Violent criminal charges are among the most serious both in terms of possible penalties and the stigma attached to the criminal record that results in the event of a conviction. Homicide and assault charges, as well as other violent crimes, may lead to incarceration and fines. The criminal record tied to such convictions will often haunt someone for years to come. Defendants accused of acts of interpersonal violence in Illinois often become so worried about the possible criminal consequences that they plead guilty in the hopes of minimizing the penalties they’ll face, but then they place thems ..read more

An adverse ruling in a criminal case is a serious blow, and it can leave you reeling – but you need to act quickly to begin the appeals process. Even though you’re struggling with the weight of everything that’s happened, you probably also need to find a different attorney to handle the appeal. While your trial attorney may have done their best, a trial and an appeal are two vastly different processes. Here’s why it is usually wisest to look for new representation: Appellate lawyers and trial lawyers often have different skills sets It’s important to remember that an appeal is not the same thi ..read more

We see police lying to suspects on TV all the time to get them to confess to a crime. However, many people don’t realize that in “real life,” law enforcement officers can indeed lie when questioning suspects. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld that right. Officers may tell someone a witness spotted them at the scene of a crime, that they found a weapon and are testing it for DNA or that a suspected accomplice turned on them and is cooperating with authorities. They typically do this to get someone (an adult or minor) to admit to committing a crime. However, in Illinois, the law puts limits on t ..read more

Facing criminal charges in Illinois is enough to frighten even the bravest individual. The penalties associated with the allegations against you might include incarceration, fines and community service obligations. It is common for prosecutors in Illinois to bring the most aggressive charges possible given the circumstances, often with the goal of pushing a defendant to plead guilty. Although the state may have evidence to help it build a case, you can still fight back. You may want to consider whether you have grounds to challenge that evidence before you determine that pleading guilty is the ..read more

A drug charge in Illinois may have serious consequences, including possible time behind bars and steep fines, among others. However, depending on the type of criminal charge you face and whether you meet other eligibility criteria, you may be able to avoid jail or prison time by entering and completing the drug court treatment program. Per the Circuit Court of Cook County, drug courts are part of a cooperative effort that typically involves law enforcement, prosecutors, defense attorneys and educators. The programs give certain individuals facing drug charges a means through which to avoid cri ..read more

If you have previously been convicted for a crime that you did not commit, then something you might want to seek out is a certificate of innocence. This is a powerful kind of post-conviction relief that helps you get the conviction removed from your record. It also indicates that the conviction was inaccurate and that you never should have been convicted in the first place. You can make a petition for the certificate of innocence as a step toward getting justice for what you’ve been through. When you get this petition granted, you’ll be able to seek damages against the state, too. This means t ..read more

If you are facing accusations of killing another person, you need to be aware of exactly what those charges entail. Homicides and murders are not necessarily the same thing, even if you may have heard those terms used interchangeably in the past. Homicides and murders may overlap in some cases. Here’s what you should know about the terminology and how it could apply to your case. What is murder? Murder is an illegal act including premeditated killings of others as well as those that were not premeditated. Murder may be classified to different degrees, with a first-degree murder being the most ..read more

Digital evidence often plays a major role in white-collar criminal cases. Police officers or even federal investigators will use everything from internet search history and email correspondence to bank transfer records to develop their allegations that someone committed a financial crime. Those accused of fraud often face a mountain of seemingly indecipherable evidence. With so much paperwork and such a long digital trail to follow, defendants often feel like they have no choice but to plead guilty, as they have no idea where to even start defending themselves. Before you give up and determine ..read more

Murder is among the most serious crimes you could ever commit. That being said, a murder itself is not always unlawful. They can be accidental or even a result of defending yourself against a serious threat. Murder is defined as the unlawful killing of another person with malicious intent. That means that someone who commits murder, and who is convicted for it, would need to have planned to commit that crime. The murder must have been premeditated, deliberate, willful and malicious. Murder can also happen in some other circumstances, such as if a killing occurs during: A burglary A robbery As ..read more

White collar crime is a broad term that’s used to cover a multitude of criminal actions that have to do primarily with personal gain for the person who’s accused of the crime. While some people think that these are victim-less crimes, they aren’t. The corporation or individual that’s stolen from, defrauded or scammed is the victim. There are many types of crimes that are classified as white collar crimes. Understanding a few may help people to avoid doing things that could be construed as a criminal act. One point to remember is that white collar crimes must be intentional, so you can’t a ..read more