Laws are put in place to protect people and punish those who would victimize others. But what if an alleged offender in one instance is a victim in a separate situation?

One new law in our state addresses that exact situation. The idea behind this law is to help those who are victims of domestic violence and have also been charged with a separate crime. It’s called the Domestic Violence Sentencing Consideration, and it’s just going into effect this [...]

Couples, family members, and people who are in a close relationship don’t always get along. Most of the time, even when they argue, fight, and say things they don’t mean, they’re usually forgive each other and move on.

If your argument or fight turns violent, however, you could be charged with a domestic battery offense under Illinois domestic violence laws. And depending on your history and the nature of the offense, you could be facing either a misdemeanor or [...]