Several defenses are available against theft charges in Illinois. This includes challenging whether you had permission to take the property. You can also show you had no intent to permanently deprive the owner of it. Questioning the reliability of the evidence used against you is another option.
If you’re dealing with this situation in 2026, our Kane County criminal defense lawyer can help you build a strong defense.
What Does the State Have to Prove for a Theft Conviction in Illinois?
Under 720 ILCS 5/16-1, theft can be committed in several ways, including knowingly obtaining or exerting unauthorized control
Continue Reading What Defenses Are Available Against Theft Charges in Illinois?
Brian J. Mirandola Blogs
Latest from Brian J. Mirandola
How Are Prosecutors Going to Prove Intent to Deliver Drugs?
Prosecutors typically prove intent to deliver drugs by using circumstantial evidence. For example, what was the quantity of drugs found? How were they packaged? Were any items like scales or large amounts of cash present? Intent to deliver charges are far more serious than simple possession, and the state doesn’t need a confession or a witnessed sale to bring these charges.
If you’re facing an intent to deliver accusation in 2026, our Kane County drug trafficking defense lawyer can help. Attorney Brian J. Mirandola is a former Assistant State’s Attorney with over 25 years of criminal law experience. He has
Continue Reading How Are Prosecutors Going to Prove Intent to Deliver Drugs?
Driving Without Headlights Can Result in Reckless Driving Charges in Illinois
Driving without headlights in Illinois can result in reckless driving charges. Getting a citation for something that seems like a simple equipment issue can be surprising. This is especially true once you realize it’s being treated as a criminal offense rather than a routine traffic ticket. If you’ve been charged with reckless driving, our Kane County criminal defense lawyer can help you understand exactly why this charge was filed. Together, we can challenge the allegations.
How Does Illinois Law Define Reckless Driving?
Illinois defines reckless driving under 625 ILCS 5/11-503. This law makes it illegal to drive with
Continue Reading Driving Without Headlights Can Result in Reckless Driving Charges in Illinois
When Can Illinois Police Search Your Cell Phone?
Illinois police can search your cell phone in limited circumstances. The rules around when they can do so are pretty strict. The law recognizes that your phone contains some of the most personal information about your life. In most situations, police need a warrant before they can go through your phone. But some exceptions can come up when building your defense. If you believe your phone was searched illegally in 2026, a Kane County criminal defense lawyer can review what happened and fight to protect your rights.
What Does Illinois Criminal Law Say About Cell Phone Searches?
The Supreme Court
Continue Reading When Can Illinois Police Search Your Cell Phone?
Am I Allowed to Contact My Accuser After a Domestic Violence Charge?
After a domestic violence charge in Illinois, there is often a no-contact order in place that prohibits you from reaching out to the alleged victim in any way. Violating that order, even once, even if the other person reaches out to you first, can result in additional criminal charges and make your original case significantly worse.
If you are facing a domestic violence charge in 2026, an Aurora, IL criminal defense lawyer can explain exactly what restrictions apply to you and help you protect yourself going forward.
What Is a No-Contact Order and How Does It Work in Illinois?
A
Continue Reading Am I Allowed to Contact My Accuser After a Domestic Violence Charge?
How Hard Is It To Fight a Drug Manufacturing Charge in Illinois?
Fighting a drug manufacturing charge in Illinois is challenging, but it is not impossible. These are felony charges that prosecutors often pursue aggressively. However, you have legal options for pushing back on how these cases are built. If you are facing a drug manufacturing charge in 2026, a Kane County drug crimes defense lawyer can look at your situation and help you understand what defenses are available in your case.
What Is a Drug Manufacturing Charge in Illinois?
Drug manufacturing in Illinois covers more than just running a large drug operation. Under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, 720 ILCS 570/401
Continue Reading How Hard Is It To Fight a Drug Manufacturing Charge in Illinois?
How Do You Fight an Underage Drinking Charge in Illinois?
An underage drinking charge in Illinois is not something you have to just accept. There are ways to fight it. The outcome depends heavily on the specific facts of what happened and whether your rights were upheld during the encounter with the police. A conviction can follow a young person for years, affecting college applications, job opportunities, and professional licenses. If your child is facing an underage drinking charge in 2026, an Aurora, IL criminal defense lawyer can explain the legal defenses available to fight it.
What Is the Law on Underage Drinking in Illinois?
In Illinois, people under 21
Continue Reading How Do You Fight an Underage Drinking Charge in Illinois?
What Can I Do if Police Searched My Home for Drugs Without My Consent?
If police searched your home for drugs without your consent, contact a criminal defense attorney before you say anything else to law enforcement. A search without your consent may not automatically be legal. If the search violated your constitutional rights, any evidence found during that search may not be allowed in court. That could make a significant difference in how your case turns out. If this happened to you in 2026, an Elgin, IL drug crimes defense lawyer can review the details of the search and help you figure out whether your rights were violated.
Do the Police Have the
Continue Reading What Can I Do if Police Searched My Home for Drugs Without My Consent?
When Can You Get Court Supervision for a DUI in Illinois?
If you have been charged with a DUI in 2026 and this is your first offense, you may be eligible for something called court supervision in Illinois. Court supervision is not a conviction. If you complete it successfully, your DUI charge gets dismissed. That means no conviction goes on your record. For most people, it is the single best outcome available after a DUI arrest. A Kane County DUI defense lawyer can help you understand whether you qualify and how to give yourself the best chance of getting it.
Under 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1, court supervision is a sentencing option
Continue Reading When Can You Get Court Supervision for a DUI in Illinois?
How Do the Police Prove You Were Speeding in a Construction Zone?
Police can prove you were speeding in a construction zone using several types of evidence. These include radar and laser speed devices, pacing by a following officer, and, in some cases, automated speed cameras. The method used affects how strong the evidence is and how it can be challenged. If you are facing a construction zone speeding charge in 2026, you should know these cases are not always as clear-cut as they look. An Aurora, IL criminal defense lawyer can help you understand what the state has and whether there is a real path to fighting the charge.
Why Is
Continue Reading How Do the Police Prove You Were Speeding in a Construction Zone?
What Are the Long-Term Consequences of a Domestic Violence Conviction in Illinois?
A domestic violence conviction in Illinois does not just mean jail time and fines. The consequences follow you long after the case is closed. They can affect where you live, whether you can own a firearm, what jobs you can get, and how you are treated in any future custody case. If you are facing a domestic violence charge in 2026, an Elgin, IL domestic violence defense lawyer can help you understand what is truly at stake and fight to protect your future.
What Happens to Your Criminal Record After a Domestic Violence Conviction in IL?
A domestic violence conviction
Continue Reading What Are the Long-Term Consequences of a Domestic Violence Conviction in Illinois?
How Do Prior Theft Convictions Affect Stolen Vehicle Charges in Illinois?
Prior theft convictions can make a stolen vehicle charge significantly more severe in Illinois. The state looks at your criminal history when determining how to charge and sentence you. A prior theft conviction on your record can push a new charge into a higher felony class. That will mean harsher penalties. If you are facing a stolen vehicle charge and have prior theft convictions, a Kane County, IL criminal defense lawyer can help you understand exactly what your history means for your current case and how to challenge the charge.
How Does Illinois Charge Stolen Vehicle Offenses?
Under 625 ILCS
Continue Reading How Do Prior Theft Convictions Affect Stolen Vehicle Charges in Illinois?
How Do I Get My Aggravated Speeding Charge Reduced in IL?
Getting an aggravated speeding charge reduced in Illinois is possible, but it takes the right legal strategy and someone who knows how to negotiate with prosecutors. Aggravated speeding is not a traffic ticket. It is a criminal charge, which means it goes on your criminal record if you are convicted. The good news is that many of these cases can be reduced to a lesser offense or even dismissed, depending on the circumstances. If you are facing this charge in 2026, an Aurora, IL traffic violations defense lawyer can help you understand your options and fight for the best possible
Continue Reading How Do I Get My Aggravated Speeding Charge Reduced in IL?
How Is Evidence Thrown Out in an Illinois Drug Case?
Evidence can be thrown out in an Illinois drug case through a legal tool called a motion to suppress. Under 725 ILCS 5/114-12, a defendant can ask the court to exclude evidence that was gathered in violation of their constitutional rights. If a judge agrees, then the evidence cannot be used against you at trial.
In many drug cases, the drugs themselves are the most important piece of evidence the prosecution has. When that evidence is suppressed, the charges are often reduced or dropped entirely. If you are facing a drug charge in 2026 and believe your rights may
Continue Reading How Is Evidence Thrown Out in an Illinois Drug Case?
How Do Police Prove Impairment Without a Breath Test In Illinois?
Police can charge you for DUI without a breath test in Illinois. They can build a case using their own observations, physical tests, and other evidence gathered at the scene. Refusing a breath test does not make a DUI charge go away. In fact, it can sometimes make things more complicated. Understanding how the State builds these cases is one of the first steps toward building a strong defense. If you are facing a DUI charge in 2026, our Kane County, IL DUI defense lawyer has over 20 years of legal experience and can help you understand how to fight
Continue Reading How Do Police Prove Impairment Without a Breath Test In Illinois?
How Do I Prove That an Officer Was Wrong About My Speeding Ticket?
Proving that an officer made a mistake on a speeding ticket is possible. Faulty traffic violations happen more often than you might expect. Officers can be wrong about speed readings, and the equipment they use can fail or be used incorrectly.
There are several ways to challenge a speeding ticket, from questioning the accuracy of the radar or laser device used to catching errors in how the ticket itself was written. If you are facing a speeding charge, especially an aggravated one, in 2026, our Aurora, IL traffic violations defense lawyer can help you fight it.
How Do You Know
Continue Reading How Do I Prove That an Officer Was Wrong About My Speeding Ticket?