Articles Posted in Criminal Defense

Picture this: it’s late at night, and you’re walking down Division Street in Humboldt Park. You pop into an alleyway to toss a bottle of soda into a dumpster. When you reemerge, a police officer approaches you and asks what you were doing. What do you do? In Chicago, it’s not uncommon for a police…

One of the greatest provisions of the US justice system is the right a fair trial. Under US law, you are entitled to a fair trial regardless of the crime you were accused of or your inability to afford legal representation. That means that if you find yourself accused of a criminal offense and are…

In the days leading up to New Year’s Eve, it seems that every media outlet from The New York Times to BuzzFeed is filled with articles on how to make the most out of your New Year’s celebrations—from which outfits to wear to which bars to visit in your area. In the days following New…

Picture this: It’s a chilly winter’s evening in Chicago, and Michigan Ave. is aglow with Christmas lights and bright storefront windows. Snowflakes melt on the ruddy cheeks of shoppers as they bustle down the street with their arms full of bags, laughing as they make their way to the CTA station. Everything’s peaceful and serene…

As a Chicago drug lawyer, I’ve seen plenty of cases where defendants’ cell phones have gotten them into more trouble than they bargained for. It is far from unheard of for an individual to get pulled over for something relatively minor only to find themselves behind bars because other incriminating evidence was found either in…

Image source: http://bit.ly/1efAOO2 It was, according to news reports from that time, a brutal and undeserved death. A 36-year-old female bartender was found dead in the men’s restroom of the bar where she worked in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 29, 1991. Apparently, she had died from a fatal stab wound, and there was little evidence…

The general public is finally starting to understand what criminal defense attorneys have known all along: the forensic evidence used to convict people of heinous crimes is often flat-out wrong. As reported on PBS’s Frontline: The Real CSI, there have never been any rigorous national standards applied to any forensic science, except for DNA testing.…

Preserving the personal safety of innocent people is a fundamental human right. The law does not require victims of a violent attack to stand still and do nothing. However, the dynamics of a defensive situation often involves all participating parties being arrested or at least detained initially. Situations involving the use of physical force against…

Criminal law is a complicated thing. While necessary for maintaining a safe society and designed to protect the rights of the citizens, the criminal justice system can seem intimidating and cruel, with draconian penalties and severe social consequences. Here we take a look at the criminal law in America and how to stay protected when…

In July 2012, the state of Illinois passed a law allowing taxi drivers to charge a $50 clean-up fee to passengers who vomit in their cabs. The law was part of a larger push for higher rates from taxi drivers, including a 22% rate increase, a $1.50 credit card service charge, and a $50 fraudulent…