Any criminal charge can be life-changing, but the criminal penalties and personal consequences associated with violent offenses are especially severe. If you or a loved one were charged with domestic battery, sexual assault, homicide, or another violent offense, the need for strong legal counsel cannot be overstated. Your lawyer can investigate your case and determine the best way to proceed. In some cases, the defendant’s best option is to fight the charges at trial and hope for an acquittal. In other cases, it is better to arrange a plea deal or plea bargain. 
What is a Plea Bargain?
A plea…
Continue Reading Plea Bargaining for Violent Offenses in Illinois

Illinois law defines assault as conduct that is offensive or threatening, while battery refers to actual physical contact. Assault and/or battery charges often follow a physical altercation or fight. Assault and battery charges can be misdemeanors or felonies depending on the nature of the alleged offense. Being convicted of either offense can lead to serious repercussions, including jail time. Having a conviction on your criminal record can also dramatically impact employment and housing opportunities.
If you or a loved one were charged with assault or battery, contact a criminal defense lawyer right away. Your attorney can begin building a strong…
Continue Reading Presenting a Strong Defense Against Assault or Battery Charges

Most people take prescription medications from time to time. An individual recovering from surgery may take prescription pain medicine. Someone with an anxiety disorder may take anti-anxiety medication. When a doctor prescribes a medication to a patient, the doctor is essentially giving the patient authorization to take the medication. Many people are shocked to learn that they can face criminal charges for driving under the influence (DUI) for taking medicine that was lawfully prescribed to them. DUI involving prescription medication can lead to driver’s license suspension or revocation, expensive fines, or even jail time.
Driving Under the Influence of Prescription…
Continue Reading Common Medications Can Lead to DUI Charges – Even with a Valid Prescription

Soaring gas prices, food shortages, inflation, and countless other issues have made the first half of 2022 very difficult for Americans. Many people are struggling to make ends meet and fulfill their financial obligations. As a result, more and more people are buying items outside of the typical retail stores. They may turn to Facebook Marketplace, eBay, eBid, Craigslist, and other websites to buy used items instead of shelling out money for brand new items at the store. Unfortunately, some of the items that are sold online are stolen, and buyers may find themselves facing criminal charges for receipt of …
Continue Reading Can I Be Charged with Theft for Buying a Stolen Item Online?

Everyone has heard the classic line that “your home is your castle.” This means that your residence is considered sacred, and deserves protection from unwanted intrusion by others. One way Illinois recognizes this right is through its laws against burglary and criminal trespass to a residence. These are both types of unwanted home intrusion. But how are they different?
What is Criminal Trespass to a Residence?
In Illinois law, if you knowingly enter someone else’s home, or stay there without their permission, that is considered “criminal trespass.” The key to charging and proving this criminal offense is intent. For the…
Continue Reading How is Burglary Different from Trespassing in Cook County?

We’ve all heard the phrase “assault and battery,” as though this were a single offense. So you may be surprised that in Illinois, unlike some states, these are actually two different crimes that can be charged separately. Under Illinois law, battery is either conduct causing bodily harm or insulting, provocative, or unwanted physical contact with another person. Assault, on the other hand, is intentional conduct that causes the fear of imminent violence. So while a battery would generally include actual physical contact or injury, an assault would merely be a real or implied threat of physical harm.
Continue Reading What is the Difference Between Assault and Battery in Cook County?

Since 2019, the city of Chicago has put a ban on “assault weapons.” This law was in response to a series of mass shootings taking place in Illinois and across the entire nation, mostly involving large, automatic rifles. No single, unified definition of an “assault weapon” exists. States have turned to varying formulations and definitions in an attempt to define what constitutes an “assault weapon.” It is important for Cook County gun owners to be familiar with how the law actually defines possession of an assault weapon, lest you find yourself facing a firearms charge.
What is the Definition…
Continue Reading What Does Chicago's Ban on Assault Weapons Mean?

A recent decision by Cook County prosecutors not to pursue charges against five suspected gang members involved in a fatal Chicago shootout left many locals surprised and confused. Although all five were arrested on suspicion of murder and aggravated battery, they were later released from jail without being formally charged. The reason prosecutors cite for declining to charge the shooters is that they were engaged in “mutual combat,” according to a police report. But what does that mean?
If you are facing violent crime charges of any type, contacting an attorney as soon as possible is of great importance.
Continue Reading What Does "Mutual Combat" Mean?

If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, your highest priority is likely to avoid conviction altogether. However, if you are ultimately convicted, you still may have hopes of avoiding a prison sentence. Fortunately, it is sometimes possible for criminal defendants in Cook County to avoid prison time through an alternative sentencing program. An attorney can help you determine whether you may be eligible for alternative sentencing and negotiate on your behalf with the goal of achieving this outcome.
Cook County Alternative Sentencing Options
The availability of alternative sentencing largely depends on the county in which you…
Continue Reading 6 Alternatives to a Prison Sentence in Cook County, Illinois