Brian Mirandola Blog

Blog Authors

Latest from Brian Mirandola Blog

Being followed home or receiving threatening messages on social media are both considered forms of stalking. Nearly 14 million people are stalked every year in the United States. That includes nearly one in three women and one in six men. In most cases, these individuals are being stalked by someone they know. In the state of Illinois, stalking can be considered a crime of domestic violence. If you are being charged with this crime you need aggressive legal representation right away.
Understanding How Stalking Is Defined in Illinois
Stalking in Illinois is a felony, even for first-time offenders. It
Continue Reading Are You Facing Stalking Charges in Illinois?

Being followed home or receiving threatening messages on social media are both considered forms of stalking. Nearly 14 million people are stalked every year in the United States. That includes nearly one in three women and one in six men. In most cases, these individuals are being stalked by someone they know. In the state of Illinois, stalking can be considered a crime of domestic violence. If you are being charged with this crime you need aggressive legal representation right away.
Understanding How Stalking Is Defined in Illinois
Stalking in Illinois is a felony, even for first-time offenders. It
Continue Reading Are You Facing Staking Charges in Illinois?

Motor vehicle thefts across 30 major cities spiked 59 percent from 2019 to 2022. When the pandemic began these crimes dwindled, then shot up again. Stealing a car or borrowing one without permission, could lead to vehicle theft charges and serious penalties. If you decide to steal that vehicle using force, you could be facing vehicular hijacking charges which are even more serious. These crimes could become a part of your permanent record accessible by employers and they could have a serious impact on your reputation. That is why it is vital that you seek the help of an experienced
Continue Reading What is the Difference between Vehicle Theft and Vehicular Hijacking in Illinois?

Snowmobiling through snow-covered hills with the cool breeze on your face is a thrill for many who love the outdoors. It is an opportunity to experience Mother Nature from a different perspective along with some 16.4 million people who take part in the sport. However, this popular activity comes with risks of accidents and injuries. In 2019, there were 7,100 snowmobile-related injuries and 300 snowmobile-related deaths in the United States alone, making snowmobiling one of the most dangerous winter sports. If you are facing aggravated felony DUI charges following someone’s death after a snowmobile crash you need an experienced attorney.
Continue Reading What to Expect After a Snowmobile DUI

If you see flashing lights as you are driving down the road, you could be concerned, because you may not be sure about your blood alcohol concentration or BAC level. Perhaps what comes to mind is simply refusing a field sobriety test when you pull over. After all, if you do not agree to a test, there is no evidence of drunk driving, right? Well, it is actually a bit more complex than that.
Implied Consent in Illinois
Technically, you are free to refuse a Breathalyzer in the state of Illinois. But there are consequences that will follow. That is
Continue Reading Can I Get off the Hook by Refusing a Breathalyzer Test?

If you were arrested and possibly convicted of drunk driving, you may now be having trouble getting a hired at a new job or signing a new rental lease. When this information is not kept private, there are numerous parties who may be able to access it and potentially derail your future plans. You may be wondering if there is a way to protect your future and conceal your criminal record. The state of Illinois allows for two manners in which someone may conceal an arrest or conviction: expungement and sealing a criminal record.
Two Key Methods to Conceal
Continue Reading Ways to Put a DUI Arrest Behind You

Truck drivers depend on their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to work and support themselves and their families. So, getting arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol while driving the company truck or your personal vehicle can jeopardize your job. As a commercial truck driver, you are held to a higher standard compared to most drivers on the road. With so much on the line, it is important to avoid a conviction. You need a qualified CDL driving under the influence attorney with the experience and commitment to help save your employment and avoid a CDL suspension or revocation.
Blood
Continue Reading What Happens If I Get a DUI and I Have a Commercial Driver’s License?

If you are in a rush, driving through a construction zone can certainly be frustrating. However, it is in your best interest to be patient and obey the slower posted speed limits through these work zones. More than 6,700 motor vehicle accidents occur in Illinois construction zones every year leading to more than 1,600 injuries, often because people are driving too fast. Choosing to speed through construction zones can lead to more than a mere construction zone ticket; you could wind up in jail and tarnish your driving record.
Legal Consequences for Speeding in a Construction Zone
Depending on
Continue Reading Is a Construction Zone Ticket Worth Fighting?

Losing your driving privileges can impact your livelihood and your peace of mind. You may need to run errands or get your kids to school and succumb to temptation by grabbing the keys to the car and driving, just this one time. But having a driver’s license is a privilege, not a right. If you are caught breaking the law by driving on a suspended driver’s license, the legal consequences are serious.
License Suspension
It is unlawful in Illinois for a person to drive or be in physical control of a vehicle if they have had their driver’s license
Continue Reading I Got Caught Driving on a Suspended License. Now What?

An ever-increasing number of preteens and teenagers in the United States are sexting. They have either sent or received nude or seminude photos in digital form. They may not think about the consequences down the line, or they may succumb to peer pressure and sext. In a recent survey of out of 350 students, 15 percent admittedly sent a sext to someone. The danger of sexting is that digital images are never really private. Anyone could accidentally share something with the click of a button. So what happens when minors sext minors? Could they also face criminal charges?
What
Continue Reading Is Your Child in Trouble for Sexting?

Addictive medications such as opioids can make people do the unthinkable to get their hands on more. The FDA even issued an alert to veterinarians because people are consuming their pet opioid medications. Misuse of these drugs is rampant. In 2021, nearly 107,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States. You may have been seeking an opioid refill with a fake prescription for a medication that you once had a legitimate prescription for after surgery. This trend has become a serious public health concern. Whatever your reasons, the next steps you take in defending your case will play a
Continue Reading The Consequences of Prescription Fraud

Young people may get on the road without measuring the consequences of their actions if they have been drinking. At [[title]], we understand that they do not mean to hurt anyone; they may simply have a momentary lapse in judgment. A mistake such as underage drinking can have serious repercussions. It is important that you seek the help of a criminal defense attorney to protect your child’s future.
Penalties in Illinois for Minors
In Illinois, there is no tolerance under the law for anyone under 21 years old to be caught drinking and driving. The zero-tolerance law is very clear,
Continue Reading The Impact of the Zero-Tolerance Law on Underage Drinking and Driving

So, you are hosting a holiday party and are serving alcohol to all of your guests. After all, ‘tis the season of giving and you figure what is the harm in having your teenage guests partake in a little holiday eggnog. However, giving alcohol to minors in Illinois is against the law, even if it is happening in the privacy of your home. If you are facing charges of furnishing alcohol to minors you need an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
There is zero tolerance in the state of Illinois when it comes to serving alcohol
Continue Reading Hosting a Christmas Party and Serving Alcohol to Teens?

Perhaps it is the stash under the Christmas tree this holiday season that has burglars prowling around the neighborhoods, or maybe they are keeping an eye on who is headed out on vacation. Whatever the case, roughly one million burglaries take place in the United States every year, and about 83,000 occur in the month of December alone. In Illinois, the number of burglaries this month is 40 percent higher than any other month of the year, a spike which places it in a tie with Pennsylvania for number two among all states. Only New Jersey sees a greater increase
Continue Reading Illinois Ranks Number Two for Holiday Break-Ins

This holiday season, retailers are taking extra measures against retail theft to protect themselves from brazen daylight robberies. Some 50 percent of retailers surveyed across the country reported losses of at least $1,000 in merchandise in 2020 compared to 29 percent the previous year. Overall, organized retail crime costs retailers about $700,000 per $1 billion in sales. Retailers are utilizing technology and training employees to keep an eye on potential shoplifters. So, what do you do if you are facing retail theft charges, but the evidence does not add up?
How Much Was Stolen?
Perhaps an overzealous security officer stops
Continue Reading Retail Theft Is Out of Control: How to Protect Yourself Against False Charges

More than 12,000 people nationwide are killed in alcohol-related crashes each year, and with the holiday season upon us, drinking and driving behaviors are sure to be a problem once again. For more than three decades, police departments in Illinois have been surveyed to track the number of DUI arrests. In 2021, Aurora came in second statewide, with 325 arrests, a nearly 63 percent jump from the previous year. Decatur ranked number four in the state.
This holiday season, you can bet law enforcement will be on the lookout for drunk drivers, and past DUI convictions can affect whether you
Continue Reading Holiday Drinking and Driving: Beware of Three Forms of DUI