What Is a Public Defender?
A 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 MoreHow Long Does a DUI Stay on Record?
In 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 MoreWhat’s the Difference Between Parole and Probation?
If 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 MoreCan You Be Prosecuted for Being in a Fight at School?
Yes. 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 MoreHow to Approach a Cocaine Charge
A 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 MoreHow Can I be Convicted Without Video Evidence?
Clients 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 MoreHow to Avoid an Assault Charge
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting Program, there were 385,278 aggravated assaults in one recent year and 1,025,711 other types of assaults. It is important to remember that not everyone accused of assault is guilty in the eyes of the law. For example, if the victim of an assault voluntarily takes...
Read MoreCan I Get a Felony Expunged?
If you have been arrested, charged, or convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, these records can severely affect your future both financially and otherwise. Even an arrest record can sometimes affect your ability to rent or own a home, get a credit card, or get a new job. People often also experience problems in their...
Read MoreHow to Beat a DUI in Illinois
If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, it might feel like an impossible charge to overcome. You may be thinking that you should simply plead guilty rather than wasting your time trying to fend off an inevitable conviction. But you’d be surprised to learn that there are actually many ways of...
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