?

Lookback Period in Illinois

Unfortunately, in Illinois, there is no lookback period for DUIs. If a person is convicted of a DUI, it remains on their permanent driving record. This means the prosecution and judge can charge for a subsequent DUI no matter how long ago the first conviction occurred.

However, the courts will still take into consideration the length of time between a first offense and subsequent offenses when revoking a person’s driver’s license. For this reason, it is important anyone charged with a DUI speaks to a Rolling Meadows DUI lawyer that can help them beat the charges and continue to enjoy an unblemished permanent driving record.

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 Posted on March 28, 2019 in Traffic Offenses

Many people do not have much interaction with the police. If they do, the chances are good that it is going to happen during a traffic stop. Even then, many people will only get pulled over two or three times while they are behind the wheel. When it happens, it is often very stressful. People imagine the worst as they sit in their car and watch the officer approaching.

In these cases, people are sometimes prepared to cooperate with the officer and do whatever they ask. These individuals do not understand that they have rights, and are not required to comply with everything an officer may request. Still, others may think they do not have to follow anything an officer instructs them to do at a traffic stop. These individuals may become belligerent or aggressive at a traffic stop.

So, what rights and responsibilities do people have when they are pulled over for a traffic stop?

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 Posted on March 23, 2019 in Child Custody

If you plan to divorce in Illinois and wish to share custody of your children with your soon-to-be-ex-spouse, you will be required to create a parenting agreement. Parenting agreements, also called parenting plans, create the foundation for post-divorce child custody and visitation. Divorcing parents who wish to pursue joint custody are required to sign a joint parenting agreement which outlines how they will share parental responsibilities and resolve disagreements as co-parents.

What to Include in Your Parenting Plan

There are certain elements an Illinois parenting plan must contain. At minimum, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5) requires that a parenting plan include:

• A designation of the parent who will have the majority of parenting time and who will make most of the decisions about the child’s life;
• The child’s living arrangements and visitation schedule;

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 Posted on March 21, 2019 in DUI/DWI

Often with a new year comes new laws, and 2019 was no different. In fact this year, over 250 new laws went into effect on January 1, 2019. One, in particular, affects those charged with a DUI while traveling on the wrong side of the road. Now, wrong-way travel is an aggravating factor in sentencing for DUIs.

What exactly does the new law entail, though? And what does it mean for drivers in Rolling Meadows?

The New DUI Law

House Bill 4554 was debated throughout most of 2018. In August of that year, Governor Bruce Rauner signed the bill that would become law in January of the new year.

The new law amends a section of the Illinois Criminal Code. It does not, however, actually change the drunk driving laws in Illinois. Those found driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher will still likely be charged with driving under the influence. This will apply regardless of the side of the street they were driving on at the time, or whether or not the DUI driver caused an accident.

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