Illinois trial lawyer blog

January 10, There is no such thing as a minor DUI conviction. January 4, Despite the welcoming attitudes in this survey, avoiding a criminal record is the best way to prevent trouble during the hiring process.

December 30, In Illinois, the smell of marijuana no longer gives probable cause for officers to do a warrantless search during traffic stops. December 29, The holiday season is a time filled with celebrations and socializing. December 3, You headed north of the state line to have some fun with family or friends. November 29, Did you notice the extra enforcement efforts over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend?

Search for:. Palatine Office E. Phone: If you are facing criminal prosecution and have not obtained citizenship in this country, please make sure your criminal defense attorney knows this very important fact. There are sometimes ways we can help you avoid the very serious consequence of losing residency, but we cannot help if we do not know there is an issue.

It is also important to understand that possible resolutions for your case may depend on whether you have a visa or a green card and that sometimes the outcomes for those two types of cases do not make logical sense.

Do not assume that because you have a green card your residency is more secure than if you have a visa or vice versa. It is also important to let your criminal defense lawyer know if you are not a lawful citizen of our country as a criminal conviction may adversely affect your ability to later apply for legal residency in our country.

The basis of this lawsuit is that the program was ended for discriminatory purposes. How that will ultimately be resolved and whether Congress will pass legislation making it a non-issue is yet to be seen. The best way to protect yourself in this situation is again to know your rights. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the source of some of the most important rights American citizens possess.

In fact, the United States Supreme Court has been very generous in its interpretation of the First Amendment and erred on the side of giving citizens as much right to freedom of expression as possible. In the current political climate, there is lots of talk about free speech and what the First Amendment protects.

You can review In re: Marriage of Weddigen , which was briefed and argued by yours truly, to see an example of this. In Weddigen , the trial court held Mr. Weddigen in contempt of court for making posts on Facebook encouraging people to record their court proceedings.

Not only did the trial court hold Mr. Weddigen in contempt, but it also ordered that Mr. Weddigen could purge himself of contempt by writing an apology and retraction of the statements and posting it to social media. Weddigen had to say about him, the First Amendment protected Mr.

Our appellate courts—both state and federal—have consistently interpreted the First Amendment as forbidding our government, at all levels and in all branches, from unjustifiably restricting our rights to speak our mind freely. And it is this fact, the fact that we as American citizens have almost carte blanche with respect to expression, that makes the acts of certain hate groups in this country so appalling. The First Amendment protects their right to say and believe heinous things, even if their heinous beliefs have no basis in fact or reality.

Of course, this does not mean that it is good, just, or wise to do so. And when hateful words are combined with harmful actions—or even acts that threaten imminent harm—the First Amendment provides no shelter from prosecution. Free Consultation: Illinois Criminal Lawyer Blog. Continue reading. But what types of behaviors subject an individual to potential DUI liability? Our ability to obtain the result you seek depends on many things, but one of the most important is communication.

If you do not feel that you can openly communicate with us, then it will be much more difficult for us to effectively help you. We need you to communicate with us about your case: the good, the bad, and the ugly. We need for you to communicate with us about what resolution you want to seek for your case. We need you to communicate with us about how potential resolutions might affect your employment, education, or home life. We need you to communicate with us if you believe there is evidence that will help you but that the State has not gathered.

No one knows your case better than you—and we cannot begin to know your case as well as you do unless you tell us everything you know about your case. We work for the client and not for the person who may be paying the bills.

In Illinois, if you are convicted of first-degree murder, you will no longer face the death penalty, as it was abolished in However, you will face a maximum sentence of a life in prison. View the specific Illinois laws regarding first degree murder here, according to the Illinois Statutes.

When so much is at… Read the full article ». In order for a guilty verdict to arise, prosecutors must prove the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If you hope to avoid a conviction, it is crucial to obtain experienced legal counsel. A seasoned criminal defense attorney… Read the full article ». The severity of your consequence hinges on the severity of your traffic offenses. View a detailed list of Illinois traffic violations and the number of points associated with each violation here….

In Illinois, the age of consent, which is the age an individual is old enough to engage in sexual activity according to law, is 17 years old.

This means that in Illinois, if you are 16 years old or younger, you are not old enough to consent to sexual activity.