In order to find rockford illinois lawyers you have a number of options.  A website called www.rokfordlink.com has a directory of every single barred attorney in the city of of Rockford, Illinois.  Lawyers who practice in Rockford, Illinois must be barred in the State of Illinois and maintain good standing with the Illinois Bar Association.  The Rockford, Illinois Lawyer should not have any disciplinary actions pending against him, or her.  You can also find a Rockford, Illinois lawyer by going to the Illinois Bar Association’s website and taking advantage of their referral service.  You also have the option of using the laws.com website to find a rockford, Illinois lawyer.  By clicking on the “find a lawyer” link at the top of this page you will be sent to a link that will allow you to input your name, location, contact information, and the description of your legal problem.  laws.com will then contact you with information about a Rockford, Illinois lawyer who can help you with your legal needs.

California divorce lawyers are those attorneys, barred in the State of California, who focus their practice on divorce law.  The legal definition of divorce the legal termination of a marriage by a court in a legal proceeding.  The California divorce lawyer has his, or her, specialty in Family law.  CA divorce lawyers are those family lawyers that  focus their practices specifically on divorce cases and matters coinciding with divorce such as alimony, child support and child custody. There are two grounds for divorce in the State of California: (1) irreconcilable differences, or “no-fault” divorce; and (2) incurable insanity.

A no-fault divorce is a divorce where both parties are not required to show fault on the other party.  This makes divorce simpler and allows for the dissolution of a marriage when both parties agree that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.”

In order for a California divorce lawyer to help you get a divorce based one based on incurable insanity the CA divorce lawyer must conclusively show that show, through proof, including competent medical and psychiatric testimony that the other spouse is incurably insane.  A divorce granted based on incurable insanity in the State of California does not relieve that the obligation of the petitioning spouse from support of the insane spouse.

Contrary to popular belief, California does not recognize common law marriage.  Common law marriage exists when a couple has lived together for an extended period of time; they hold themselves out as husband and wife; and they have the intention of getting married in the future.  Due to the fact that California does not recognize common law marriage there is no need for California divorce lawyers here.

Akin to common law marriage is palimony.  Palimony is a form of contract in which a couple, either hetero-sexual or same sex, agrees to support each other in the instance of dissolution of the relationship.  This is much like alimony with the exception that it is based on a written or oral agreement.  Palimony actions, unlike divorce actions, take place in a civil court and are based on contract law.  If you are involved in a palimony suit it is a good idea to have a California divorce lawyer who understands contract law. 

California  is a community property state which means that all property that was gained through the course of the marriage is split by the courts in a fifty fifty split.  The California  courts will also grant one of the spouses support from the other.  This is called alimony and the California  court system will look at a number of factors including one of the spouses: lack of sufficient property; inability to seek employment due to lack of education, disability, or being the primary caregiver of the children of the marriage; contribution to education of the other spouse; and age of person may preclude employment.  California divorce lawyers will be able to help clarify these forms of property.  Nothing is cut and dry when deciding the value and extent of ownership of marital property, even in community property states. 

The CA divorce lawyer will help you in your battle over child custody and spousal support.  The California court system will grant custody and child support to one or both of the spouses depending on factors that involve “the best interests of the child.” The California courts 

will look at a number of factors when determining child support and in what amounts.  These include: the standard of living the child is accustomed to and who the primary caregiver is.

In order to qualify for a divorce in the State of California at least one of the spouses must have lived in the California for 6 months; 3 months in the county where the divorce is filed.  

When you are contemplating divorce procedures in the State of California it is important to seek the the legal advice of a California divorce lawyer.  California divorce lawyesr will represent you to his, or her, fullest potential to make sure that you get the rights that you, or your child, deserve concerning custody, child support, and alimony.  There are numerous documents and filings that go along with a divorce proceeding in California.  The most important are The Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and The Final Judgement of Dissolution of Marriage.  In addition there are around ten other documents that you will need to complete.  A California divorce lawyer is experienced and knowledgeable about how to complete these documents and their filing deadlines.

Divorce proceedings can be stressful and emotional.  It is important to have California divorce lawyers on your side that will have no emotional attachments to the proceeding.  Many courts in California will require some type of mediation between spouses before litigation is permitted to proceed to court.  California divorce lawyers will help you negotiate alimony, child  custody and support with your other spouse while not having to deal with the emotions that naturally come with the dissolution of a marriage.  Mediation is the best way to proceed when concerning a divorce.  Mediation will not be on the public record, other than the binding settlement.  This is beneficial because dirty laundry of the spouses will not become prone to public scrutiny.

Another reason to have an California divorce lawyer is because a divorce has long lasting and life long effects.  If you represent yourself or have a poor California divorce lawyer you could end up paying exorbitant amounts of alimony and child support for years to come.  It is in your best interest to get a CA divorce lawyers who will negotiate and litigate for your rights and help you to reduce, or get more, alimony payments.

If you’re looking for California divorce lawyers then you can obtain the information you need through an internet search.  CA divorce lawyers advertise in newspapers, magazines and often have their own websites. Depending on your legal problem there will be a wide choice of California divorce lawyers who can help you. When looking for California divorce lawyers you should sit back and figure out what your needs are; how much you are willing to pay; how complicated the issue is; and how much you have at stake. After answering these questions you should set up interviews with at least a few California divorce lawyers who meet your criteria. It is also beneficial to contact the California Bar Association and take advantage of their referral service. The California Bar Association keeps a list of all lawyers in the state who are barred and in good standing along with their specialty areas.

You can also find a California divorce lawyer by accessing the laws.com referral service at the top of this page.  By clicking on the link and inputting your name, location, contact information and the extent of your legal problem a representative from laws.com will be able to direct you to a competent CA divorce lawyer for a consultation to help you with your divorce proceeding.

A CA DUI lawyer is an attorney, barred in the State of California, who represents clients who have been charged with Driving under the Influence of alcohol.  DUI is a serious offense and although it is not categorized as a criminal offense it can have long standing ramifications to your employment, driving, finances, and education far into the future. 

A DUI in California is a driving offense where an individual has (1) been behind the wheel of a motor vehicle; and (2) has registered 0.08% blood alcohol content.  You can still be arrested if your blood alcohol level is below 0.08% due to observations by police of impairment or failing a field sobriety test.   Depending on your weight and gender it could take as little as 1 alcoholic beverage to put you over the 0.08 threshold.  It is often the case that someone who just goes out to dinner and has a glass of wine, or two, will be pulled over and arrested for a DUI.  In the State of California, when you are arrested for DUI you will not only be charged with DUI but also California’s “per se” law.  In addition to the standard DUI laws in California, if an individual under the age of 21 is found to have a blood alcohol level above 0.01% alcohol and has been behind the wheel of a motor vehicle that individual will also be arrested for DUI.  This essentially equates to a zero tolerance policy for those under 21.

When this happens you will definitely need the help of a CA DUI Lawyer.  CA DUI lawyers know how to represent you in a DUI case, the strategies involved, what questions to ask, how to investigate the matter thoroughly, the loopholes, and probably most importantly, the judges and prosecutors in the district, so that you will stay out of prison and maintain your driving privileges.

1st offense:  probation or between 4 days and 6 months imprisonment; suspension of driver’s license for 4 months; and a 30 hour alcohol and drug rehab program.  Some counties in California require mandatory jail time where others will often give probation for a first offense.

2nd offense: $390 to $1,000 fine; 10 days up to 1 year imprisonment; suspension of driver’s license for up to 2 years.  Many counties require a minimum of 10 days imprisonment and do not offer probation of any kind.

3rd offense: 120 days up to one years imprisonment;  fines of between $390 and $1,000 ;  suspension of driver’s license for up to  3 years;  Some counties require a minimum of 210 days to be served in a State Penitentiary.  

4th Offense:  a fourth offense is considered a felony DUI and will include up to 3 years imprisonment; permanent suspension of driver’s license; and extreme fines.

The fines included in these charges do not consider court costs and other financial penalties that will often exceed the cost of the fines themselves.

If you, or someone you know, has been arrested for Driving under the Influence then it is almost required that they contact a CA DUI lawyer immediately.  Driving under the Influence of alcohol has a stigma attached to it unlike most any other violation, even some felonies.  Hiring CA DUI lawyers will not only keep you out of jail and keep your driving privileges but a California DUI lawyer can make it so you don’t have to be shamed by a DUI charge, pay higher insurance premiums or risk losing employment or education opportunities.

There are many different ways that a California DUI lawyer can help you in attacking your DUI charge.  The California DUI lawyer will be able to get the records for calibration of the machine, argue the invalidity of testing, illegal searches and stops, studies proving the invalidity of breathalyzers, and arguing the disciplinary record of the police officer who conducted the arrest.  CA DUI lawyers will also be familiar with the judges that handle these matters in the courts.  A good CA DUI lawyer will notice if the judge you are presenting your case to is harsh on sentencing or is lenient for first time, low violation offenders.  In this way the CA DUI lawyer may be able to get your case postponed until a later date with a more forgiving judge.  Every little thing in a DUI case matters and a CA DUI lawyer should be competent and experienced enough to take advantage of these opportunities to help your case. 

Some CA DUI lawyers will tell you that you should always refuse a breathalyzer test.  Although this is something that you will want to discuss with a California DUI lawyer; refusing to take a breathalyzer test is considered an assumption of DUI and you will be arrested.  On the other hand, if you refuse to take a breathalyzer test then there will be no evidence of your intoxication other than police reports, video from the police department, results of field sobriety and the testimony of the police officers.  A good CA DUI lawyer should be able to explain away these forms of circumstantial evidence.  A negative breathalyzer result, however, is often found conclusive of the violation.  Refusal to take a breathalyzer or field sobriety test cannot be used against you in court by law; it is deemed to be a violation of your 5th amendment right against self-incrimination and the prosecution may not use your failure to perform the test as a showing of guilt in the same way that he, or she, may not deem your failure to testify in your own trial as an assumption of guilt.   Your CA DUI lawyer will know have the best answers to determine what the best route is.

If you are, in fact, driving under the influence of alcohol an CA DUI lawyer will be in the best position to help you plead down your penalties.  The penalties associated with fines, imprisonment, and revocations of licenses are a “not more than” standard.  This means that you can not be penalized for more than the designated period of time but the penalty can be anywhere below that.  The CA DUI lawyer “earns his money” in these situations.  Where a suspended license will be mandatory for a specific violation the CA DUI lawyer will be in the best position to make it so that your suspension is minimal and even get it so you can drive to and from work.

If you live in California, or your offense has taken place in California, and you need a CA DUI lawyer there are many routes you can take.  Almost all law firms have websites that can be easily accessed through a rudimentary internet search.  These websites will often give detailed descriptions of the CA DUI lawyer’s education, certificates, areas of practice, and results that they have attained through representing clients charged with DUI.  However, these websites are “advertisements” in that they are designed to best represent the lawyer and should not be taken completely by their word.

If you feel that the search for an CA DUI lawyer is overwhelming, or you don’t have the time to make a detailed search then you may want to take advantage of a referral service.  The California Bar Association can help you.  From there you will be able to contact the California Bar Association at 415-538-2250 or you can search for one of the many referral services in California by doing a county search.   

Laws.com also has a valuable referral service.  By going to the top of this page and clicking on the “find a lawyer” link you will be able to access the laws.com referral service.  By inputting your name, location, contact information, and a brief description of your legal problem laws.com will be able to put you in touch with CA DUI lawyers in you area that will help you fight your DUI charge.

 

A California Estate Planning Lawyer is an attorney, barred in the State of California, which represents clients in the preparation, and execution, of Estate Planning documents and accounts.  The purpose of an Estate Planning Lawyer is to help prepare wills, trusts, and other testamentary and non-testamentary documents and accounts to ensure that the assets of an individual are dispensed to his, or her, family and friends as he, or she, wishes at death.  An estate planning lawyer also helps those individuals’ durable powers of attorney, health directives and other legal documents.

The fundamental instrument that a California Estate Planning lawyer will use is the creation of a will is to avoid intestacy.   Intestacy occurs when an individual dies without a will, or other testamentary document disposing of assets. Intestacy means that the property possessed by an individual at death is disposed of according to the laws of descent in that state. This is usually unfavorable to the decedent and can result in assets of the decedent going to individuals that the decedent had no intention of leaving anything to.

A will is the basic testamentary document that a California Estate Planning Lawyer will prepare for a client but there are other documents and accounts that are much more beneficial.  These include Trusts, joint tenancies, life insurance, and many other accounts.

A trust can be already in existence or created by the person seeking help from a California Estates Planning Lawyer. A properly created trust will pour your assets into an account that will be held in the name of a trustee, usually your California Estate Planning lawyer, for the benefit of others, known as the beneficiaries of the trust.

Trust assets can take on many forms. They can be composed of real and personal property, intellectual property, bank accounts, life insurance, and any number of different types of assets. A trust can be a living trust or it can be testamentary. A living trust compiles the individuals assets into the trust for the benefit of both the grantor and the beneficiaries. When the grantor dies all the assets in the trust will belong to the beneficiaries named there in. A testamentary trust is a trust where the grantor places his property into the trust, in the name of the trustee, usually the Wills and Trusts lawyer, for the sole benefit of the beneficiaries. In a testamentary trust the grantor has no right to the assets of the trust once they are put into the trust.

There are also different kinds of beneficiaries.  There can be an income beneficiary or a corpus beneficiary in a trust.  Income beneficiaries are those beneficiaries who only have access to the interest that the trust the income that the trust accumulates.  A corpus beneficiary is one who receives the assets from the trust.  For example, if a trust is created by the grantor that states “to Alice as income beneficiary of this trust shall receive 50% of all interest gained from the trust on an annual basis.  Upon my death Betty shall receive the corpus of the trust.” The trust is worth $100,000 and there is an average of $10,000 in income every year.  In this example Alice will receive $5,000 in that year and the other $5,000 will be reinvested.  Upon the death of the grantor the trust will be terminated and all the assets of the trust will go to Betty.

If you are contemplating drafting a will, codicil to a will, trust or other document involving the disposition, of your assets or involving your care at incapacity, you should definitely consult a California Estate Planning lawyer in your area. Many people every year decide that they don’t need a lawyer and draft their own wills only to have their loved ones find out during probate that the will is invalid due to a lack of formalities.

The major purpose of having a California Estate Planning Lawyer is to prepare non-testamentary accounts that will not only avoid the long and costly process of probate but avoid estate taxes.  This is the number one goal of a California Estate Planning lawyer.  As of 2011 the estate tax establishes a 35% tax on all estates, transferred at death, that are $5 million or more. One of the most important skills your California Estate Planning lawyer can have is accounting and business management skills. The goal of a California Estate Planning lawyer is to minimize the tax liabilities that they will be subjected to when you die and transfer your assets. A California Estate Planning lawyer will be able to help you put your assets into joint tenancies, joint bank accounts, life insurance, and tax shelters so that you can minimize both your, and your beneficiaries tax liabilities.

If you are looking to create a will, trust or other testamentary document you have many options in finding a California Estate Planning lawyer. Almost all law firms have websites that can be easily accessed through a rudimentary internet search. These websites will often give detailed descriptions of the California Estate Planning lawyer’s education, certificates, and results that they have attained through representing clients. However, these websites are “advertisements” in that they are designed to best represent the lawyer and should not be taken completely by their word.

When looking for a Estate Planning lawyer you should try and find one that has experience working as an accountant or CPA. If your assets are large enough to warrant it, you may want to spend some extra money and hire a California Estate Planning lawyer who has formerly worked as an attorney for the IRS. These people will be best at helping you allocate your assets in the best possible way to shield them from being considered taxable income.  The cost of exceptional California Estate Planning Lawyers may be expensive but when you have assets that go into the millions of dollars having a California Estate Planning will be essential and the amount of money that you save will be exponentially more than the cost of the representation.

Laws.com also has a valuable referral service. By going to the top of this page and clicking on the “find a lawyer” link you will be able to access the laws.com referral service. By inputting your name, location, contact information, and a brief description of your legal problem laws.com will be able to put you in touch with California Estate Planning Lawyers in you area that will help you.

California personal injury lawyers practice in the field of tort law.  Tort law comprises litigation involving the injury of one individual due to the harmful acts of another.  There are generally three types of personal injury actions that a California personal injury lawyer will represent you in.  These are intentional torts, negligent torts, and strict liability actions.  

For a personal injury action in California to stand the California personal injury lawyer must prove 4 elements: (1) that the defendant had a duty to the plaintiff; (2) that the defendant breached that duty; (3) the breach of duty was the proximate and actual cause of the injury; (4) the injury resulted in damages.

A California Personal Injury Lawyer is best equipped to handle your personal injury action.  California has some of the most complicated laws concerning personal injury actions and you will want a California personal injury lawyer who has experience practicing in the State of California to represent you.  Some of the distinctions of California personal injury law that differ from other states in the Union include:

1. California follows the “pure comparative negligence” standard when considering damages for personal injury actions.  This means that a defendant’s liability will be based on his, or her, percentage of negligence, even if the plaintiff is more than 50% at fault.  For example, if a jury finds that a plaintiff suffered $100,000 in damages and the jury finds that the defendant was 10% at fault, despite the plaintiff’s overall negligence, the defendant will be liable for $10,000

2. The State of California also doesn’t adopt Joint & Several liability for non-economic damages.  The policy behind this is to protect defendants who are not ultimately responsible for the greater percentage of damages from excessive judgments.

3. Non-economic damages are capped at $250,000

4. In the state of California individuals who sell, furnish, or give alcohol to a minor are liable for the injuries to person and property resulting from the minors intoxication

5. The Statute of Limitations for personal injury actions in California is 2 years.  If it is a medical malpractice claim then the action must be brought within 1 year from the discovery of the injury but no longer than 3 years from the injury.  If the medical malpractice injury results in injury to a child that child has 3 years to bring an action or 3 years from the time they turn 8 years old.

6. In order to litigate a medical malpractice claim in the state of California you must put on expert testimony.

7. California allows for a party to show evidence that the other party is covered by health  insurance, accident insurance, workers compensation, or social security benefits.

8. Attorneys fees are strictly regulated in the State of California.  A California personal injury lawyer is permitted to receive up to 40% of the first $50,000, 33% of the next $50,000, 25% of the next $500,000 and 15% of everything over $600,000.

California has some of the strictest requirements to become a California personal injury lawyer.  The California Bar Exam comprises 3 entire days.  The first and third day is comprised of 3 essay questions and a Writing Performance Test for each day.  The second day is comprised of the Multi-State Bar Exam.  The MBE is a 200 multiple choice question test that is administered nationwide by the National Board of Bar Examiners.  The California Bar Association counts the MBE for only 35% of the total score while the essay questions and the writing performance tests comprise the other 65% of the exam.  The passage rate of the California Bar Exam is the lowest in the country with only an average of 45%.  

The California Bar Association also requires a passing score of 86 on the Mult-State Professional Responsibility Exam.  No other state has a higher requirement.

Due to the difficulty of the California Bar Exam and the high moral and ethical requirements associated with admittance to practice law in the state you will not have a difficult time finding a California personal injury lawyer who has the ability to handle your case.

The California Bar Association also operates a legal referral service from their website at www.calbar.ca.gov.  By going to the California bar associations website you can input the county in the State of California where you will be needing a California personal injury lawyer and the referral service will give you a list of resources in your county to contact.  You may also call the referral service at 415-538-2250. 

You can also take advantage of a legal aid service provided by lawyers in California. California requires that its lawyers provide a certain amount of pro bono services per year.  A California personal injury lawyer can be retained for free through a legal aid service if your income is less than 125% of the national poverty level.

You can also find California personal injury lawyers by taking advantage of the laws.com website.  By going to the top of this page and clicking on the “find a lawyer” link you will be brought to the laws.com referral service.  By plugging in your name, location, contact information, and description of your legal problem.  Laws.com will then contact you about possible California personal injury lawyers who may be able to help you with your problem.

Lucky for those with legal issues in Kentucky, there are no shortage of options to find a reliable Kentucky lawyer that will manage your case with professionalism and knowledge of the legal system that will work in your favor.

Gun control laws are an excellent example of how legislation varies by location.  Kentucky law for example has a rare distinction of issuing a Concealed Deadly Weapons License, renewable every five years that permits the user to carry guns and other weapons such as clubs and brass knuckles.  No permit is required to purchase long guns or handguns, nor do the weapons need to be registered or the owner be licensed.  Kentucky state law also preempts all local restrictions except for some government buildings and educational institutions.  Additional unique Kentucky gun laws waive residency requirements for members of the military stationed in Kentucky and specific requirements on a marksmanship test.  The standard to be certified is generally hitting a target 7 yards away with 11 out of 20 shots fired.

Laws vary from state to state and the Kentucky lawyer will able to help you determine the legality of your actions.  The Kentucky lawyer will be able to review your contracts and other legally binding agreements and provide beneficial legal advice that may be applicable to your situation.  Kentucky lawyers will specialize in a number of practice areas, thus increasing their professional profile and expertise in that field.  Seek out a specialized Kentucky lawyer or use a lawyer referral service to find a Kentucky lawyer that suits your needs.

The Kentucky Bar Association is a mandatory membership organization based in Frankfort, Kentucky that governs the professional behavior of Kentucky lawyers.  Among the important services provided by the KBA include lawyer complaints resolution and ethics rules to ensure that all Kentucky lawyers maintain an acceptable level of professionalism.  The appropriate rules of professional conduct for Kentucky lawyers can be found in the Kentucky Supreme Court rules and include such provisions for self-government of the legal profession, providing the best possible representation for clients and improving access to the legal system.

The KBA also maintains a Kentucky Lawyer Assistance Program (KYLAP) that advises lawyers with issues that may impair their practice, such as a lack of professionalism or substance abuse.  Kentucky lawyers may use the services of KYLAP at any time or may be ordered to do so by the State Supreme Court in response to ethics and professionalism complaints.    

Members of the Kentucky Bar Association will pay dues to the organization and may also join professional practice sections for areas such as criminal law education and equine law.  These practice sections will serve as a professional network in addition to keeping the Kentucky lawyer up to state on relevant developments that affect their legal practice.

Kentucky lawyers will have access to the online legal service “Casemaker” that assists them with legal research with information on federal and state law.

Unlike other states, the KBA does not have its own Lawyer Referral service but can direct you to a private or local lawyer referral service that will connect you with a Kentucky lawyer that will provide you with legal assistance.  The local lawyer referral services include both the Central and Northern Kentucky Bar Association Lawyer Referral Services, which are affiliated with county-wide bar associations.

Membership in the KBA is mandatory and all Kentucky lawyers must have a certificate of good standing to practice law.  You will ask the Kentucky lawyer to display this certificate if you have any doubts about the legitimacy of your lawyer.  You will be able to look up lawyers through the KBA website, which has an online directory of Kentucky lawyers and lawyers allowed to practice within Kentucky.  

All lawyers in Kentucky, by order to the State Supreme court, will pay into a Client Security Fund that protects clients from potential malpractice at the hands of a negligent Kentucky lawyer.  You will be secure knowing that you have this protection when working with a Kentucky lawyer.  The claims must be approved by the court and are limited to $65,000 per claim against the negligent lawyer.  Failure to pay into the fund will be grounds for the suspension of the Kentucky lawyer.

If you must file a complaint against a Kentucky lawyer, the complaint must be notarized and filed with the Kentucky Bar for investigation.  Only then will you be considered for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund.  The KBA has a complaint form but it is not required to file a formal complaint.  The complaints must be made in writing.

An important role of your Kentucky lawyer will be to update you on tort reform efforts and other changes that may affect your case and your ability to collect on damages inflicted on you by another party.  Currently you will have only one year to file a personal injury claim in Kentucky, although the discovery rule does apply and the statute of limitations does not begin until you have discovered the injury.  Wrongful death has similar restrictions but no discovery rule unless the death had been covered up by the injuring party.

Contingency fees are the typical arrangement for Kentucky lawyers working on accident and malpractice cases.  The lawyer is compensated by a percentage of the jury award, determined in advance with the client.  This may be a lower fee if settled out of court, depending on the arrangement.

You may pay flat fees for some legal services that do not require going to court.  This includes document and contract preparation, mediated divorces and legal consultations.  Feel free to find the lawyer with the best rate on unbundled services

A retainer arrangement is an agreement between the attorney and client to set up a billable trust account.  This account may be refilled at any time at the discretion of the attorney and the client should be aware of this possibility.  Flat and hourly fees may be billed through a retainer.

Even if you are not eligible for pro bono services, some lawyers may have alternate pay plans or deferred arrangements to pay fees, so it is best to check with the lawyer during the consultation for these fee arrangements.

How does my case relate to Kentucky laws?

Are local laws in effect for this case?

What are your fees and do you have alternate payment plans?

Are you a member, in good standing, of the Kentucky Bar Association?

What roles do you play as a member?

Are you a member of a local Bar Association?

Can I please have all fees in writing?

What are my chances of winning a settlement or at trial?