Legal questions and answers

Do I need a lawyer?

There are countless legal questions, but perhaps the most popular one, and the one that you should always begin with is, “Do I need a lawyer?”

The answer doesn’t necessarily come easily. Certainly you will need to find an attorney if you’ve been served with a lawsuit, are pursuing a divorce or are charged with a crime.

But what if you believe a company has wronged you in some way? It’s likely that this matter might be able to be solved by working with their customer service department. There are also many state-run agencies that watch over certain industries, like insurance companies and banks, and they may be able to help you before you seek an attorney. Involved in a fender-bender? In most cases, this can be handled through insurance companies.

Of course, often times, you just don’t know whether or not a lawyer is needed. Thankfully, many offer free initial consultation so it’s best to give them a call. It’s even more important to seek out expert advice, especially during the age of the Internet. Sure, there’s plenty of valuable information online, but whom can you trust?

Locally, you can contact FGPG Law – Franks Gerkin Ponitz Greeley. They’ve been a well-respected law firm in Marengo for more than 40 years. Perhaps they can answer your questions and resolve your legal matters with personal injury, workman’s compensation, criminal defense, family law, real estate, bankruptcy and more.

Peggy Gerkin, an accomplished trial attorney at FGPG Law, said the newest legal questions have stemmed from same sex marriage, which took effect earlier this year.

“People in Illinois can get married now even if they’re the same sex,” she said. “They also can get divorced from that marriage.”