If you’re unfamiliar with the legal system or what the legal process entails, you’re like most people that are trying to understand their rights and not alone. The legal system is confusing and complex for many people. In this section, we have provided answers to some of the commonly asked questions regarding Kasan Law and various other legal topics.
After reviewing our frequently asked questions section, you may have additional questions or need more information about your specific legal matter. If you have additional questions regarding your specific legal matter, do not hesitate to contact Kasan Law for more information.
As a boutique law firm, we strive to provide our clients with personalized legal services and the highest level of customer service. In order to achieve this, we have to be very selective in the matters we agree to handle. We limit the number of cases we handle to provide each client with the same level of dedication, attention, and resources.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept every case or represent every potential client. If our office is unable to provide you with legal services, we can assist you by connecting you with another attorney or directing you to additional resources.
Yes, our consultations and case reviews are free and carry no obligations. If you would like to schedule a free consultation, please contact our office by calling us at (312) 300-6724, emailing us at Info@LawKasan.com, or schedule your consultation online.
Whether you're a potential client or current client, we accommodate your needs by offering multiple convenient methods to meet with our attorneys. In addition to in-person office meetings, we are available by phone, video conference, email, home meetings, or a location convenient for you. However, in certain matters, client or potential client meetings must be conducted in-person.
Choosing a law firm can be a daunting proposition for many people. Selecting the right lawyer is no small measure and an important decision, which can seriously affect your case, life, and future. We understand that dealing with legal issues can be overwhelming, but hiring the right law firm can put you at ease and help you regain your life. Our goal is to reduce your stress and anxiety while delivering the best possible results.
The Kasan Law difference is our approach to provide each client with a personalized legal experience in a timely and cost-efficient manner. We take the time to understand your circumstances to develop individualized and practical solutions aligned with your goals and objectives. We take pride forming professional relationships based on trust and dependability. We want all our client to feel like they are our only client and part of our team.
We are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday by appointment. If you would like to contact our office after hours, please feel free to send us an email or schedule a consultation online. We are committed to returning calls and emails within 24-48 hours.
We believe collaboration and teamwork are essential to obtaining the best possible outcome. In many cases we handle, we work closely with other attorneys, law firms, consultants, and other professionals. Our collaborative approach allows us to work with other professionals on an as-needed basis. This approach enables us to deliver custom and cost-effective legal services tailored specifically to each client's legal matter.
This is a common and reasonable question. However, it is not possible to accurately estimate the exact costs in advance because there are many factors that are unknown and outside our control that may arise. The legal fees will depend on the specific facts of your legal matter and services required. At our initial consultation, we will have an open discussion about your legal matter, services required, and available fee structures. If you decide to retain our services, we will provide a written agreement outlining the scope of our services, legal fees, and payment terms.
We understand that legal expenses are often unexpected. That is why we offer multiple fee arrangements tailored to your budget and legal matter. We frequently offer payment plans and accept credit cards. We are committed to providing you with exceptional and cost-effective legal services.
We will keep you informed of all developments in your case and provide you with copies relevant documents. In addition, we give each client access to their own secure web portal. This allows our office to provide updates and keep clients informed throughout the legal matter. The web portal provides clients with a central platform to securely access information regarding their matter. Within the web portal, we can easily share resources, collaborate, send messages, share documents, create task lists, and calendar events. The client portal also allows clients to view and pay bills.
Please complete our online form to schedule your free consultation or email us at Info@LawKasan.com. However, if either method does not work for you, please feel free to call our office at (312) 300-6724. After receiving the consultation request, we will contact you to schedule the free consultation.
At Kasan Law, our consultation process allows us to respond to potential clients' needs quickly and efficiently. Our typical consultation consists of the following steps:
Before the initial consultation, we will provide you with an intake form that will need to be completed. The purpose of the intake form is to gather information about your legal matter before the initial consultation. The intake form will only be used by our firm to prepare and evaluate your matter. The answers and information you provide will help our firm conduct a meaningful consultation and understand the reason for the initial consultation. The information you provide in the form are privileged and held in strict confidence. However, the initial consultation does not establish an attorney-client relationship between you and our firm.
We understand that the intake form might be lengthy and may seem difficult to fill out. In certain instances, the questions might not apply to your legal matter, or you may not know the answer. If either occurs, please answer the question with "N/A." If you are having difficulty completing the form, please complete the form to the best of your ability. We will help you complete the remaining questions during the consultation.
The initial consultation allows us to discuss your situation, goals, and concerns. During the consultation, we will also discuss the basic facts of your matter, answer some general questions, determine whether our office can provide representation, and discuss fees. In certain matters, we will need to schedule another consultation to discuss the specifics of your matter in more detail, needs, goals, and various legal options available. The initial consultation is not intended to provide a legal opinion and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
After the consultation, the following outcomes are possible: a) we mutually agree to the representation terms and sign an Agreement for Representation; b) we decline to provide legal representation; or c) you decide not to retain our services.
If we are able to provide representation and you wish to engage our services, our arrangement will be formalized with an Agreement for Representation that outlines the scope of our services, fees and costs, and various other terms relating to the representation. Until we both have signed a written engagement agreement, Kasan Law does not represent you and has not agreed to represent you in any capacity.
Civil litigation has many subsections and can cover a variety of private legal disputes, such as:
Yes. Illinois law set time limits for filing civil lawsuits, known as the statutes of limitations. In Illinois, the statute of limitations encompasses various procedural rules. In order to file a valid lawsuit, the statute of limitations must be followed. The statute of limitations dictates specific time limits for filing a civil claim based on the type of action being pursued. Some examples are:
While every civil lawsuit matter is unique, the process can be broken down into general steps.
A summons and subpoena are both important but serve very different functions. A summons is given to the person being sued with a copy of the complaint. The summons provides the party with official and formal notice that they are being sued.
A subpoena is an order from the court requiring a person to come to court, attend a deposition, or give documents or evidence to the requestor.
If you properly served with a summons and complaint, you are the defendant. First, read the complaint to determine the allegations, parties, and the type of lawsuit. Second, read the summons to determine the first court date and the deadline for filing a response to the complaint. Third, contact an attorney.
In responding to the complaint, you have multiple options, such as:
Pleadings contain the parties’ allegations, defenses, and factual basis for their claims. Pleadings can include the complaint, answer to the complaint, counterclaims and cross-claims, and third-party complaints.
In general, a motion is a formal written request to the court for an order or judgment. Motions can involve substantive or procedural issues and serve many purposes, such as:
Discovery is the formal process in which the parties exchange factual information and evidence related to the lawsuit in preparation for trial. The parties can obtain information and evidence from each other or third parties by utilizing various discovery tools, including:
A deposition is an out-of-court statement given under oath by any person involved in the case. A deposition consists of questioning the witness in the presence of a court reporter that transcribes the questions and answers.
A majority of civil cases settle and never go to trial. However, the time a civil litigation matter takes from filing to trial depends on a myriad of factors and the particular set of facts surrounding the case, including the complexity of the case, number of parties involved, amount of money at stake, and the court’s caseload. In simple cases, the lawsuit may see a trial within a few months, and more complex cases may take years.
Alternative dispute resolution is the method by which legal conflicts and disputes are resolved privately rather than through litigation. Alternative Dispute Resolution includes non-court proceedings such as mediation, arbitration, and negotiation. Specifically, mediation and negotiation can often help the parties to achieve a mutually acceptable agreement rather than a winner take all trial.
In general, the rule is that each party is responsible for paying their own attorneys' fees, regardless if they win or lose. However, there are exceptions to rule, and legal fees might be recoverable, if:
In a personal injury claim, the victim seeks compensation for damages and injuries from the responsible party. We represent clients in a variety of personal injury cases, such as:
Many different factors come into play when determining if you have a personal injury case. In evaluating a personal injury case, we generally start by looking at three factors:
If you were injured due to someone else's negligence or wrongdoing, you might be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Every case is different and must be reviewed on its own merits. If you would like a free review of a personal injury claim or more information about your specific matter, please feel free to contact us for a free case evaluation.
Your convenience is our priority. If you're unable to visit our office, we other convenient methods to meet with our attorneys. In addition to in-person office meetings, we are available by phone, video conference, email, home meetings, or a location convenient for you.
If you're wondering what your personal injury claim is worth, it is tough to provide an answer without having all of the information available. In general, a personal injury claim seeks to compensate the victim for their damages and injuries. The value of your case will depend on numerous factors, including:
When you suffer an injury, your last concern should be medical bills and affording medical treatment. At Kasan Law, we work with medical providers that provide treatment on a lien basis, which means they will treat your injuries without charging you for any out of pocket expenses. After your personal injury claim is resolved, the medical providers will be paid their services from any money you recovered.
In personal injury cases, we provide legal services on a contingency fee basis.
A contingency fee arrangement is an alternative payment method to the billable hour for legal services. In a contingency fee arrangement, a client pays the lawyer for legal services only if the case is handled successfully. The lawyer’s legal fees are “contingent” upon obtaining compensation for the client.
If the lawyer obtains compensation for the client, either through settlement or judgment, the lawyer’s fees are paid from the money awarded to the client. The legal fees are an agreed-upon percentage of the recovery. However, if the lawyer is unsuccessful in obtaining any money, the client and attorney will not get any money.
In other words, if the lawyer obtains compensation for you, the lawyer will receive a percentage of the money awarded as legal fees. If the lawyer loses the case, you will not have to pay any legal fees. However, in a contingency fee arrangement, costs are separate from the lawyer’s legal fees.
The agreed-upon percentage only covers the lawyer’s fees for the work. In any case, the costs and expenditures are separate from the lawyer's fees.
In a contingency fee arrangement, the lawyer will advance the costs and expenses associated with the personal injury matter, including court costs and filing fees, court reporters, expert witnesses, investigators, and obtaining evidence.
If the personal injury matter is successful, in addition to legal fees, the lawyer will be reimbursed from the client's recovery for any advanced costs and expenses. If the personal injury matter is unsuccessful, the lawyer may or may not charge the client for any advanced costs or expenses.
In Illinois, a personal injury lawsuit must be filed within a fixed time period dictated by the law, called the statute of limitations. In general, a personal injury lawsuit must be filed within two (2) years from the date of injury or discovery of the injury. However, the statute of limitations period might be shorter or longer depending on the specific type of injury and parties involved.
In general, many individuals have no experience or limited exposure to lawsuits, which places them at a serious disadvantage when dealing with insurance adjusters and defense attorneys. If you do not have a lawyer, insurance companies may try to settle the personal injury matter for much less than the actual value.
According to a study by the Insurance Research Council (IRC), in personal injury cases, those who hired an attorney averaged a settlement award that was 3.5 times greater than those who did not hire an attorney.
The Circuit Court of Cook County is divided into three functional departments:
The three departments are generally divided into divisions, and a presiding judge heads each division. The nature of the controversy dictates which department and division the matter is filed and heard.
The County Department is divided into eight divisions, as follows:
The Law Division hears civil suits seeking recovery of monetary damages in excess of $30,000.00, the First Municipal District (Daley Center), in Chicago, IL. The Law Division for the remaining five districts hears civil suits for recovery of monetary damages in excess of $100,000.00. The Law Division’s Commercial Calendar hears commercial and business disputes, operating as a business court.
Generally, the Law Divisions hears case such as:
The Law Division, for the First Municipal District (Daley Center), is divided into the motion section and trial section. The Law Division's motion section hears motions, oversees discovery, adjudicates critical questions of law, and ensures the case is ready for trial. After discovery is completed, the matter is transferred to the Law Division's trial section before a different judge. The Law Division trial section oversees the trial, including ruling on motions, jury selection, and any other matter related to the lawsuit.
The Law Division for the remaining five districts is usually presided over by a single judge that hears motions and the trial.
The Chancery Division hears proceedings concerning a variety of matters, regardless of the amount of the claim. The Chancery Division has two sections: the General Chancery Section and Mortgage Foreclosure/Mechanics Lien Section.
The General Chancery Section hears the following types of matters:
The Mortgage Foreclosure/Mechanics Lien Section hears the following types of matters:
The Domestic Relations Division hears matters concerning the family and children. The County and Probate Divisions preside over adoption and guardianship cases, not the Domestic Relations Division.
The Domestic Relations Division hears the following types of matters:
The County Division hears the following types of cases:
The Probate Division hears matters concerning the administration of estates and wills, including:
The Domestic Violence Division hears civil and criminal actions involving domestic violence issues, including:
The Municipal Department is divided into six geographic districts, with each district supervised by a presiding judge. The Municipal Department, in the First Municipal District, hears civil suits for damages seeking less than $30,000.00. The Municipal Departments for the remaining five districts hear civil suits seeking less than $100,000.00 for monetary recovery.
The Municipal Department hears the following types of cases:
If you have more questions or wish to discuss your specific legal matter with an attorney, do not hesitate to contact Kasan Law for more information. Contact our office to arrange a telephone, video, or in-person consultation. As with all of our consultations, we never charge a fee and provide free case reviews.
Disclaimer: The information on this Website is for informational purposes only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The materials on Website site does not constitute legal advice. Legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and the contents of this Website are not a substitute for legal advice from competent counsel. The information contained on this Website may or may not reflect the most current legal developments. Accordingly, information on this site is not promised or guaranteed to be correct or complete and should not be relied upon as such.