When you face felony charges, the road ahead may be unclear. You know that a felony conviction could mean years in jail or big fines, but what happens in between a charge and a conviction? How do people defend themselves? When do you have to go to court?

There are a few steps between when you first hear the charges against you and those charges either get dropped or dismissed or you get sentenced. Knowing what’s ahead will help [...]

A felony conviction is a serious matter everywhere in the United States, but in Illinois our lawmakers take felonies particularly seriously. Classified as Class X, 1, 2, 3, or 4 offenses, felonies here are punishable by state prison sentences that can last decades, fines up to $25,000, and restitution that has to be paid to victims.

And the penalties don’t stop after you have served your time and are allowed back into the real world. A felony conviction [...]