You are just minding your own business when all of a sudden, you are being confronted by a police officer, displaying a badge, asserting their authority, and commanding you to comply. “Wait a minute--isn’t this America? Do I not have rights under the Constitution?” The answer is yes, of course you have rights; but resisting...
Read MoreConsider the following. You and your friend Bill decide to drive to the University of Illinois Chicago campus to check it out. You agree to drive because Bill does not have a car. On the way there, you stop at the Sac-O-Suds convenience store to pick up some snacks. Because you are good citizens who...
Read MoreThe recent death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota Police officers during an arrest have sparked nationwide demonstrations in cities across America, including the City of Chicago. Most demonstrations here started out peacefully with most citizens taking to the streets to express their point of view. But while the majority of Chicagoans obeyed...
Read MoreSince at least 2012, what is commonly referred to as a chokehold has been banned by the Chicago Police Department, although prior to that, the maneuver was once taught in the Chicago Police Academy. A variety of other holding techniques are authorized by the CPD for the purpose of restraining subjects which include wristlocks and...
Read MorePeople cough every day, potentially dozens of times a day. People also tend to sneeze from time to time and although it’s not considered very polite, sometimes they spit as well. Even the police do these things. So, what exactly is the big deal? How can one of these relatively normal bodily functions ever be...
Read MoreDuring the period of time from late March to late April last month (the time period involving the first 30 days of Governor Pritzker’s stay-at-home order), the Chicago Police reported less than 1500 arrests, in contrast to nearly 5000 arrests by the CPD in the same period last year. Chicago Police, who routinely make dozens...
Read MoreMany times, someone will say that they heard that the victim of their criminal or traffic case intends to “drop the charges” and the person just wants to confirm that they will be able to do that. Well, unless the “they” that’s being referred to is the prosecutor, “they” can’t. Not even a judge can...
Read MoreMany people believe that it is the job of a prosecutor to fight as hard as he or she can to prove everyone guilty, convict them, put them in jail, or otherwise exact the most severe punishment possible against all defendants. This is a common misunderstanding, although it is an understandable misunderstanding. It likely arises...
Read MoreYou were charged with an offense, perhaps a petty traffic citation, local ordinance violation, or something more serious, such as a criminal misdemeanor or felony. For whatever reasons you had at the time, you entered a plea of guilty in the matter. Now, you have decided that was a mistake, that you are not satisfied...
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