The general rule under the laws of the City of Chicago, as well as across the state of Illinois and the entire country is that the police aren’t allowed to just search you or your possessions, cars or homes just because they feel like it. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens (and non-citizens) against such unreasonable...
Read MoreIn a criminal case that took over two years to wind its way from the initial alleged crime to a conclusion in which he was found guilty by a jury, actor Jussie Smollett was sentenced recently to 30 months of felony probation, ordered to pay the City of Chicago $120,000 in restitution, assessed the maximum...
Read MoreYou can’t get a DUI for just feeling poorly. Whether you’re not feeling well because you have an illness or whether it’s because you drank too much alcohol, smoked too much cannabis or ingested controlled substances the night before, that alone should not be enough to substantiate a Drunk Driving charge. According to the laws...
Read MoreA public defender is a lawyer who works for the government in criminal defense or traffic defense. They are charged with representing criminal defendants who cannot afford to pay for a private attorney. Public defenders are paid by the government and are staff attorneys of the county for which they work, such as Cook, Lake,...
Read MoreIn every state, it is illegal to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, the penalty varies from state to state. If a police officer suspects that you are driving under the influence, you may be stopped and asked to submit to a breathalyzer test to measure your blood alcohol content. The charges...
Read MoreIf you have been charged with a criminal offense, it’s important to understand the difference between probation and parole. These two terms are often confused, even though they couldn’t be more different. One involves staying out of the penitentiary and the other involves how the court supervises a defendant’s conduct after being released from imprisonment....
Read MoreYes. Teens can face assault or battery charges if involved in a fight with another student or someone else at school. Both assault and battery are serious crimes in Illinois. Your child could face long-lasting consequences if found to responsible under the law. Despite being a minor (and even though this is very unlikely), they...
Read MoreA sentence for possession, manufacturing, or another offense involving cocaine can include imprisonment and fines. State laws punish these crimes harshly. If convicted, you could spend as much as 30 years behind bars, depending on the amount of cocaine involved in the offense and your criminal background. Defending a cocaine charge can be complicated. It...
Read MoreClients often ask us how it’s possible for the State’s Attorney to convince a Judge that they’re guilty of a crime when there isn’t any “real proof”. When people ask this question, what they’re usually really asking is whether it’s possible to convict a person when there’s no video evidence that can 100% prove that...
Read More