When charged with driving under the influence, or any other crime, you have two choices. One is to plead guilty, often in exchange for a more lenient sentence because you are saving the prosecutor the time and cost of a trial. The other choice is to plead “not guilty” and ask for a trial. If […]
DUI Cases: Should I Go To Trial? Read More »
White-collar crime is an interesting and unique classification of criminal behavior. Unlike many other crimes, white-collar crime is nonviolent crime that is typically perpetrated by those of high socioeconomic status or occupational responsibility. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has defined white-collar crime as illegal acts characterized by concealment or violation of trust, which are
Types of White-Collar Crimes Read More »
When someone is convicted of a felony in Illinois, the maximum penalties can include years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. But what is the lightest sentence that the court is allowed to hand down? Can You Get Court Supervision for a Felony? Illinois does not allow court supervision for felonies. Court supervision
Illinois’ Most Lenient Sentencing Options for Felony Convictions Read More »
Did you know that more people now die in the U.S. each year from drug/alcohol overdoses than from shootings or car accidents? In response to this public health crisis, state governments have been experimenting with a variety of solutions, including substance abuse treatment programs and other alternatives to imprisonment for low-level drug offenses. Illinois, for
Understanding Illinois’ 410 Probation for First-Time Drug Offenders Read More »
When you get a traffic ticket for running a red light or speeding a few miles per hour above the speed limit, you may be inclined to simply plead guilty, pay the fine, and move on with your life. For relatively minor moving violations, such an approach is understandable and even reasonable. Sometimes, however, a
What You Need to Know About Reckless Driving in Illinois Read More »
The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) has released its annual DUI arrest statistics for Illinois for 2017. Each year, the Schaumburg-based organization sends surveys to police stations across the state to gather statistics about DUIs. AAIM conducts the surveys with a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation and has been doing so since 1990,
2017 Illinois DUI Arrest Statistics Released Read More »
When a school-aged child is sent to the principal’s office, he or she is usually in trouble. Of course, the type of trouble is usually related to behavior in school or on school grounds. A meeting with the principal often results in the student receiving detention or being suspended for violating school rules. For a
Illinois Teen Charged With Felony for Eavesdropping Read More »
Memorial Day is a holiday in the United States when citizens remember the men and women who died while serving in the military, often visiting cemeteries and memorials to honor the fallen soldiers. Unfortunately, this past Memorial Day weekend, a southern Illinois cemetery was vandalized with images of swastikas painted on gravestones just days before
Illinois Man Charged With Hate Crime for Painting Swastikas on Graves Read More »
A 22-year-old man was sentenced to two and a half years at the Illinois Department of Corrections for pleading guilty to aggravated street racing. The incident resulted in the death of a 49-year-old man and the injury of his 15-year-old daughter. The Case The incident took place in December of 2015 when the man, who
Will County Man Sentenced to Prison for Street Racing Read More »
For many of us, the main times we interact with the police is during traffic stops. Most people who have been diving for a few years have been pulled over at least once by police. Often, those who have committed a minor traffic violation, such as driving slightly faster than the speed limit, will only
Is a Police Officer Allowed to Search My Vehicle? Read More »
Having a felony conviction on your record is more than just embarrassing. It can prevent you from getting student financial aid, from joining the military, from owning a firearm, from working in some types of jobs, and from being accepted into some types of housing. These effects can be very long-lasting, as most felony convictions
Understanding Illinois’ Second Chance Probation Program Read More »
A series of lawsuits have been filed in recent years against the City of Chicago in regard to the behavior of one particular now-retired detective. The lawsuits allege that the detective was responsible for a corruption racket that covered mostly Hispanic neighborhoods on the West and Northwest Sides of the city. A number of convictions
Misconduct Allegations Mounting Against Former Chicago Detective Read More »
