Legal Blog of Thaddeus M. Bond & Associates

The news lately has been filled with stories of government bailouts of private banks and government sponsored mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Rarely do they mention that it is the taxpayer, i.e you and me, who are footing the bill for the failures of these institutions. Not so long ago, these lenders engaged in reckless behavior by allowing bad loans in exchange for huge profits and fees. Many involved in the real estate market like lawyers, realtors and title insurance companies saw these failures coming but could do little to stop them. Why aren't those who made the huge profits being called to task? They took the big risks. They shouldn't expect to only reap the rewards without also taking the hit when their dangerous acts come full circle. Those of us who behaved responsibly and who did not get in over our heads should resent being forced to bail out the speculators and the gold diggers. Let our failing economy punish only those who deserve it, not the majority of us who behaved like responsible citizens.

Child custody refers to who has the right to make decisions about the child regarding such things as education, religion, medical issues, and discipline as well as where the child will live. With sole custody, one parent has legal and physical custody of the child. In a joint custody arrangement, both parents share legal and/or physical child custody as agreed in a settlement or as determined by the court. If the parents cannot agree on a child custody arrangement, the court will likely appoint a guardian ad litem to assist it in making a decision based on the best interests of the child. June Peterson-Gleason is regularly appointed as a guardian ad litem in Lake County, Illinois cases. Besides giving her the opportunity to assist the children she is appointed to evaluate, these assignments give June a unique perspective on which factors are most important to the courts in determining who should have custody and to what extent. Contact her to discuss your particular situation.

Many lawyers take cases, including personal injury and other matters, on what's called a "contingency fee basis." The client is not required to pay any attorney's fees until they recover against the Defendant or their insurance company. If there is no recovery in the case, the lawyer will not charge any attorney's fees. The lawyer is taking a risk by hoping to receive a higher fee than they might otherwise receive balanced against the possibility that they may not get any compensation for their services.
The exact contingency percentage charged varies from case to case. Percentages also sometime vary according to how much of a collection risk the lawyer perceives. Failing to find a lawyer to take your claim on a contingency fee basis may be a sign that you do not have a very good case.
There are typically expenses which must be incurred in pursuing a case. These include copies of police reports and medical records, court reporter fees, court filing fees and investigator charges. Most lawyers will advance these costs but expect you to repay them at the time of final settlement. If your case in unsuccessful, you may be required to repay the expenses advanced by your lawyer.
Many cases require the use of expert witnesses. Experts cannot work on a contingency fee basis. Payment for the expert's costs and fees must be worked out between you and your attorney.
Our lawyers evaluate each individual case and can work with you to determine whether a contingency fee, an hourly fee or a flat rate is appropriate. Feel free to contact us to discuss your case.

Due to the severe downturn in the real estate market and the general economy, our firm has been forced to reduce staff. Lori Weiss Berdenis will be leaving us after seven years of service. As an associate attorney, she handled a wide variety of cases including real estate closings, civil litigation, family law matters, estate planning and probate, landlord/tenant law, personal injury and business law. We wish Lori the best in her future endeavors. She will be missed.