Chicago’s expressways are some of the busiest roadways in the Midwest. Every day, thousands of commuters, commercial trucks, rideshare vehicles, and visitors travel on major highways such as the Dan Ryan Expressway and Interstate 90. While these roads are designed to move large amounts of traffic efficiently, they are also the site of many serious accidents each year.

If you were injured in a crash on the Dan Ryan, I-90, or another Chicago-area expressway, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. The steps you take after an accident…
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Requests for Admission require the opposing party to admit whether certain facts are true, eliminating the need to prove those facts at trial. Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 216, these Requests can be efficient tools to narrow the issues in dispute before trial. However, as the recipient of the request, you must take great care to comply with the 28-day response deadline. Missing that deadline can have serious consequences. If you fail to meet the deadline, the requests may be deemed admitted and used against you at trial. This result can be devastating to your case. However, relief may still…
Continue Reading So, Requests for Admission Served on You are Deemed Admitted. Now What?

Resolving child custody issues in Illinois without litigation can help parents reduce stress, save time, and create a parenting arrangement that works better for their children. While many parents think a judge must decide every custody dispute, Illinois families often have options to resolve parenting disagreements through negotiation, mediation, collaborative law, and carefully drafted parenting plans.
That said, “without going to court” does not always mean there will be no court involvement at all. If there is an Illinois court case involving the allocation of parental responsibilities, any agreement usually still needs to be filed with the court and approved…
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Resolving agribusiness partner disputes through mediation can help farm families, agricultural business owners, and rural entrepreneurs protect their business interests while preserving important relationships. When a dispute arises between business partners, co-owners, shareholders, LLC members, family members, or farm successors, the conflict can quickly affect daily operations, finances, land use, employees, vendors, and the future of the agricultural enterprise.
In agriculture, disputes are rarely about one issue. They often involve family history, land ownership, debt, labor, equipment, succession expectations, and different visions for the future. For many Illinois agribusinesses, mediation offers a practical and private way to resolve disputes without…
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For more than three decades, the federal government maintained a policy restricting immigration enforcement operations at or near schools and other “sensitive locations.” That longstanding protection ended abruptly in January 2025, when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded its sensitive locations policy and replaced it with guidance leaving enforcement decisions to the discretion of individual Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The policy shift has led to increased immigration enforcement activity at or near schools nationwide, prompting legal challenges from school districts concerned about disruptions to their educational mission.On February 4, 2026, two Minnesota school districts (Fridley Public Schools and…
Continue Reading Federal Immigration Enforcement at Schools: Legal Challenges to DHS’s Revocation of Sensitive Locations Policy

Erika Harold and Shermin Kruse at the 2026 Future Is Now conference
Key Points

  • Empathy is more than feeling—it can involve thinking about and understanding others’ thoughts and emotions
  • Lawyers can better serve clients and support colleagues by knowing when to exercise different types of empathy, including emotional, cognitive, and stoic empathy
  • Different practice and workplace situations will call for lawyers to balance both emotional awareness and analytical thought
  • In an increasingly AI-driven world, lawyers can use empathy to distinguish themselves and enhance their relationships

When you hear the word empathy, does feeling or thinking come to mind?
If you…
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In Crane v. City of Rockford, an Illinois Appellate Court upheld the dismissal of an appeal of an administrative hearing officer’s issuance of fines for building code violations where the property owner did not comply with the service requirements of state law.A municipal administrative hearing officer found a property owner in violation of various building code provisions and assessed a fine of $64,000. The property owner filed an appeal with the circuit court within the statutory 35 day period but failed to properly serve the City and other defendants as required by section 3-103 of the Administrative Review Law.
Continue Reading Case Was Properly Dismissed Where Appeal Not Served on City

When people are injured in an accident, one of the biggest concerns they have is whether their lawyer will truly be there for them throughout the legal process. Personal injury claims can take months or even years to resolve, and clients often worry about being left in the dark while important decisions are made about their case. According to a recent review from client Dany Berni, that was never a concern when working with Michael Phillips and Phillips Law Offices. Consistent communication, transparency, legal knowledge, and genuine care helped create an experience that left a lasting impression. Reviews like…
Continue Reading Why One Client Trusted Michael Phillips Throughout the Entire Personal Injury Process

Accident News | Chicago, Il

A security guard was injured and transported to the hospital following a two-vehicle crash at a busy downtown Chicago intersection early Wednesday morning. According to Chicago police, the collision occurred around 3:31 a.m. near the intersection of State Street and Ida B. Wells Drive.

Authorities said a Ford sport-utility vehicle operated by a Chicago Transit Authority K-9 security unit was traveling northbound on State Street when it collided with a Cadillac SUV heading westbound on Ida B. Wells Drive. Preliminary reports indicate the Cadillac driver allegedly ran a red light before the crash occurred.

Following…
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An out-of-service violation can put a CDL career at serious risk in Illinois, especially if it results in a lengthy disqualification or is not handled properly. If you are facing one of these violations in 2026, you already know how serious this feels. Your job, your income, and everything you have built could be at risk. Just one violation can keep you off the road for months. Multiple violations can cost you your CDL for good. A DuPage County CDL defense lawyer can help you understand what you are dealing with and what options you have to protect your career.
Continue Reading Can an Out-of-Service Violation End a CDL Career in Illinois?

According to March 2026 data from the Defense Manpower Data Center, Virginia is home to more than 123,000 active duty service members, ranking second in the country. For the tens of thousands of those service members raising families in Virginia, deployment can put a child custody arrangement under serious strain. If you are a military parent, a deployment can raise hard questions about your custody rights. What happens to your parenting time while you are gone? Can the other parent use your absence to change the agreement for good? 
A Stafford, VA child custody attorney can help you protect…
Continue Reading How Does Child Custody Work When a Military Parent Deploys in Virginia?

Fighting a drug manufacturing charge in Illinois is challenging, but it is not impossible. These are felony charges that prosecutors often pursue aggressively. However, you have legal options for pushing back on how these cases are built. If you are facing a drug manufacturing charge in 2026, a Kane County drug crimes defense lawyer can look at your situation and help you understand what defenses are available in your case.
What Is a Drug Manufacturing Charge in Illinois?
Drug manufacturing in Illinois covers more than just running a large drug operation. Under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, 720 ILCS 570/401…
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One of the most common questions blended families bring to an estate planning meeting is whether it is possible to protect a spouse financially while still making sure that children from a prior relationship receive their inheritance. For families in second marriages without the right plan, that question tends to resolve itself in ways no one intended. 
According to the Pew Research Center, 17 percent of American children currently live in a blended family, and for many of these households, the family home is where inheritance disputes begin. A Yorkville, IL asset protection attorney can help your family…
Continue Reading Who Really Inherits Your House When You Die?

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that there were 10.9 million single-parent families with a child under 18 in the United States in 2022. Many of those families manage custody arrangements without conflict, but a significant number of cases become contested. 
When parents cannot agree on child custody, an Illinois judge may appoint a third party to independently assess what is in the child’s best interests. That person is called a guardian ad litem, or GAL. If a GAL has been appointed in your case, or if you think one might be, knowing what to expect can help you prepare. If…
Continue Reading What Is a Guardian ad Litem and What Do They Do in an Illinois Custody Case?

Photo credit: Illinois Supreme Court
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced a new Policy on Transparency, providing the public with more data and information on the judicial branch.
The new policy furthers the Illinois Supreme Court’s commitment to transparency, while formalizing and standardizing existing information-sharing practices.
“Transparency means making data, budgets, and financial reports accessible to the public. It is the judiciary’s strongest bridge to public trust and to the restoration of confidence in our courts,” Chief Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. said in the press release.
What the Policy on Transparency covers
By July 1, 2026, and annually…
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Photo credit: Illinois Judges Foundation
The Illinois Judges Foundation (IJF) has opened applications for the Harold Sullivan Scholarship Program.
The scholarship program recognizes Illinois law students who demonstrate a commitment to service, integrity, and the pursuit of justice. The scholarship funds may be applied toward law school tuition and fees.
In addition, the IJF has launched a new award under the Harold Sullivan Scholarship Program: The Justice Mary Jane Theis Scholarship, which honors Justice Theis (Ret.), her legacy of leadership, and dedication to the judiciary.
Applications will be accepted through 4 p.m. on June 26, 2026. Applications and questions…
Continue Reading Illinois Law Students Invited to Apply for Illinois Judges Foundation Scholarship