Criminal Defense
July 7th, 2021

New Illinois Law Affects Driver’s Licenses, Police, Bail and Criminal Cases

Known as the “SAFE-T Act”, (for Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity), the Illinois Senate and House passed a wide-ranging criminal justice reform Act earlier this year which has just now taken effect.  Among the highlights of this new Act are included: Driver’s License Traffic Suspension Relief For years, there has been a public outcry that...

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Police Brutality
June 30th, 2021

The Thin Blue Line Between Murder and Mistake

The Death of George Floyd This week, Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police Officer convicted for the May 20, 2020 murder of George Floyd, was sentenced to a prison term of 22 ½ years, short of the 30 years in prison the prosecutors had requested. The judicial decision went beyond the 12 ½ year sentence...

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Criminal Defense
April 21st, 2021

Chicago Police Shooting of Adam Toledo and the Importance of Video Evidence

During the early morning hours of March 29th, in a dark alley in the Chicago Little Village neighborhood, 13 year-old Adam Toledo was shot by police and later died. In the wake of the recent deaths of George Floyd and Daunte Wright at the hands of Minneapolis Police and with a rising national consensus calling for...

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Criminal Defense
April 20th, 2021

The Derek Chauvin Trial and the Importance of Witness Testimony

When describing their cases, some clients commonly tell us that their case should be a “slam dunk” in court because “it’s just my word against hers (or his)”.  When this is said, what they’re suggesting is that if there are no witnesses that come forth, and if each side tells a different story, then how...

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Criminal Defense
January 11th, 2021

Hidden Cameras Lead to Criminal Charges and Lawsuits in Chicago

Recently, eleven former and current employees of Aspen Dental in Crestwood filed lawsuits for civil damages arising from illegal videotaping that occurred in the office’s bathroom area. In addition to potential money damages which may follow from the pending civil cases, criminal charges for the person accused of planting these hidden cameras have been filed...

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Criminal Defense
December 28th, 2020

How to “Press Charges” on a Chicago Criminal Case

You’ve been the victim of a crime in Chicago and want to make sure that the responsible party is brought to justice. So, you contact the local Chicago Police District Station to make a report. Maybe they’ll send out a Chicago Police officer to take the report or depending upon the circumstances, the dispatcher may...

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DUI
December 14th, 2020

Can You Be Arrested Because of How You Smell?

Unless you’ve purposely rolled in cow manure to annoy your neighbor, the answer of course is “no.” Not everyone smells as wonderful as you do, but a lack of personal hygiene has never been a crime in Chicago or elsewhere. Otherwise, that kid that you remember from High School might still be in jail. Take...

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Criminal Defense
December 7th, 2020

What Should I Do if I Have a Warrant for My Arrest in Chicago?

First, let’s discuss why you might have a warrant in the first place whether in Chicago or anywhere else in Illinois. There are basically two common situations. Sometimes, a warrant is issued because you failed to comply with a lawful court order and other times it’s because the police have filed a new case against...

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Criminal Defense
November 9th, 2020

Can I be Arrested for Road Rage in Chicago?

You’re driving down the street minding your own business when seemingly out of nowhere, another car cuts you off. You jam on your brakes to avoid an accident and as the other driver pulls away, he gives you “the finger”. Or you’re cruising down the Kennedy Expressway through Chicago when another car seems to be...

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Written by Mitchell S. Sexner Last Updated : January 13, 2023