Collaborative Law

The  basic tenets of collaborative law are as follows

• The parties agree to resolve all issues in a respectful, open and honest manner, outside of the court system. 

• Each party retains a collaboratively trained attorney.

The parties and their counsel sign a legally binding contract (called a Participation Agreement) committing themselves to resolving the dispute according to collaborative principals and guidelines. Settlement remains the main objective because the lawyers’ continued employment depends upon his or her ability to facilitate an acceptable settlement proposal. Failure to reach settlement results in the end of the collaborative divorce process and an end to the attorney’s employment because the Participation Agreement provides that collaborative counsel is prohibited from representing the client if the case goes to litigation. 

Financial Responsibility Insurance (SR22)

Financial Responsibility Insurance (SR-22) monitors the insurance of problem drivers and authorizes the Secretary of State's office to suspend upon cancellation or expiration. Financial Responsibility Insurance is required in Illinois for individuals with safety responsibility suspensions, unsatisfied judgment suspensions, revocations, mandatory insurance supervisions and individuals who receive three or more convictions for mandatory insurance violations.

Civil Asset Forfeiture

When a crime is committed, the police can take the property that was used in that crime or that is somehow related to that crime. This is called a civil asset forfeiture.

If your property was taken because the police believe it was related to a crime, you have to go through a process to get the property back. During this process, the police will have to prove that they have probable cause that the property was used in a crime. This means that the police have enough facts to believe the property was used in crime.