Domestic Violence

Experienced Illinois Domestic Violence Lawyer

In Illinois, there are two ways to become entangled in a domestic violence matter: through a divorce filing or by being charged with domestic battery by the police. In either event contacting an experience domestic violence attorney is essential. Michael Meschino brings more than twenty years of legal experience to Illinois domestic violence matters.

Protecting your Rights in Domestic Violence Matters
Michael Meschino • Domestic Violence Attorney • 1-800-835-4202

There are two issues involved in domestic violence—civil orders of protection and domestic battery. Civil orders of protection originate with an emergency ex parte (without notice) order. The order is valid for 21 days at which time a hearing is scheduled to determine whether the order of protection will be extended. An order of protection can be extended, after a hearing, for as long as two years. If you do not appear as a respondent in a civil order of protection, after being served with the order of protection, the court has the power to enter the plenary order of protection against you.

It is important to contest civil orders of protection in order to prevent the court from entering a plenary order of protection that will show up on a criminal background check, if even if you have never been charged with domestic battery or any other crime. In contrast, domestic battery is a criminal charge based on what a defendant did or threatened to do. The victim is represented by the State’s Attorney who prosecutes the case and there may be an order of protection that is entered at the time that the domestic battery is placed with a police department. It is imperative to challenge any domestic violence charge. Since there is no supervision for domestic battery in Illinois, challenging domestic violence charges often requires going to trial or providing an opportunity for the complaining victim to recant.

The Illinois Domestic Violence Act

The Illinois Domestic Violence Act includes any conduct that constitutes harassment, physical abuse, neglect, interference with personal liberty, intimidation of a dependent, stalking, exploitation, willful deprivation, or elder abuse of a family member or relative. People who qualify for protection under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act include a spouse, former spouse, child in common, stepchild, parent, individuals formerly sharing a common dwelling, personal assistant to a person with a disability, and people in relationships established by blood or marriage.

Working to Protect Clients dealing with Domestic Violence Charges

It is important to recognize that emergency orders of protection are almost always granted, often without notice to the other side. Once charges are filed or emergency orders of protection are granted, Michael Meschino works closely with clients to guide them through the legal system. He works hard to ameliorate the situation through agreements involving an interim order of protection or a mutual restraining order.

He has extensive experience preparing and filing petitions for orders of protection in the Third District's special courtroom for orders of protection in Rolling Meadows, servicing Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, and other northwest suburbs. He also handles cases in the Second Municipal District in Skokie, servicing the northern Chicago suburbs.

Our firm represents people throughout the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, including Arlington Heights, Palatine, Mt. Prospect, Schaumburg, Streamwood, Inverness, Hanover Park, Lake Zurich, and Deerfield.

To schedule a free initial consultation with a domestic violence/divorce attorney, email us or call us at 1-800-835-4202.