A dog bite can be a sudden and traumatic experience, leaving you in pain and unsure of what to do next. It’s easy to feel like it was just bad luck, a freak accident you have to deal with on your own. But you don’t. At SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC, our founding attorney, Susan A. […]
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Planning for the unexpected is one of the most important steps a parent can take to protect a child. Many families begin researching Standby and Short-Term Guardianship in Illinois when facing medical issues, military deployment, travel, or other situations that may temporarily prevent them from caring for their child. For parents in Champaign, Shelbyville, and surrounding Central Illinois communities, understanding these planning tools can provide peace of mind while preserving parental rights.
Unlike court-ordered guardianship, standby and short-term guardianship allow parents to plan ahead while they are still able to make decisions. These tools are governed by specific legal requirements…
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Case Background

Marsha J. Martin filed an amended complaint[1] alleging that she received an e-mail that appeared to be from Coastal Customs Builders requesting payment for construction services provided to her. Martin further alleged that, unbeknownst to her at the time, Coastal Customs’ e-mail had been hacked. Martin ultimately wire transferred funds to the hacker’s account at Fifth Third Bank. The hacker then withdrew the funds and transferred them elsewhere. According to Martin, Fifth Third Bank was unable to recover the funds that were wired.

Under a theory of negligence, Martin alleged that Fifth Third Bank knew the hacker…
Continue Reading Not My Customer, Not My Problem? Assessing Whether a Duty May be Owed to a Non-Customer Under Martin v. Fifth Third Bank

On April 23, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order #14280 (EO 14280), “Reinstating Commonsense School Discipline Policies.” This order directs the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Attorney General to issue new guidance on school discipline and move away from the disparate impact framework that the Obama and Biden administrations had applied. However, nearly a year after EO #14280, no such guidance has been published. Data on federal investigations into school disciplinary procedures since the executive order will not be available until at least 2027, but it is likely that the Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) of the Department…
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There is a federal court decision from February of this year that every attorney using AI tools in their practice needs to read carefully. Not because of what it held, but because of what it did NOT hold, and because a significant amount of the published commentary about it is mischaracterizing the scope of the ruling in ways that could lead attorneys to draw precisely the wrong conclusions.
The case is United States v. Heppner, decided in the Southern District of New York on February 10, 2026. If you have read any of the dozens of law firm alerts, bar…
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Accident News | Chicago

A 43-year-old woman was struck and killed by a sport-utility vehicle on Chicago’s Near West Side Sunday night after reportedly crossing the street against a traffic signal. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. near the intersection of South Ashland Avenue and Ogden Avenue, where the roads intersect diagonally.

According to police, a 17-year-old girl was driving northeast on Ogden Avenue in a silver SUV when she hit the woman. Authorities stated that the driver had a green light at the time of the crash, and a witness at the scene confirmed this account.

The victim suffered…
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Car Accident News | Chicago, IL

A man was injured Sunday night in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood after a two-vehicle crash sent one car crashing into a CTA bus shelter where he was standing. The incident occurred around 10:38 p.m. at the busy six-way intersection of West Belmont Avenue, North Ashland Avenue, and North Lincoln Avenue.

According to police, a 19-year-old driver traveling south on Ashland Avenue attempted to turn right onto Belmont Avenue when his white SUV sideswiped another vehicle heading west. Following the initial collision, the SUV lost control, veered off course, and struck a nearby bus shelter located…
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What You Need to Know if You Received a Ticket After a Crash in Cook County

If you received a traffic ticket after a car accident and your case is set at the Skokie Courthouse, you should understand your options before paying the ticket. Many drivers assume a crash related ticket is minor because it is not a DUI or criminal charge. In reality, traffic accident tickets can lead to fines, insurance increases, points against your driving record, and even license suspension under certain circumstances.

Our traffic attorneys regularly represent drivers at the Skokie Courthouse and help clients protect their…
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Home > Blog > How Nursing Home Neglect Cases Are Built How Nursing Home Neglect Cases Are Actually Built: From Observation to Verdict Families see bad care happening. They visit their mother and find her sitting in wet clothes for hours. They call the facility three times asking the staff …
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Home > Blog > Dementia and Nursing Home Neglect: Why Patients Who Cannot Speak Are Most at Risk Dementia and Nursing Home Neglect: Why Patients Who Cannot Speak Are Most at Risk A man in his eighties sits in a wheelchair in a nursing home. He has advanced dementia. He …
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Home > Blog > The “Inevitable Decline” Defense: How Nursing Homes Blame the Patient The “Inevitable Decline” Defense: How Nursing Homes Blame the Patient A woman in her seventies enters a nursing home with advanced Parkinson’s disease. She’s been living with it for years. She’s weak but stable. Six months …
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Home > Blog > Why Your IDPH Complaint May Be the Most Important Step in Your Nursing Home Case Why Your IDPH Complaint May Be the Most Important Step in Your Nursing Home Case When a loved one is injured or neglected in a nursing home, most families think about …
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Home > Blog > Nursing Home Insurance and Judgment-Proofing: What Families Should Know Before Filing Suit Nursing Home Insurance and Judgment-Proofing: What Families Should Know Before Filing Suit You win your nursing home lawsuit. The jury awards $400,000 in damages. You call to collect. And you learn the nursing home’s …
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Home > Blog > Nursing Home Care Plans in Illinois: What They Should Include and What It Means When They Don’t Exist Nursing Home Care Plans in Illinois: What They Should Include and What It Means When They Don’t Exist When your parent or loved one enters a nursing home, …
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What Sellers Forget to Negotiate in Private Home Sales
Private home sales are becoming more common in Chicago-area real estate, especially when a seller already knows the buyer.
Sometimes it’s a friend, family member, neighbor, tenant, or someone who heard about the property before it ever hit the market.
At that point, many sellers assume the hard part is over. They have a buyer, they have a price, and they are ready to move forward.
But in many private sales, the real friction starts after that.
Why? Because a buyer and a price are not the same thing as a…
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