We have all seen and heard the public service announcements warning of the consequences of drinking and driving but did you know that Chicago, as well as many surrounding communities, have open container and public intoxication ordinances that may affect you even if you are not in your vehicle? In Chicago, you can be cited […]

Summer is here and many teens are receiving their first paychecks. As a parent there are a few things that you should be aware of regarding the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which regulates hours and standards for minors. Minors over 15 and under 18 years of age may be employed for unlimited hours in […]

I was on a friend’s boat fishing on Lake Michigan when we were hit by another boat. Only two of the four of us in the boat were wearing life preservers so my friend didn’t want to fill out an accident report even though the other boater was at fault. He and the owner of […]

A recent headline announced that Abbott Laboratories must pay over $1.6 million for misbranding the prescription drug Depakote. The total included a criminal fine and civil settlements with the states and federal government. In addition, Abbott has agreed to pay 45 states in order to resolve liability under state consumer-protection laws. Acting Associate Attorney General […]

Starting July 1st 2012 Illinois jurors will be allowed to submit written questions for witnesses on the stand in civil trials. More than half the states, and all federal circuit courts, allow this practice; this rule, recently approved by the Illinois Supreme Court, offers another opportunity for jurors to actively participate in the trial. One […]

Divorce is never easy but Illinois is one of more than 20 states that allow no-fault divorces as well as fault dissolution’s on the grounds of impotency, adultery, bigamy, desertion, cruelty or a felony conviction. Couples often seek a no-fault divorce but find that they have issues when it comes to the division of property. […]

Imagine that your elderly parent is still keeping her prized mint condition 1973 Buick Riviera in the garage. Unbeknownst to you she has also continued to pay the insurance on the vehicle though she no longer has a valid driver’s license. Her favorite seventeen year old grandson begs her to let him drive it around […]

Four years ago a taskforce led by Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State, unsuccessfully tried to persuade lawmakers to create broad restrictions on distracted driving. The state only banned texting while driving, and placed some limits on cell phone use, banning them in construction and school zones. Municipalities like Plainfield and Highland Park passed their […]

Make sure to notify your employer as soon as possible after your accident– Although the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act allows you forty-five days to notify your employer of your accident, the sooner the better. Keep a copy of the accident report form– If your employer requires you to complete an accident report form, keep a […]

Two years ago, in the wake of the economic downturn, Chicago business owners were given a reprieve from the landscaping ordinances that required among other things replacement of chain link fences with decorative ironwork and planting trees and shrubs. The reprieve is up in June of this year. The council will have to weigh the […]