According to the law.com legal dictionary, a sanction is defined as “a financial penalty imposed by a judge on a party or attorney for violation of a court rule, for receiving a special waiver of a rule, or as a fine for contempt of court. If a fine, the sanction may be paid to the…
Before we begin, it must be brought to your attention that the Tax Cut And Jobs Act of 2017 (The Trump Tax Cut) changed everything about claiming children. As of the date of the publishing we do not have the IRS guidance documents for the 2018 year but we do have previous years and the…
We’ve all seen the movies where a stranger nonchalantly hands a character some documents and quietly says, “You’ve been served.” The character then looks at the papers with surprise and is completely devastated. Because of scenes like this we dread the idea of serving someone or being served when all it is, is handing a…
We all know that to find out if a child is yours or not is simply a matter of taking a DNA test. But how do you establish that legally in Illinois that you are not the father? The first step is to determine if legally you automatically presumed to be the father. 750 ILCS…
Orders of protection can be obtained either through the criminal courts or through the civil courts. A criminal order of protection is obtained through the underlying crime (usually assault or battery). The state’s attorney should provide you with the help you need in getting a criminal order of protection in conjunction with the prosecution of…
It depends on the time frame. In Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, If the divorce was entered in the last 30 days, you can file a Motion To Vacate under section 2-1301. Under this section the court can vacate “set aside any final order or judgment upon any terms and conditions that shall be reasonable.” This…
Navigating any legal situation can be a nerve-wracking and overwhelming experience and it can be difficult to keep track of important information such as the case number, upcoming court dates, and judge assignment. As a reference for participants and attorneys, the Cook County Clerk’s office has established a searchable online docket that includes all the…
In Cook County, Illinois when you file a petition within the domestic relations division you will be assigned to a judge’s calendar on a random basis and according to what district you filed it in. If you object to that judge you may request a new judge for one of two reasons: 1) “For cause”…
