Stalking is a serious and terrifying matter. Boundaries are an important part of social norms, and our sense of mental health and wellness often depends on respect for these boundaries. In the course of daily life, all of us have likely run into someone who violates our communicated or socially-standardized boundaries. These boundary violations can make us feel disrespected, annoyed, or unsafe. Stalking is an extreme violation of these boundaries, and it is a scary and dangerous experience to be...

Any romantic relationship can be messy, and it is sometimes difficult or impossible to sort out who is the primary offender in an abusive relationship or an acrimonious divorce. It is common for victims in abuse situations to fight back, usually verbally, but sometimes physically, as a means of combating the control and coercion exercised by their abuser. Perhaps as a response to being repeatedly broken down and berated by your partner, you respond with cruel acts of your own,...

Most people think of stalking as a shady person following you in the night or perhaps hiding near your house, physically invading your privacy. But in the digital age of social media, there are more ways an individual can be harassed. The state of Illinois recognizes cyberstalking as a legitimate form of stalking, so if you feel that you are being harassed, you should follow the appropriate processes for a Stalking No Contact Order (SNC) or an Order of Protection(OP)....

Despite our different backgrounds, most of us yearn for intimacy and affection. We are all looking for love, and we try to use our best judgment looking for partners who are safe, comforting, and secure. But what happens when for some reason or another – details we could never have known, the rose-tinted glasses of infatuation – we end up in a close relationship with a dangerous or abusive person? Domestic abuse – whether physical, verbal, or mental – causes...

If you have been arrested for drunk driving in Illinois, you probably already know the importance of hiring a knowledgeable attorney to defend against the charges. However, you may not realize that there’s a lot you can do to help with the case. Trust an Illinois DUI defense lawyer to handle the legal side of things, but here are a few of the tasks you should take on yourself. 1. Write Everything Down: Details matter in a DUI case, so...

Let’s suppose you are a hardworking family man. You have committed countless hours and immeasurable blood, sweat, and tears to your family. Despite constantly being busy with work, you have tried your best to also fulfill the obligations of fatherhood and to be a good husband. As part of being a good family man, you make sure to keep your family protected, and that means that you responsibly and legally carry firearms. Even Good People Get Stuck in Tough Situations...

Sometimes good people, even those making a million a year and have a lot to lose, make terrible mistakes that can cost them dearly in their professional and social lives. In this case, The Bears’ wide receiver, David Moore, was arrested after falling asleep at a Taco Bell drive-thru in his hometown of Gainesville, Texas. Police said that they smelled marijuana on Moore, but were somehow only able to turn up edibles in their search. They also found three pistols...

A Naperville man is facing DUI charges in connection with a fatal car crash. He and his family had been enjoying their summer at a friend’s barbecue earlier that day. He had a few drinks over the course of the hot afternoon, but his wife had even more. When it came time to head home, he volunteered to drive. On the way home, the man lost control of his vehicle and rear ended a car on the highway. This led...

With gun violence a presence in headlines today, many are calling for stricter gun laws in Illinois. So, how difficult is it to get a FOID card in the state? Illinois has several restrictive laws, making it more difficult to acquire a gun here than in other states. Red flag laws are in place here to ensure that those with violence or mental health concerns on their records are not able to purchase firearms. It is still possible for law-abiding...

We now know that the Highland Park Shooter was able to apply for and receive a gun permit in Illinois. Reports have noted numerous red flags in the personal history of the Highland Park shooter, noting that these brushes with law enforcement could have prevented him from acquiring a weapon. So, what happened? How was the shooter able to acquire a weapon and bypass the red flag laws designed to prevent people with violence and mental health issues in their...

In the wake of the Highland Park shooting, Illinois legislators are hoping to close the gap in the red flag laws that allowed the suspect to get a firearms permit despite previous signs of emotional instability and run-ins with the police in 2019. When the suspect filed an application for a FOID card three months after the police confiscated knives and a sword from his apartment, the government had no basis on which to deny the application because no criminal...

A recent longitudinal study (meaning it was conducted over several years) sought to determine the economic factors hurting single mothers. While it is often assumed that partner absence plays the most significant role in financially hurting single-parent families, the data revealed that many of the economic barriers found in motherhood would exist regardless of partner absence. Having a working partner helps absorb the costs related to having and caring for a new baby. While traditional studies have sought to discuss...

According to a recent study, the answer is yes. Couples who have children immediately after getting married tend to divorce more frequently than those who do not. According to the study, the timing of the birth of the first child had an impact on how long the marriage lasted. The study was conducted by the CDC and analyzed over 10,000 men and 12,000 women over a 10-year period. The study further found that couples who waited eight months or more...

With the summer in full swing, law enforcement is reminding drivers to drive safely and unimpaired. July and August bring more police DUI checkpoints and greater police vigilance when it comes to pulling over drivers. Police may suspect a driver of intoxication simply because more people are out and about, enjoying the beautiful weather and grabbing drinks with friends. This does not mean that every individual who is pulled over this summer has actually committed an offense. The following are...

In 2020, a caller reported that they heard a gunshot coming from inside a home. They called police who executed a search of the premises and found a rifle in the possession of an Illinois woman. The rifle was not fired. There was no evidence of a gun being fired from within the residence. As it turned out, the defendant’s estranged husband had filed a false report to engineer the confiscation of the weapon. The defendant denied firing the rifle...