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Cheryl Powell
Law office of Cheryl A. Powell
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Biography
I have been practicing law for over 30 years. I have served as a legal services attorney representing clients in orders of protection, divorce, and parentage matters. Next I served as a public defender for 4 years, handling criminal law, juvenile law and mental health commitment cases. I have been in private practice on my own since 1999 representing people in a variety of cases, mostly family law, juvenile law, criminal law, domestic violence, guardianships, powers of attorney, wills and landlord-tenant cases. I do a smattering of other things in general. I also hold a Master's degree in Social Work, so I understand the mental health problems that are invariably involved in these matters.
Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law
- Divorce
- Contested Divorce, Military Divorce, Property Division, Same Sex Divorce, Spousal Support & Alimony, Uncontested Divorce
- Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence Criminal Defense, Domestic Violence Restraining Orders, Victims Rights
- Criminal Law
- Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
- Juvenile Law
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Collections
- Landlord Tenant
- Evictions
Video Conferencing
- Google Meet
- Skype
- Zoom
- FreeConferenceCall
- GoToMeeting
Fees
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Free Consultation
Brief 15 minute consultations to determine if I can help you and determine your retainer fee. If complicated custody matters, I usually charge my regular fee of $300 because it takes longer to determine the level of complications in the case. -
Credit Cards Accepted
I accept all major credit cards, including MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- Illinois
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Languages
- English: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
- Attorney/Solo Practitioner
- Law office of Cheryl A. Powell
- - Current
- Represent clients in a variety of matters, including those listed plus guardianships, wills and powers of attorney.
- Assistant public defender
- Marion County
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- Handled criminal law cases, including a murder case. Also handled juvenile cases, including abuse, neglect and delinquency; as well as mental health cases.
- Associate
- Douglas A. Antonik
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- Represented numerous clients in family law cases.
- Family Law Task Force Coordinator
- Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance
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- Supervised 40 lawyers in their handling of family law cases.
Education
- Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
- M.S. (1996) | Social work
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- Northern Illinois University
- J.D. | Law
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- Northern Illinois University
- B.A. (1983) | Political Science, Public Administration; with a Minor in Sociology
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- Honors: Pi Sigma Alpha, honor society
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- College of Lake County
- A.S. (1982) | Business Administration
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Awards
- Service to Miliary
- Illinois State Bar Association
Professional Associations
- Illinois State Bar
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Family Law Section Council, Criminal Justice Section Council
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- Jefferson county bar assn
- Member
- - Current
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- Marion County Bar Assn
- Member
- - Current
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Certifications
- Approved guardian ad litem
- 20th judicial circuit
- Approved mediator
- 20th judicial circuit
Websites & Blogs
Legal Answers
898 Questions Answered
- Q. How can I obtain legal assistance for my court date on August 27, 2025, in domestic violence court?
- A: You need to contact the legal services office for your county. It is Prairie State in northern IL, mostly, and Land of Lincoln in central and southern Illinois. Is your case for an order of protection or what? Domestic violence can mean many things.
- Q. Car registered under father's name; can I take it if I paid for it?
- A: You cannot have the title in your name alone unless you are 18. You were a minor when the car was purchased. It does not matter who paid for it. If your dad's name is on the title, he will want the car to be insured. You cannot take the car without your father's permission.
- Q. Concern about legal exposure from tipping at a massage parlor using Zelle.
- A: I would not expect this tip to be an issue unless it was out of line with other tippers. If you gave someone an unusually large tip and the place was investigated, I would expect that you could be questioned about what services were provided to you for that tip. At this juncture, it's too late to take it back, obviously. There is nothing you can do but hope that your tip level would not cause an investigation.
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