A common question I get from clients is whether they will have to go to jail if they are arrested by the police. Yesterday, I received a telephone call from a prospective client who was caught shoplifting at a local Target. When he was approached by store security, he ran…
Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
Will My Domestic Battery Charge be a Felony or a Misdemeanor?
A common question I get from clients who come into my office to talk about their Domestic Battery case is whether their Domestic Battery is a misdemeanor or a felony. The overwhelming majority of Domestic Battery cases are misdemeanors. But under certain circumstances, a misdemeanor Domestic Battery can be a…
Are Brass Knuckles Legal in Illinois?
Earlier this week, I met with a client who was pulled over by the State Police for driving 38 miles an hour over the speed limit on the Tollway. The client did not realize that driving 38 miles an hour over the posted speed limit in Illinois is a crime.…
Illinois Now a Hands-Free Zone. Cell Phone Usage for Motorists Prohibited
As of July 1, 2019, Illinois has become a “Hands-Free Zone”. In 2010, texting and driving was outlawed in Illinois. In 2014, using your cell phone without a hands-free device was outlawed. But apparently, that was not enough. In 2018 the Illinois Legislature enacted a new Distracted Driving law that…
Scott’s Law. “Move Over” for Emergency Vehicles or Get a Nasty Ticket
Recently, I was hired to represent several clients who were charged with Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle. During the course of representing these clients, I realized that many Illinois motorists do not fully understand the law when it comes to passing a stationary emergency vehicle that is stopped…
Do I Have to Appear For Every Court Date?
A very common question I get from clients with criminal cases is whether they have to appear for every Court date. Earlier today I received a phone call from a prospective client who is facing a Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle (PSMV) case in DuPage County. He informed me that…
This is NOT a Simple Speeding Ticket
Early this morning I received a phone call from a prospective client who wanted to talk to me about a “speeding ticket” they received last night for going 30 miles per hour over the posted speeding ticket on a local highway. I receive such phone calls from prospective clients almost…
What is Hearsay?
Today we are going to talk about hearsay. The legal term, “hearsay,” is one of the most misunderstood legal terms in the law. Last weekend I had a client in my office that I was preparing to testify for a trial that was coming up. I asked the client a…
Can I Still Be Arrested for Possession of Marijuana in Illinois?
The topic of Marijuana and the talk about possibly legalizing the Possession of Marijuana in Illinois is a big topic in the news and among Illinois residents. In addition, Illinois legalized the use of Medical Marijuana a few years ago. The movement towards legalizing Marijuana and the adoption of Medical…
What Happens When You Are Arrested?
I frequently meet clients who are expecting to be arrested in the near future. This past weekend, I met with a client who was questioned by their employer about some money that was missing. The client admitted to me that they had stolen some checks that have been written to…