Chicago Criminal Defense Blog

About What to Know if You're Arrested for Shoplifting

What to Know if You're Arrested for Shoplifting

Retailers across Illinois and the country are currently preparing for the busiest time of the year: the winter holidays. The preparation goes beyond...
About Accused of Violating Your Probation? Here’s What You Should Do.

Accused of Violating Your Probation? Here’s What You Should Do.

A sentence of probation is meant to be an alternative to imprisonment and other more serious penalties. People who are put on probation...
About Factors that Determine if You Should Plea Bargain

Factors that Determine if You Should Plea Bargain

When many people think of the court system in the United States, they immediately picture prosecutors and defense attorneys arguing in front of...
About What to Say If You Are Arrested in Illinois

What to Say If You Are Arrested in Illinois

Many people have only a vague idea of what happens when they are arrested. Many misconceptions abound, at least partly due to inaccurate...
About What Are Motions and Why Do Lawyers File Them?

What Are Motions and Why Do Lawyers File Them?

What is a Motion? Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute defines a motion as a “request to a court for a desired ruling...
About What is a First Appearance?

What is a First Appearance?

When people think of the trial process, many people picture heated arguments between prosecutors and defense attorneys, the presentation of evidence, the cross-examination...
About Do Police Have the Right to Search My Cell Phone?

Do Police Have the Right to Search My Cell Phone?

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution defends “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and...
About What You Need to Know About Criminal Damage to Property in Illinois

What You Need to Know About Criminal Damage to Property in Illinois

Keying the car of someone who angered you - Leaving a foul-smelling substance in a co-worker’s office - Breaking off a piece of...
About What Happens After Being Convicted of a Felony in Illinois?

What Happens After Being Convicted of a Felony in Illinois?

When a defendant receives a felony conviction, it is not necessarily true that you will have to spend any time in prison at...