Illinois firearm cases can involve licensing, location restrictions, possession questions, police searches, and the specific circumstances surrounding an arrest. A weapons allegation should be reviewed carefully because small factual details may affect both the charge and the available defense. Questions That Matter in a Gun Case Defense counsel may examine where the firearm was found, […]
Carjacking allegations are treated as serious violent offenses and can trigger an intensive investigation. These cases may depend on eyewitness identification, surveillance video, vehicle records, phone evidence, fingerprints, or statements attributed to the accused. Identification Evidence Requires Careful Review Stress, limited viewing time, lighting, distance, and suggestive identification procedures can affect reliability. Defense counsel may […]
A drug case may begin with a traffic stop, street encounter, search warrant, package investigation, or controlled purchase. The charge and potential consequences can depend on the substance, alleged quantity, location, criminal history, and whether prosecutors claim possession or intent to deliver. Search and Seizure Issues The defense may examine why police initiated a stop, […]
Executive clemency is a separate form of relief from ordinary expungement or record sealing. A petition asks the Governor of Illinois to exercise constitutional authority after reviewing the applicant’s history, circumstances, rehabilitation, and reasons for seeking relief. Pardons, Clemency, and Record Clearing These terms are sometimes used loosely, but the available relief and its effect […]
A domestic battery arrest can quickly affect housing, family contact, employment, firearm rights, and reputation. These cases often begin with an emergency call and may involve competing accounts of a private incident. Evidence Beyond the Initial Allegation Police may collect body-camera footage, photographs, recordings, medical information, text messages, and witness statements. The defense should compare […]
The hours after an arrest can be confusing and stressful. Decisions made during this period may affect the case. Staying calm, following lawful instructions, and obtaining legal advice can help protect your position. Use Your Right to Remain Silent Provide identifying information when legally required, but do not attempt to explain the facts or persuade […]
GUN POSSESSION IN ILLINOIS: WHO CAN HAVE THEM, WHO CAN’T, & WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DO (Illegally) Illinois is perhaps the most restrictive state in the country when it comes to gun rights and illegal firearm possession. Unlike some states, you cannot buy or carry a firearm in public without obtaining specific licenses issued by […]
The current United States Attorney General, a fellow Chicagoan, visited home last month, but it wasn’t to see old friends. Merrick Garland, the 86th Attorney General, was here to help the city stop the startling rise in gun violence this year. Turn on the local or national news each week and there will inevitably be […]
CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN In a press conference after the violent Fourth of July Weekend, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said, “I hear a lot about what the State’s Attorney is doing. She charged these people with murder we brought before them that we’ve arrested – and the courts, the courts released them […]
Since the beginning of 2020, it’s been happening all over the city, to all types of Chicagoans, and in all types of ways: Carjacking. Legally known under the Illinois Criminal Code as vehicular hijacking and vehicular invasion. In 2020, there were more than 1,462 carjackings, up from 609 in 2019. That’s a 135% increase in […]
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