The Illinois Family Law Attorneys of James & Associates Professional Profile

Practice Areas:

• Prenuptial Agreements
• Property and Debt Division
• Divorce
• Paternity
• Custody
• Child Support
• Spousal Support (Alimony)
• Jurisdictional Issues
• Strategic Planning and Asset Protection

Firm Contact Information:

Address: James & Associates
412 2nd Ave., Forreston, Illinois 61030
Phone : 866-728-4886

Appointments Policy:

Meetings or teleconferences are by appointment only . Office personnel will happily assist you making either an in-person or teleconference appointment. Initial appointments are for one hour and must be paid for in cash at the time of the appointment. Teleconferences must be paid for prior to the time of the appointment. When a check is sent prior to a teleconference, the funds must clear prior to the appointment. If the law firm is retained, a written agreement is required and retainers will be determined based the complexity of the engagement. If a client wants the firm to carry a balance, interest will apply and collateral must be posted. The law firm generally will not carry a balance for more than 30 days as banks provide far more favorable interest rates. You may also inquire about credit card payment. Teleconferences are scheduled from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Tuesday through Friday.

Recent Cases:

• An heir to a manufacturing fortune had been in family litigation for years. A final order had been entered. James & Associates were retained in time to appeal the custody decision and obtained a reversal on the custody issue for re-trial in the trial court.

• A service person with many years of service, just prior to retirement, was allegedly “served” overseas from an Illinois trial court with a paternity action. Due to the service person's location and inability to appear a default judgment was entered which, if the order continued over the next 18 years, would cost the service person well in excess of $200,000.00 (not factoring in increases and college costs). This default was entered without ever establishing the service member as the biological father. James & Associates entered a special and limited appearance, and successfully vacated the default due to a lack of personal jurisdiction and a failure to comply with the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act. Because the case lacked jurisdiction, it was dismissed permanently.

• An executive was served with an emergency order of protection and was removed from his home based on purported allegations of child abuse. James & Associates were not retained until after the emergency order had been granted. The Firm obtained a reservation of rights to contest the matter in order to obtain time to investigate the allegations. Through investigation, discovery, psychological evaluation and motion practice, the allegations were eventually revealed to be spurious and vexatious. Joint custody was entered for both of the client's daughters with the executive client obtaining residential custody of his eldest daughter.

This same executive was then taken back to court two more times: First, his ex-wife sought to increase child support due to a change in circumstances –James & Associates brought up the college expenses of the eldest daughter for which the ex-spouse was making no contributions which was the original reason to reduce child support, and child support was not increased; Second, the ex-spouse again sought to impugn the executive with yet another emergency order of protection based on salacious allegations – the executive was again cleared.

• A software executive, who lived out of state, was being refused visitation. The custodial spouse was claiming the software executive was guilty of parental alienation. James & Associates were able to re-negotiate the client's child support to a lower rate and obtained for him more liberal visitation with his children – without a hearing.

Take Action to Protect Your Rights:

If you or a loved one is facing a complicated divorce, custody or other family law matter in Ogle County, Lee, County, DeKalb County, Carroll County, Stephenson County, Winnebago County, Cook County or the surrounding cities and counties of Illinois and you need the help of an experienced family lawyer, contact James & Associates today at 866-728-4886, or complete the contact form provided on this site to begin your free consultation. Meetings or teleconferences are by appointment only.