Published in the January 24, 2019 edition of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
As of Jan. 1, there are more than 250 new laws in Illinois. They cover everything from gun control to animal welfare to health care and education. They truly run the gamut.
Many of these laws can have a daily effect on people’s lives. As someone that likes to provide value to my current and former clients, informing them on how these new laws could affect them may provide the knowledge needed to gain a competitive advantage in their case, or keep them out of trouble.
Whatever area of law you concentrate your practice, passing along information that is relevant to your client base will be welcome and is a good marketing tool for your practice.
As a family lawyer, I want all my clients to know about a new law in Illinois that deals with rear-facing car seats. House Bill 4377 changes the way parents are legally able to transport their children. It requires that children under the age of 2 must be rear-facing while in the car. I aim to make sure my clients are aware of this law because if they are stopped by the police and are in violation, this could be brought up in a divorce proceeding.
Another law that I want my clients to be aware of is a new marijuana-related bill. It’s still not legal to use marijuana recreationally in Illinois, however, medical marijuana is legal for some diagnoses in Illinois.
In 2019, Public Act 100-1091 took effect to legalize industrial hemp. This mostly has to do with growing hemp to make clothing and rope, but I don’t want any of my clients reading a headline and thinking that recreational marijuana use is now legal. It can be confusing since many other states have or are in the process of legalizing cannabis for such use.
A new area that is receiving a lot of focus in family law is regarding pets. Recent changes in past years, coupled with more changes this year, continue to elevate the status of certain pets in the divorce arena.
Pets are now given much more consideration than they used to be, creating new areas of divorce law to consider, negotiate and litigate. A new law in 2019, Public Act 100-0740, allows the police to intervene if they see a dog or cat in a car when it is either too hot or too cold.
This was always a misdemeanor, but now police have the authority to intercede if they witness this. For any of my clients who are fighting for pet custody, this is an important law to know.
Another new law I think could affect my clients’ lives regards stalking. Public Act 100-1000 now qualifies unwanted messages sent through social media as stalking. If a person fears for their safety, they can now cite social media contacts and threats as evidence.
Divorcing couples, and others covered under laws dealing with orders of protection, need to know if someone’s actions toward them may be in violation of the law. Similarly, others should be aware of actions they should refrain from lest they be used against them.
There are many other important laws that have been adopted in Illinois in 2019.
I urge you to find the ones important to your clients so that you can help your clients navigate through their legal battles with as much knowledge as possible.
The law is always changing. It is our job as lawyers to stay abreast of this knowledge and communicate it widely.
