Wrongful death lawsuits in Illinois typically arise when family members bring a case against someone who caused the death of their loved one through negligence or misconduct. Common causes for wrongful death claims are medical malpractice, car accidents, product liability and nursing home abuse.

If you file a wrongful death lawsuit in DuPage County, your case will generally always be heard at the DuPage County Judicial Center, located at 505 N. County Farm Road, in Wheaton, Illinois. Wrongful death cases are filed in DuPage County when the negligence that led to the took place there or if a defendant harm that caused the death is based there (typically a corporation). Often attorneys will look to get a case out of this county as western suburb juries are known for being very conservative and favorable to defendants.

Lawsuits require a number of dates in court before there is a resolution. First, both sides meet for case management conferences, where the parties update the court on how the case is going. Next there will likely be pre-trial hearings where each side lays the “ground rules” for trial. Many cases will reach a settlement around this time, meaning that the parties will decide on a monetary amount that satisfies both sides and then alert the judge by scheduling a settlement conference. If there is no settlement, the case proceeds to trial. All of these conferences, hearings and trial should occur at the DuPage County Judicial Center. You are welcome to attend all of the proceedings, however, most people do not attend the hearings and are only present when it is required – for instance, during a settlement conference or trial. The rest of the time, your lawyer can attend on your behalf.

It is important to speak to a lawyer in a timely manner to consider your options in a wrongful death suit because there is a limited period during which you may bring a claim. Generally you have two years from the date of the accident or death to file a lawsuit. Sometimes this period is reduced if you are suing certain government entities like the police department or public hospital.

All of the DuPage County lawyers we work with work on a contingency fee basis. This means the lawyer will not charge any fee unless he or she wins or settles your case. How much the attorney is paid at the end depends on the amount that you recover and the fee agreement you form with the attorney. Be sure to get the fee arrangement laid out in writing before the lawyer begins working on your case.

It is also crucial to find a lawyer that has experience and a successful track record with your type of wrongful death situation. For instance, an attorney experienced with wrongful death due to doctor error during surgery, will most likely not be the right person to take a case against a large corporation whose defective product caused a death.

You may hear the phrase “due process” in the media whenever a prominent criminal case is in the news, but where does it come from and what does it really mean?

Where is Due Process Found

Due process is a constitutional principle that our government must follow before it may take a person’s freedom or property. The 5th Amendment states, “nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be guarantees due process from the federal government, stating no person shall “be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The states are required to provide due process because the 14th Amendment states, “Nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

What is Due Process

A simple definition means due process requires notice and an opportunity to be heard before adverse action is taken against you. In criminal cases of due process include the need for probable cause to arrest someone and that a criminal defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by an impartial judge or jury. Due process does not just exist in a criminal trial, any time a person’s property interest may be taken due process protections also apply.

The courts have ruled that possessions such as a government issued license and even civil service jobs are property, which may only be revoked after a hearing. A quasi governmental organization like a homeowner’s association is also subject to due process requirements. If a homeowner’s association wants to fine a resident for bylaw violations such as excessive noise or because their house paint is the wrong color a hearing must first be held where the resident is given the opportunity to be heard.

Fundamental Rights

In addition to the “procedural due process” rights described above, which governs how the government must act, the constitution also guarantees “substantive due process” rights. While substantive due process is sometimes a difficult concept, it basically means that there are certain rights we hold to be so fundamental in our society that laws attempting to restrict them may be considered to be unconstitutional. These “substantive rights” are considered to be so fundamental that they enjoy protection even if they are not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution. Even if procedural due process is followed in enacting and enforcing the law a substantive right “vetoes” the law.

Right to Privacy

The federal Constitution does not contain a right to privacy, but the courts have ruled that it exists. Our substantive due process right to privacy is the reason that the Supreme Court has prohibited the federal and state governments from enacting laws that completely restrict an adult’s choice to have an abortion, buy contraceptives or engage in consensual sex. The substantive due process right to marry has formed the basis for striking down laws prohibiting interracial marriage nationwide and gay marriage in Massachusetts. In Goodridge v. Massachusetts Department of Public Health the state Supreme Court ruled that excluding gay couples from marrying “is incompatible with the constitutional principles of respect for individual autonomy and equality under law.”

There are many variations and applications of due process. At the core, however, is something to which we can all relate – due to process embodies the notion that there are certain basic rights and fundamental freedoms we enjoy as individuals within our society, whether they are explicitly stated or not.

The authorities finally caught up with the infamous “Barefoot Bandit” in the Bahamas… but here are 5 reasons he will be buying a nice pair of shoes. We all love a good story and for two years Colton Harris-Moore gave us a heck of a yarn while managing turn himself into modern day folk lore with his Houdini like evasion of authorities. After avoiding police for over two years, they finally nabbed the Barefoot Bandit (yes he was actually barefoot when they caught him) after a high speed boat chase in the Bahamas yesterday.

While they say crime does not pay, in this case it may. Colton has amassed over 60,000 Facebook supporters over the past two years and it looks as though he is going to be able to buy himself a nice new pair of shoes at the end. Here are five reasons why:

1. Harris-Moore’s crimes were not violent or serious in nature: While Colton is infamous for the grand nature of his thefts, from nabbing $600,000 Cessna airplanes (and flying them with little aviation experience) to highjacking just about every vehicle Consumer Reports covers… none of his crimes have been violent in nature. He has not physically harmed any of his victims. This has largely help feed his lore. In the end, Colton is looking at a large stack of larceny, burglary, theft and evasion charges (Nebraska has issued an arrest warrant). However, his theft of boats, cars, and small planes keeps him well out of the league of the world’s criminals that eat liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

The list of Colton’s latest alleged crimes include the following:

June 1st: Astoria, Oregon – stole boat and car

June 9th: McMinnville, Oregon – stole car

June 10th: Ontario, Oregon – stole car

June 18th: Yankton, South Dakota – stole car, reportedly broke into a house ate food and showered, homeowner caught him, Colton escaped

June 20th: Norfolk, Nebraska – Colton caught on surveillance tape, police say he stole another car and committed several burglaries including a restaurant and theft at an airport

June 24th: Dallas City, Illinois – police recover car believed to have been stolen by Colton

End of June: Danville, Illinois – police report Colton stole car he then drove to Bloomington, Indiana

July 4th: Colton believed to have stolen Cessna Corvalis from Monroe County Airport crashed off coast of Abaco

July 5-7th: Search for Colton Harris-Moore Continues in Bahamas. Includes FBI and Bahamian Police

2. Harris-Moore had a tough childhood: By all accounts, Colton had a miserable childhood. The product of an alcoholic mother and father, Colton became a skilled outdoorsman spending a great deal of time in the woods to the north of Seattle, in Pugust Sound. His mother has often stressed how difficult his childhood has been over the years and in fact Colton’s spree started with his escape from after sneaking out of the window of a Juvenile detention center over two years ago. Any judge or jury will surely take this into consideration.

3. Even some of Harris-Moore’s “victims” are pulling for him: After John Miller had his $600,000 Cesna swiped by Colton, folks urged him to Google the “Barefoot Bandit”… so he did. Friends told Miller to Google Barefoot Bandit. “And up pops this little baby face of a young kid that looks like he’s 12-years-old.” Miller said he started to soften up. He read Colton had had a hard life, with an alcoholic mother and father. He remains angry but also wonders how the kid pulled it off. Bottom line… if Miller’s own victims soften on the kid, it’s likely as judge or jury will as well.

4. Harris-Moore already has well known competent legal counsel: It was not long after his arrest before the Barefoot Bandit had a well known, competent entertainment lawyer by his side. Who needs a hefty retainer to plop down when the publicity this case will garner is all O. Yale Lewis (A Seattle entertainment lawyer who has represented the likes of Courtney Love and the family of Jimi Hendrix) will need to plunge head first into this case . Have no fear as it seems the Bandit is in good hands with his defense.

5. Let the entertainment deals begin to flow: Part of the reason Harris-Moore’s mother obtained O. Yale Lewis is because the entertainment deals are already flowing. Colton’s mother, Pamela Kohler says she needs an attorney to handle her “entertainment” interests, and she said a deal for a book about her son is in the works. Given Colton’s popularity, the book deal is just a stepping stone to larger deals, interviews and likely a movie about his exploits.

In the end, telling his unique tale to the right people are finally going to get the Barefoot Bandit a nice pair of shoes.

This is the best ebook on trading I have read in a very long time. Yes, its title does not betray that the ebook has anything to do with trading, and much less so with trading the Forex market, but it really does. To understand the origin of this curious title, one has to read through the first paragraph of the book: “The first person I met in the retail forex trading industry, the CEO of the prominent start-up forex company (IB) in South Africa was previously a star trader- in vending machines. The second person I met was the marketing director of a market maker. I expected to meet knowledgeable, successful and profitable traders. I met fast talking, successful, profitable salesmen. I knew I had entered the lion country.”

I decided to quote this fragment not only to explain the ebook title, but also because I can relate really well to the author’s experience: my first would-be-mentor was one fast talking Eddie who still (five years later) advertises his overpriced services to the masses via Stocks and Commodities and other industry rags. My experience with him was worse than miserable, but his lawyers assured me that saying anything more would be highly inadvisable.

This is a very long book, well over 200 pages, yet reading it is a real pleasure and one can hardly find any fluff in it. While the book is dedicated primarily to Forex trading, its ideas and insights are applicable well outside this particular market and those trading other financial instruments, futures in particular, will certainly find this book very interesting and useful. Obviously, those trading Forex will find it most useful. Even though this book is quite suitable for complete beginners, it is not necessarily aimed at them and more advanced traders should consider it as well.

This could be a very good first book on trading in general and not only your first trading book on Forex and here is why: it will either discourage you from trading right away because the picture it paints is far from that of easy money and romantic adventures for real men (and you will be grateful to the author for that forever) or it will help you approach trading in a serious, disciplined manner. Either way, you will benefit from this ebook more than from most out there.

About one third of the book, its first two parts, is dedicated to trading in general and contains one of the soundest opinions on trading you will ever find. One part is specifically about the Forex market, its nature and how it differs from other markets. This part is really good and gives you a very solid understanding of the workings of this market, much better than what you can expect to find in many other ebooks on Forex that tend to be somewhat superficial in this respect. The remaining parts are dedicated to trading methodologies, including the author’s own approach to Forex trading.

I am highly impressed by this ebook and that does not happen to me very often. In fact, not even every year do I come across a book as good as this one. Not only is it very readable, but also written in a very intelligent manner, with a real sense of humor, in a way that is truly honest about trading.

Here is just one small piece of advice from this book that shows that the author knows his subject very well: “There is only one road to success. Your own. You have to learn to put everything together yourself.” I like to put it in a somewhat different and more general way: “you have to find it in yourself.” That’s how you succeed. Not only at trading, but in whatever you aim to succeed at.

If you have never read a single book on trading and you are interested in this field, you cannot possibly go wrong by starting your education with this book. If you are interested in Forex trading, I doubt you will find a better starting point than this fine piece of work. I truly can not recommend this ebook highly enough and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed by its purchase. A mere 70 bucks is all you need to get it.

Carson McCullers (1917-1967) produced a fairly modest literary output during her short and troubled life. She published four novels, numerous short stories, an unfinished memoir and a novella. English poet Edith Sitwell said that McCullers had a poet’s sensibility, and it is this quality that comes through most in the rich and strange The Ballad of the Sad Café (1951).

Readers of McCullers’ fiction will be familiar with her sensitive and often idiosyncratic approach to themes of loneliness and isolation. McCullers likes to mix pathos with humour in equal measure, making for an often quirky tone that is also firmly grounded in the complexities of the human psyche. Many of her characters and situations should in reality seem far fetched, but somehow they manage to ring true. The only explanation for the authenticity of McCullers’ writing is that she was a keen observer of her native Georgia, turning her experiences into a deeply sympathetic fiction.

McCullers’ acute sense of the ridiculous in the human condition is perhaps no where more pronounced than in The Ballad of the Sad Café. The novella is thronged with many eccentrics, and ends in a most improbable climax. This is mixed with the novella’s backdrop of human isolation, of life devoid of much close company or trusted relationships. Everyone in The Ballad of the Sad Café seems on their own.

Plot Synopsis of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe

The main character, six foot two Miss Amelia Evans, seems a precursor to Mattie Ross, the narrator of Charles Portis’s 1968 novel, True Grit. Like Mattie Ross, Miss Amelia enjoys wheedling money out of people, hates sex (the scene describing her wedding night, and her angry reaction to her husband’s attentions, is hilarious) and physically she’s formidable. Miss Amelia, it is noted, once beat a lawyer in a fist fight.

Miss Amelia is married for ten days to Marvin Macy. After the marriage ends badly, with Miss Amelia refusing to consummate the union, Marvin leaves and sets out on a crime spree. He is eventually caught and incarcerated. In the meantime, Miss Amelia has been running her various businesses and mostly spending her time alone. Then a strange little hunchback, Lymon Willis, comes to town, a cousin of Miss Amelia’s as it turns out. The two hit it off immediately, and happily live together, enjoying each other’s company and setting up a café that turns out to be quite popular.

All goes quite well until Marvin Macy is released from jail, and he returns to the town to wreak havoc and frustrate everyone’s happiness. For some reason or other, the hunchback, Lymon Willis, becomes fascinated with Marvin Macy, almost enamored of him, this despite Marvin’s treating him with absolute contempt (Marvin’s putdowns are some of the funniest lines in the novella.)

The denouement culminates with a full blown fist fight between Miss Amelia and her estranged husband, Marvin Macy. The situation is clearly ridiculous, yet McCullers marries the absurdity of her characters actions with an eerie and haunting atmosphere. McCullers seems to acknowledge that deep down we are all, and that this is a strange part of being normal.

It’s hard to say what The Ballad of the Sad Café is about exactly, beyond the mood and atmosphere that the novella exudes. In many ways it is her most poetic and difficult to grasp work, and ends with a prose-poem that is audaciously tacked onto the end of the story, a twenty-two line piece called “The Twelve Mortal Men” which describes the singing of a chain gang. It’s almost like a Greek chorus that ends the novella. “It is music that causes the heart to broaden and the listener to grow cold with ecstasy and fright,” McCullers writes of the singing men.

The Ballad of the Sad Café is a strange and rewarding jewel in the McCullers oeuvre. It will broaden the reader’s heart, yet its strangeness and essential truths about loneliness and alienation frightens too.

The Ballad of the Sad Café, by Carson McCullers. Published by Penguin Classics. ISBN: 9780141183695