DuPage County Felony Lawyer
Our Felony Lawyer Fights for Your Rights
A good criminal lawyer knows just how seriously felonies are treated in Illinois. They also know the best approach to have charges against their client lessened or dismissed.
If you have been accused of a serious crime, be aware that even an allegation of a felony offense can devastate your reputation, livelihood, and overall well-being. If you are convicted, you face high fines and years of imprisonment, even for life. All of this will be on your record, forever affecting your reputation and opportunities for education, employment, housing, and relationships.
If you are charged with a felony, you need the best defense available, as prosecutors will fight to impose the steepest punishments. The seasoned Illinois criminal defense attorneys at Wolfe & Stec, Ltd. have extensive experience handling felony offenses, including:
While our criminal justice system is founded on the idea that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, the reality is that people accused of a felony are often treated unfairly by their employers, communities, and even loved ones.
The felony charge attorneys at Wolfe & Stec, Ltd. know how difficult life can be for someone facing felony charges, and we know how to ensure you are treated fairly by our system. We offer support and aggressive legal representation to our clients and will be there for you throughout the entire legal process.
Let us help you through this difficult time. Contact a felony lawyer in DuPage County by calling Wolfe & Stec at (630) 305-0222. We offer free consultations to help you better understand the potential consequences of your felony charge and determine the best path toward an effective defense.
What to Look for in a Felony Attorney
Why Choose Us?
Because felony charges carry such serious penalties, you must look for an attorney who has successfully handled felony cases before. There is a steep learning curve for attorneys who have never represented clients charged with felonies, so the more experience your attorney has, the better. Here are some reasons we believe Wolfe & Stec is best to defend you.
- Our attorneys have extensive backgrounds and proven track records of achieving client results. You can read about them here.
- We focus on criminal law cases and will help you through the intricate legal processes. Marc D. Wolfe has been representing clients in criminal defense matters in Illinois for over 30 years and has tried over 300 cases to verdict. He is licensed to practice in both state and federal courts.
- We provide personalized attention and are committed to open communication and developing a strong relationship with our clients. We are good listeners and provide honest answers to questions our clients have.
- We are available 24/7.
- We are local and familiar with local issues and local courts and prosecutors in Chicago, Woodridge, and DuPage County.
- We provide free, confidential, and no-obligation consultations to evaluate your case.
- We have a long record of success, and you can read our client testimonials to prove it.
When you are accused of a felony in Illinois, you must hire the best criminal defense attorney you can find. Your case may seem impossible, but with skillful representation, you have a chance. Remember, the law heavily burdens the government, and you have to be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
How Our Felony Charge Lawyer Works for You
The experienced and seasoned Woodridge felony defense attorneys at Wolfe & Stec, Ltd. understand how serious any criminal charges are and offer aggressive representation for our clients from the start. We know the courts and the criminal justice system and how to plea bargain, negotiate guidelines, and recognize when to take your case to trial. We are skilled litigators and will work with you to fully understand the facts of your case. We will thoroughly investigate your case and be your strong advocate in the courtroom. We can find ways to have charges lowered or dismissed.
When you have us on your side, we will:
- Meet with you to hear your story and why you were charged with a felony
- Investigate your case and gather evidence from surveillance photos, videos, police, laboratory, and medical reports
- Interview eyewitnesses and first responders
- Examine the facts of your arrest to determine the best defense
- Look for flaws in the case and mistakes made by police and prosecutors
- Prepare you to go to court and prevent you from saying or doing anything that would hurt your case
- Make sure all forms are filed correctly and court appearances are made promptly
- Negotiate and plea bargain for a lesser charge or dismissal
- Take your case to court, handle all aspects of preparing your defense, and litigate aggressively
- File any appeals if necessary.
When our felony charge defense lawyers take on a criminal case, we gather information quickly and look at all defense options. Based on the facts, we decide on the best legal strategy and start taking steps to build your defense. We handle your defense aggressively right from the start.
Felony Defense Lawyer Explains Felony Crimes and Punishments
Classes of Felony
According to the Illinois Criminal Code, there are six classes of felonies — 1, 2, 3, 4, X and M. The circumstances of the crime determine the severity of the class. A conviction on a felony charge carries a jail sentence of more than one year. For the most serious violent felonies, the sentences are significantly more, and many offenses have mandatory minimum jail sentences and extended-term sentencing.
For example, for drug possession, the punishment depends on the type and amount of the drug. A class 4 felony can be punished with imprisonment of 1-3 years and fines of up to $25,000.
Examples of class 4 felonies in Illinois include driving under the influence (DUI) and possessing between 30.1 and 500.0 mg of marijuana.
A class 1 felony can be punished with imprisonment of 4-15 years and fines of up to $25,000. Examples of class 1 felonies in Illinois include kidnapping, sexual assault, and possession of cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine.
Imprisonment by Class of Felony
Felonies could result in anywhere from one to 60 years’ imprisonment, depending on the class of felony. Here is the breakdown of imprisonment times according to class:
- Class X Felonies in Illinois – 6 to 30 years’ imprisonment. Typical felonies that result in this sentencing are aggravated battery of a child and aggravated criminal sexual assault.
- Class M Felonies in Illinois – 20 to 60 years’ imprisonment. Typical felonies that result in this sentencing are murder charges.
- Class 1 Felonies in Illinois – 4 to 15 years’ imprisonment. Typical felonies that result in this sentencing are criminal sexual assault, aggravated robbery, and second-degree murder.
- Class 2 Felonies in Illinois – 3 to 7 years’ imprisonment. Typical felonies that result in this sentencing are theft over $500, controlled substance trafficking, and arson.
- Class 3 Felonies in Illinois – 2 to 5 years’ imprisonment. Typical felonies that result in this sentencing are perjury, forgery, and reckless homicide.
- Class 4 Felonies in Illinois – 1 to 3 years’ imprisonment. Typical felonies that result in this sentencing are computer fraud, stalking, and unlawful possession of handguns.
In addition to time served in prison, each class of felonies might also result in fines or additional penalties. These charges have serious implications for the accused if they are convicted. If you’ve been charged with a felony in Illinois, call an Illinois felony lawyer at Wolfe & Stec today to put us to work on your case.
Felonies By Class in Illinois
Some federal crimes have a mandatory minimum sentence of five or ten years in federal prison plus fines, and some sentences can even include life in prison plus fines. For example, a class A felony can be punished with life imprisonment and fines of up to $250,000.
Federal drug laws have mandatory minimum and maximum sentences. If you’re convicted of a federal drug crime, you’ll most likely face a minimum sentence of five to ten years with little or no chance of probation.
How Our Felony Defense Attorneys Help
We Work to Have Charges Lessened or Dismissed
Your felony defense attorney does not have to prove you are innocent — only that there is reasonable doubt that you committed the crime. To do this, we will first examine how closely the authorities followed the rules when arresting and charging you with a crime. We will look for situations where there was a lack of evidence or witnesses were unreliable and could be discredited. If there were any abuses of your rights, such as failure to read you your Miranda rights to remain silent, or any violations in handling evidence, your attorney would seek to dismiss the charges against you. Your attorney will also do as much as possible in pre-trial negotiations to have charges against you lessened or dismissed.
In many cases, attorneys lessen charges by plea bargaining. Through a plea bargain, the person accused of a crime agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for having the more serious charges against them dropped. This is common in our criminal justice system, but you must ensure your attorney works diligently to arrive at the most favorable deal for you.
A Criminal Background Has Negative Consequences
Felony charges come with prison sentences, fines, and other legal penalties, but there are other consequences that felons could encounter after they have served their time. A criminal background makes finding a good job very difficult. Housing options might be limited. Getting a loan is more difficult for people with a criminal record. College applications might be denied if the applicant has been convicted of a felony.
Get Help from Our Felony Defense Lawyer
When you are accused of a crime in Illinois, you must hire the best criminal defense attorney you can find. Your case may seem impossible, but with skillful representation, you have a chance. Remember, the law heavily burdens the government, and you must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The criminal defense lawyers at Wolfe & Stec, Ltd. are skilled trial lawyers who believe each case is unique in its circumstances. Whether your criminal law case is seemingly straightforward or highly complicated, we can help. We know the judges and the court system and will aggressively explore every avenue for your defense. We examine the facts, the individuals involved, and the evidence available and work hand in hand with our clients throughout the criminal process. Our goal is always to minimize the situation’s negative impact and focus on protecting your freedoms, liberties, and rights.
Don’t delay — contact us for help today at 630-305-0222 if you have been accused of any criminal charges. Our felony attorneys represent clients in DuPage County, Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Bolingbrook, Illinois, and the greater Chicagoland area.
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