When someone files a complaint against you in an Illinois court, you will be served with a summons that lets you know that a lawsuit has been brought against you and what you must do to respond. In the lawsuit, you are... Read more
When someone is arrested, the arrest is recorded in a public record. This is called a public arrest record, which is a little bit different from a criminal record. Even if an individual is eventually found not guilty of ... Read more
Anyone who is attacked and in danger of being harmed has the right to defend himself, but there are still times when a person acting in self-defense winds up faced with the possibility of going to jail. While Illinois la... Read more
Illinois law considers assault to be intentional conduct that reasonably causes a person to feel afraid of impending violence. Threatening to hit someone, when said in a menacing or angry manner and accompanied by conduc... Read more
Being arrested for a first-time DUI in Illinois is a frightening experience, and can leave you wondering what happens after your first DUI in Illinois? In short, you face both administrative and criminal penalties that m... Read more
Hate crimes are criminal offenses in Illinois, but so is falsely accusing others of a hate crime, as actor Jussie Smollett is alleged to have done. Smollett was charged by a grand jury with felony disorderly conduct f... Read more
Anyone arrested for a Class 3 felony in Illinois is facing serious charges and should fully understand not only what a Class 3 felony is, but what the possible consequences are if convicted. Illinois crimes are classifie... Read more
The right to a speedy trial is a fundamental principle in our criminal justice system. According to the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution, “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy ... Read more
The Illinois criminal justice system is not equipped to handle inmates with mental health issues. Despite the fact that people struggling with mental illness need treatment, in our society too many of them wind up in jai... Read more
Judges and juries are often swayed by what they think is the scientific reliability of the so-called “forensic sciences” such as analysis of handwriting, fingerprints, hair, bite marks, and blood spatter patt... Read more
