Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog

Cases of domestic violence play out in complicated fashions. Often, many factors make them difficult to prosecute – and, in truth, they’ve not been prosecuted as extensively as they should in the Illinois court system. All that may soon change. The Illinois Supreme Court has recognized that courts need to hold more abusers accountable. While…

From the moment you enter the criminal justice system, you might feel overwhelmed and stressed. That’s why, when you’re facing criminal charges, it’s in your best interest to bring a defense attorney on board – to help you navigate the often cumbersome legal process. If you’ve never needed an attorney before, much less a criminal…

Sexual assault is a crime accusation no one wants. After all, state governments around the country take sex crimes very seriously, including Illinois. One accusation could impact your life forever. This is why consent plays such a huge role in sexual relations between adults. Still, sometimes mistakes of consent happen. You could find yourself accused…

When you’re convicted of a crime in Illinois, the punishment can often amount to jail time. However, it’s not uncommon for some defendants to be sentenced to probation instead. Probation, also known as supervised release, allows the person convicted to continue life outside of jail. They remain supervised for the safety of those around them.…

Domestic violence can have grave consequences for its victims. The most tragic is when their death occurs at the hands of their abuser, even when the law was supposed to protect them. One such woman, Cindy Bischof, was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend in the parking lot of her place of employment. She had a…

As a citizen of the United States, you have certain rights under the U.S. Constitution, whether or not you’re in jail or convicted of a crime. If you face jail time because you’ve been found guilty of a crime, that doesn’t mean your rights are forfeit. You can still make claims when those rights are…

Sometimes after a crime takes place, the perpetrator finds themselves in more serious trouble than they initially expected. Some charges contain what we call aggravating factors – and these factors can significantly worsen the penalties for a crime. Recently, a man on a Chicago train in the Cermak Road area was stabbed in the face.…

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every single aspect of our lives, including how we get along with people in our own household. According to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline, tensions between people quarantined together at home have resulted in more calls to the hotline in 2020. In fact, they report a 16 percent increase in…

In Illinois, you can face some stiff charges if accused of embezzlement. One of the most common forms of white-collar crime, embezzlement often makes headlines when it happens. A great example is the recent indictment of several defendants who are alleged to have participated in embezzlement at a Chicago bank. These defendants, one of whom…

Enshrined in the Constitution of the United States is the right to trial by jury. However, many criminal justice matters in this country never actually go before a jury. Instead, they terminate in a plea bargain. The state of Illinois is no exception to this. It helps to understand what a plea bargain is and…