Can Police Force Me to Give Blood, Breath or Urine When Arrested for DUI?
Illinois is one of only a handful of states that has expanded the ability of police to obtain certain scientific evidence even when the accused does not consent or is incapable of consent. What Does Implied Consent Mean? Implied Consent means that when you ask for and receive a driver’s license in Illinois, it is...
Read MoreWill an Illinois Expungement Erase my Whole Criminal History?
Once upon a time in America, there was no such thing as the internet! I know, right? It didn’t come into common use until the 1990s. Until then, people went to libraries when they needed to get the answer to something, no one had a “smart phone” or any type of cell phone and there was...
Read MoreLiar, Liar, Pants on Fire! Can Chicago Police Lie to Children?
Remember when you were a child? There were just a couple important rules that every child needed to follow to avoid being punished. If you followed these rules and were good, you might get a treat. On the other hand, if you acted out or were disobedient, punishment was sure to follow. Ever since the...
Read MoreCannabis Laws in Chicago and Across Illinois
Weed became legal in Illinois when the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act was signed into law on June 25, 2019. The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act made cannabis legal for adults 21 years or older beginning on January 1, 2020. However, the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act did not completely legalize the possession and use...
Read MoreNew 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...
Read MoreThe 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...
Read MoreChicago 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...
Read MoreThe 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...
Read MoreHidden 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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