The prospect of buying your first home can be exciting, but you should not get caught up in the frenzy. It is a significant investment, and you ought to protect yourself as a buyer. One of the most important aspects of the home buying process is contract negotiation,...
In Illinois, driving under the influence (DUI) can be charged either as a felony or a misdemeanor. A felony DUI is a more serious crime than a misdemeanor, and it attracts stiffer legal penalties if you are found guilty. That is in addition to the post-conviction...
For those looking to buy a new home in Illinois, price is nearly always a top consideration. Unfortunately, the desire to find a nice but affordable home can leave buyers vulnerable to real estate scams. Some scams have plagued property buyers for at least a century,...
If you’re a homeowner, foreclosure is certainly something you’d rather not consider. It could mean losing your home as the lender forecloses and then re-sells it to someone else. You don’t get to recoup the money that you’ve been paying on that mortgage loan...
Is a little white lie on your mortgage application really a big deal? Back in the free-wheeling heyday before the mortgage crisis of 2007-2008, a lot of less-than-scrupulous mortgage brokers may have turned a blind eye to application fraud (or even encouraged it), but...
If you’re pulled over by the police, then they may suspect you of drunk driving. An officer may have reasonable suspicion of you drunk driving if they believe you violated traffic laws, such as making an illegal turn or swerving between lanes. The police may ask you...
Home purchases are expensive — likely your most significant asset besides your retirement accounts. It’s good when you can save money on your mortgage by putting more down initially or arranging for low-interest financing. But there is one expense that no homebuyer...
If your job involves prescribing, issuing or administering pharmaceuticals, it’s crucial to understand your exposure to drug charges. Not only could they land you with a criminal record, but they could cost you your license to practice. You would expect to face...
Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents throughout the U.S. Thus, if the police have reasonable suspicion that you are driving under influence, they will pull you over for further investigation. Part of the police investigation during an Illinois...
A title lien, also known as a title defect, is something a court can place on a property when the property owner has failed to pay someone for something. Typical examples include a construction firm getting one because the homeowner has not paid them for the kitchen...
