Experienced Lisle Criminal Defense Lawyer

Let Our Lisle Criminal Lawyers Help You

If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, you need all the help you can get to avoid a conviction. The Lisle criminal defense lawyers at Wolfe & Stec know how serious it is to be facing criminal charges, and we are here to help. When you choose our firm, you have a seasoned attorney on your side to provide support and aggressively fight for your rights and your freedom.

Being convicted of a crime in Illinois brings consequences that don’t go away. Not only do you face fines and jail time, but a criminal record can follow you the rest of your life. It can ruin your educational and job prospects, your family relationships, your housing situation, and any immigration benefits. While, technically, you are supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty, in reality you may wind up being treated unfairly by the criminal justice system and those around you.

Our Lisle criminal lawyers offer a free consultation to discuss the circumstances of your case and show you how we can be of service. Call Wolfe & Stec at 630-305-0222 today. We will do everything legally possible to keep you out of jail.

What Our Lisle Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Do for You

You Are Not Alone — We Will Fight for Your Interests from Start to Finish

The Lisle criminal defense lawyers at Wolfe & Stec know the law, the courts, the judges, the prosecutors, and how the system works. We know what your rights are and we know the tactics prosecutors use and how to counteract them. We will fight for you from the start by:

• Informing you of your rights and making sure they are adhered to
• Keeping you from saying the wrong things and doing anything that would negatively affect your case
• Taking care of processes such as bail and arraignment
• Building your case by gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and looking for weaknesses and mistakes in the prosecutor’s case
• Negotiating and plea bargaining for a dismissal or lesser charge
• Taking your case to trial and filing an appeal if necessary.

A Lisle Criminal Defense Attorney Explains Your Rights

We Will Work to Ensure Your Rights Aren’t Violated

Anyone arrested for a crime in Illinois should know their rights so they avoid making mistakes that can give prosecutors a better case.

Rights you have include:

• Right to an attorney – Illinois statute 725 ILCS 5/103-3 gives you the right to speak to an attorney. You should immediately ask for an attorney before answering questions or doing anything that can be used against you.
• Right to be shown an arrest warrant and told what the criminal charges are. You can be arrested without a warrant only if the police have probable cause to believe you committed a crime.
• Miranda rights – You should be read your Miranda rights informing you that you have the right to remain silent and not answer questions.
• Preliminary hearing – If the arrest is for a felony, charges must be approved at a preliminary hearing by a judge or grand jury to authorize probable cause for the charges.
• Bond – If probable cause is found, you have the right to a bond hearing to determine a bail amount, so you can stay out of custody until trial.

If any of these rights, or other rights, were violated, we may be able to have your case dismissed before it ever gets to trial. The Lisle criminal defense lawyers at Wolfe & Stec will examine the evidence for rights violations. Call us for help at 630-305-0222.

Criminal Lawyers in Lisle Explain Possible Crimes and Penalties in Illinois

We Will Work Hard to Keep You Out of Jail or to Have Your Sentence Reduced

The Illinois Criminal Code categorizes crimes as misdemeanors or felonies, with felonies being more serious and having greater punishments.

Following are some general sentences. But it’s important to remember that every criminal case is different. There are additional penalties that can increase sentences based on a variety of things such as whether weapons were used, there were prior convictions and more.

Felony Offenses

Felony crimes fall into five categories, and convictions usually carry a jail sentence of more than one year, some with mandatory minimum jail sentences, and with maximum jail sentences that can exceed 30 years. Fines can be up to $25,000. Some felons may have sentences that are so long, they are essentially jailed for the rest of their lives. Rather than risk a large part of your future, get the best defense possible by working with an experienced Lisle criminal defense lawyer.

The five categories include Class 1 through 4 felonies, and Class X felonies. Class X felonies are the most severe, and Class 4 felonies are the least severe. Prison time for Classes 1-4 may be as follows:

• Class 1 felonies, 4 to 15 years
• Class 2 felonies, 3 to 7 years
• Class 3 felonies, 2 to 5 years
• Class 4 felonies, 1 to 3 years.

Examples of Class 1 felonies in Illinois include kidnapping, sexual assault and drug possession of cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine. Our Lisle criminal defense attorney will defend you against any of these charges.

Misdemeanor Offenses

Misdemeanor criminal charges are broken into three classes, depending on seriousness. They carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail, usually with no mandatory minimum jail time for most charges, and can include fines of up to $2,500. Second or subsequent offenses carry increased risk for a jail sentence.

Examples of misdemeanors are assault and battery, theft, criminal trespass, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

While misdemeanors are considered less serious than felonies, they are still serious offenses with serious consequences. They still go on your record, carry the potential of jail time, and may have similar negative effects on your life.

When you’ve been arrested, our Lisle criminal defense attorney will work hard to obtain a “not guilty” verdict. If the evidence warrants plea bargaining, we’ll seek to have your charge reduced to get you the lowest sentence possible.

Criminal Defense Lawyers in Lisle Guide You Through the Court System

We Will Prepare You for Every Step in Your Case

The criminal process involves several steps, and our criminal defense attorneys in Lisle will make sure you are prepared for all.

1. Discovery: In this phase, you and your attorney receive and review the prosecution’s evidence against you, such as police reports, witness statements, and videos or photos.
2. Pre-trial Preparation: Your Lisle criminal defense lawyer will be developing a defense strategy and gathering and securing evidence that may help your case.
3. Plea Bargaining: This involves negotiations between your attorney and the prosecutor to see if you can come to an agreement at any point before a verdict. If the prosecutor has a strong case, sometimes a plea bargain is your best option. You would have to agree to any plea bargain arrangement.
4. Trial: If there is no agreement, the case proceeds to trial. You can choose either a bench trial in front of a judge or a jury trial. In a trial, both sides present evidence. You do not have to prove your innocence – it is the prosecutor who has to prove that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
5. Verdict: If you are found not guilty, the case is over. If you are found guilty, the case will proceed to the sentencing phase.
6. Appeal: In some circumstances, such as due to a technical mistake during trial, your Lisle criminal defense attorney can appeal a verdict to a higher court to overturn a guilty verdict.

Being charged with a crime is a very serious thing. It can be very scary. But knowing what to expect can reduce your anxiety. You can rely on our criminal defense lawyer to keep you informed about your case through every step.

Call Our Lisle Criminal Defense Lawyers for Help

When you are accused of a crime in Illinois, it helps to have a highly skilled defense lawyer on your side from the very start. Call the Lisle criminal defense lawyers at Wolfe & Stec today at 630-305-0222 for a free consultation so we can get started fighting for your rights and freedom.