Buckle Up Illinois
Beginning on July 1, 2011, if you are riding in a vehicle in Illinois, you better be wearing a seatbelt. This new law gives police officers the ability to stop the vehicle if they see someone in the backseat without a belt on. Prior to this, any adult not driving or riding in the front passenger seat was not required to buckle up. Now, fines will start at $25.
And of course this gives the police one more reason to pull over a vehicle. Good thing those tinted windows are legal, except in Chicago of course.
Some Legal Updates
I thought I would take a moment to give an update on some new laws for 2010. While they have been in effect since January, they haven’t been getting much press.
The Illinois legislature passed the No Contact Order Act. Under the Act, victims of stalking are able to file a petition for relief if they are unable to do so under the Illinois domestic violence laws. This is a civil remedy for victims (there are already criminal penalties for stalking). In a nutshell, stalking involves repeated acts by an individual rather than a solitary incident. These acts are defined in the act as “engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person, and he or she knows or should know that this course of conduct would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of a third person or suffer emotional distress.” “Stalking behavior includes following a person, conducting surveillance of the person, appearing at the person’s home, work or school, making unwanted phone calls, sending unwanted emails or text messages, leaving objects for the person, vandalizing the person’s property, or injuring a pet.” Under the act, the victim can have the alleged stalker banned from their place of employment, home, and school. They can also have the alleged stalker prohibited from purchasing or owning firearms.
New this year is the expansion of the Notice to be given on Orders of Protection issued in Criminal or Civil proceedings. Under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act 720 ILCS 60, an Order of Protection may be issued independently, in conjunction with a pending civil action, or in conjunction with a criminal proceeding involving domestic violence. “Upon the request of the petitioner, the clerk of the circuit court shall send a certified copy of the order of protection to any specified health care facility or health care practitioner requested by the petitioner at the mailing address provided by the petitioner.” This effectively prohibits the respondent from having any access to any protected child’s medical records. Additionally, if requested by the petitioner, the notice of the issuance of the Order of Protection shall be served within 24 hours on any day care or school of a protected child. In turn, the day care or school is forbidden to allow the respondent any access to the child’s records.
If you need assistance obtaining either a No Contact Order or an Order of Protection, please contact Larsen and Edlund.
Chexting
With the onset of social media, from MySpace to Facebook to texting, divorce professionals are encountering many clients who have caught their spouses in illicit relationships via digital information. I often tell clients that nothing in this electronic age is ever really deleted. Two prime examples are Tiger Woods and Jesse James. Both were caught with their “digital pants down” by their significant others. All avenues of social media need to be explored in divorce litigation. They can be a virtual treasure trove of information, far beyond cheating, revealing evidence of dissipation and substance abuse. Likewise, clients must be advised that they too need to keep their “digital pants up.”
Hello world!
With this post the law firm of Larsen and Edlund enters the world of blogging. I am new here so bear with me. Hopefully, through this Blog, you, the reader, will learn a little bit about me, what I do, and how I can help you.
I am a partner with the law firm of Larsen and Edlund. Founded in 1987 and located in Park Ridge, Illinois, we are a small boutique firm that specializes in the general practice of law. I like to compare our practice to your family care doctor. We handle all issues, large and small. As a result, we get to assist our clients throughout the various stages of their lives. Whether they are buying their first house, working on a pre-nuptial agreement, doing some estate planning, or clearing up the end of life issues after the loss of a loved one. We can also assist you in a guardianship proceeding if necessary.
We get to be there for the happy moments, but we are also there for our clients’ hard times as well. Maybe they are dealing with a minor traffic infraction, a DUI, misdemeanor, or felony charge. We are there to help protect their rights and freedoms as well as guide them through a tricky legal process.
Sometimes, the wedded bliss doesn’t stay blissful and couples seek a divorce. We are skilled at handling both contested divorces with complex financial and custody issues all the way down to a mediated settlement. As part of our family law practice, we handle child custody and support, paternity and adoption, in addition to divorce.
If you venture out and start a new business we can be by your side every step of the way helping you avoid costly pitfalls of poor planning. If a lawsuit does arise, we have skilled trial attorneys to defend you.
With over 75 years of combined experience, the attorneys of Larsen and Edlund are ready willing and able to help you in all your legal needs. In the coming weeks look here for interesting bits on the law, what we are up to, and how we can help. Feel free to contact us directly at 847-825-7600 or check us out at www.larsenandedlund.com
Beyond the Shingle 