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Why

O'Flaherty Law of Lake in the Hills

?

Top 3 Qualities to Look for in Your Attorney

Cost-Effective

When we started our firm in the midst of the recession, we learned to survive in a lean environment and pass the savings on to our clients.  As the economy has improved, we have not changed our philosophy.  We are hungry to grow our client base, and so we have intentionally set our rates below what the market will bear.  Our mission is to make each client walk away feeling that they got more value than they paid for.  This is easier to do when we make our prices affordable.

Client-Focused

The secret to our success as a firm is incredibly simple: we build a personal relationship with each of our clients and treat them with the respect that they deserve.  We pride ourselves on our open lines of communication, frequent check-ins with our clients, and our accessibility.  We are here to help you in any way we can, often leveraging our network of resources to assist you with non-legal issues that you may be having.  We are your one-stop problem-solver and trusted adviser.  All attorneys say that they provide excellent client service, but, unlike other attorneys, we practice what we preach.  We make sure every client walks away happy . . . period.

Comprehensive

We are your community law firm.  Our business is built on long-term relationships with our clients.  Our clients have the luxury of building trust over time with one team of attorneys, rather than having to find a new attorney for each different type of matter that arises over the course of their lives.  No one attorney can be an expert at everything.  That is why we have worked hard to assemble a team of attorneys with extensive experience in different areas of expertise.  Our attorneys work together closely to bring our collective experience to bear on any issue that may arise for our clients.

Great at What We Do

Since our business comes entirely from referrals and community involvement, our reputation for quality legal work is our greatest asset . . . and it is extremely important to us.  Each of our attorneys is truly experienced in his or her practice areas, with the highest personal standards of excellence.  We are proud of our reputation in the community, and we did not achieve it by accident.  Our reputation for excellence comes from hard work, continuing education, and an above-and-beyond approach to our clients’ cases.

More information about our Lake in the Hills Paternity Attorneys:

Our skilled Lake in the Hills paternity attorneys will be your voice. Our are proud of our excellent customer service and cost effective rates, we look forward to being your advocates in your paternity case.

You Don't Have to Leave Your Home For Your Legal Consultation

In this video, attorney Kevin O'Flaherty describes ways you can receive legal services from the comfort of home.

Lake in the Hills Paternity Attorneys

Please contact our friendly Lake in the Hills Paternity Attorneys at our nearest location to schedule a free consultation. If our office locations are not convenient for you, we are happy to speak with you by phone.

O'Flaherty Law of Lake in the Hills

8411 Pyott Rd., Ste. 107

​Lake in the Hills, IL 60156

Please contact our friendly lawyers to Schedule a Consultation.
See below for our other locations. If our office locations are not convenient for you, we are happy to speak with you by phone.
lakeinthehills@oflaherty-law.com

What to Expect From a Consultation

The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us.

Learn About Law

Legal articles, videos, and podcasts
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Expertise Best Child Support Lawyers in Chicago 201710 Best 2016 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law AttorneysAvvo Clients' Choice 2016 DivorceRising Stars Kevin P. O'Flaherty SuperLawyers.com10 Best Law Firms 2018 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Legal Counsel Attorneys Estate Planning Law40 under forty
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Further Reading from our Lake in the Hills Paternity Attorneys

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Our Lake in the Hills Paternity Lawyers Will Represent You In Contested Paternity Suits

 Child support in paternity cases is handled mostly in the same way as in marital cases with two exceptions. Pregnancy expenses may be awarded along with retroactive child support. Pregnancy expenses can be awarded to the mother if the case is filed within two years of the birth of the child. Although retroactive child support can be awarded in some martial cases it is awarded very scarcely. It is done this way because the assumption is that in a divorce case the father was already supporting the child throughout the marriage. In paternity cases the court has discretion to award retroactive child support based on the following:

  • When the father learned that the child had been born; 
  • Whether the father had previously been willing to support the child; 
  • Whether the mother previously sought the father's assistance in supporting and raising the child;
  • Whether the mother had a valid reason for not filing a paternity suit earlier; and 
  • Whether the mother's delay in bringing the suit prejudiced the father. 

You can read about child support generally here: Child Support Explained, and Changes to Child Support Laws for 2017.

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Our Lake in the Hills Paternity Lawyers Will Represent You In Contested Paternity Suits

A paternity suit to establish a father-child relationship may be filed by the child, the mother, anyone claiming to be the child's father, or any individual or government agency that is providing financial assistance to the child.

‍By contrast, only the child's mother or the child's "presumed father" have standing to file suit to establish the non-existence of a father-child relationship.

‍Contested paternity suits can be filed before the birth of the child.  However, all of the proceedings will be stayed until the child is born, except for depositions to preserve evidence and blood tests. 

‍Suits to establish the existence of the father-child relationship may be filed until the child reaches the age of twenty.  However, the statute of limitations bars suits to establish the non-existence of the father-child relationship once two years have passed since the time that the father obtains knowledge of the relevant facts. 

‍Contested paternity suits can be filed before the birth of the child.  However, all of the proceedings will be stayed until the child is born, except for depositions to preserve evidence and blood tests. 

‍Suits to establish the existence of the father-child relationship may be filed until the child reaches the age of twenty.  However, the statute of limitations bars suits to establish the non-existence of the father-child relationship once two years have passed since the time that the father obtains knowledge of the relevant facts. 

‍In order to initiate a paternity suit, the petitioning party must file a petition to determine paternity in the circuit court of any county where any party to the suit resides.  The petition must then be served upon the responding party, along with a summons requiring him or her to appear in court on a particular date.

‍The child's legal guardian can represent the child in a contested paternity suit.  However, the court has discretion to appoint a guardian ad litem.  A guardian ad litem is an attorney appointed by the court to represent the child's best interests in the case. 

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Burdens of Proof in Paternity Cases

If there is no "presumed father," the existence or absence of a father-child relationship must be proved by the "preponderance of the evidence," meaning more likely than not. If there is a "presumed father," the presumption that this person is the father requires "clear and convincing evidence" to rebut, a higher standard than the preponderance of the evidence. ​If a party seeks to prove paternity after the death of a parent (usually for the purpose of inheritance), clear and convincing evidence is also required. ​​​If there is a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity, there is a presumption of paternity that will become conclusive and cannot be rebutted if the acknowledgment is not rescinded within 60 days of signing or the date that the paternity suit is filed, whichever comes first.  

Read the full article by our Lake in the Hills paternity attorneys explaining paternity laws.

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