You can fight a burglary charge in Illinois in a few different ways. Burglary charges carry serious consequences. However, the state still has to prove every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Your job – and your attorney’s – is to present enough evidence to create that doubt.
If you’re facing a burglary charge in 2026, our Oakbrook Terrace, IL criminal defense lawyer can help you understand what the prosecution needs to prove and how to challenge their case.
What Does the State Have to Prove in an Illinois Burglary Case?
Under 720 ILCS 5/19-1, burglary occurs…
Continue Reading How Do I Fight a Burglary Charge in Illinois?

Refusing field sobriety tests in Illinois can sometimes help your DUI defense. These tests are among the main tools officers use to build probable cause for a DUI arrest. The results are often used as evidence against you in court, but the prosecution will sometimes use your refusal against you as well. If you are facing a DUI charge in Illinois in 2026, a Chicago DUI defense lawyer at Hartsfield Law can review every detail of your case and help you build the strongest possible defense.
What Are Field Sobriety Tests and Why Do Officers Use Them?
Field sobriety…
Continue Reading Can Refusing Field Sobriety Tests Help Your DUI Defense?

For a CDL driver, two serious traffic violations within three years can trigger a disqualification, and additional violations can lead to even longer disqualification periods. Certain major offenses can result in a lifetime loss of CDL privileges. The rules for commercial drivers are much stricter than they are for regular drivers, and the stakes are much higher.
Even violations that seem minor in a personal vehicle can have serious consequences when you are behind the wheel of a commercial truck. If you are a CDL driver dealing with traffic violations in 2026, a Rolling Meadows traffic violations defense lawyer can…
Continue Reading How Many Traffic Violations Can a CDL Driver Receive Before Losing Their License?

To convict someone of criminal sexual assault in Illinois, prosecutors have to prove specific things beyond a reasonable doubt. That is a high bar, and meeting it requires real evidence. However, keep in mind that a charge is not a conviction. Understanding how prosecutors build these cases is an important first step in fighting back. If you are facing a criminal sexual assault charge in 2026, an Oakbrook Terrace, IL criminal defense lawyer can help you understand what the state has to prove and where the case can be challenged.
What Is Criminal Sexual Assault Under Illinois Law?
Criminal sexual…
Continue Reading How Do Prosecutors Prove Criminal Sexual Assault in Illinois?

Dashcam and bodycam footage can often help when building a DUI defense. In fact, video evidence is one of the most powerful tools available in these cases. Officers are trained to document what they observe. However, their written reports do not always match what the camera actually captured. If the footage shows that your driving was steady, that you followed instructions calmly, or that the field sobriety tests were conducted improperly, that video can create serious doubt about the prosecution’s case.
In 2026, more Illinois police departments than ever before are equipped with both dashcams and bodycams, which means video…
Continue Reading Can Dashcam or Bodycam Footage Help Your DUI Defense?

Illinois weapons charges don’t always go to the person who owns the gun. In some cases, people are charged simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Illinois weapons laws are strict, and prosecutors don’t always need to prove ownership to secure a conviction. If you are facing a gun charge in 2026, a Chicago, IL weapons crime defense lawyer can help you understand what you’re facing and fight for the best possible outcome.
What Does Illinois Law Say About Weapon Possession?
Under 720 ILCS 5/24-1, Illinois law prohibits a person from knowingly possessing certain…
Continue Reading Can I Be Charged With a Weapon Crime if the Gun Was Not Mine?

If you or someone you love has been charged with a property crime in 2026, you may be hearing words like burglary, robbery, and theft used almost interchangeably. They are not the same thing. 
In Illinois, these are three separate crimes with very different definitions and very different consequences. A Chicago criminal defense lawyer can review your case for free and help you understand what you are actually facing.
Continue Reading Burglary vs. Robbery vs. Theft in Illinois

If you are reading this, you are probably worried or downright scared. Maybe you had a sexual encounter that you now worry could lead to criminal charges. Maybe the other person was drunk. Maybe you are not sure they really wanted to have sex. Maybe they were younger than you thought. Whatever the situation, you need to understand Illinois law and what could happen next.
Sex crime charges are extremely serious. If you are facing sex crime charges in 2026, even if you have not been arrested yet, you should talk to a lawyer immediately. Our Chicago sex crimes…
Continue Reading Am I Going to Be Charged with Rape?

Illinois has some of the strictest weapons laws in the nation, and a criminal conviction in Illinois can follow you long after the case is closed – especially when it costs you your gun rights. This can affect personal safety and fundamental constitutional rights.
In some cases, once firearm privileges are taken away, they are gone for good, even after completing probation, paying fines, and serving time. In other cases, some convictions allow an individual to have his or her firearm and Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) (430 ILCS 65/) rights restored.
While the process can be time-sensitive and…
Continue Reading Can You Ever Get Your Gun Rights Back in Illinois?

Unlike a first DUI, where you might avoid jail through probation, a second DUI requires the judge to sentence you to at least five days in jail or 240 hours of community service. The maximum sentence is one year in jail, plus significant fines and a minimum one-year license revocation.
A second DUI is a Class A misdemeanor under Illinois law, specifically 625 ILCS 5/11-501. This is much more serious than a first offense. According to the Illinois Secretary of State, over 21,000 people were arrested for DUI in Illinois last year. Many of these are repeat offenders…
Continue Reading Will You Go to Jail for a Second DUI in Chicago?

Carjacking in Illinois, especially in the Chicago area, has surged in the past two decades, although there are signs of decline from the peak in 2021. In 2022, Chicago reported 1,655 carjackings, which was more than double the number from 2018, but down about 11 percent from 2021.
Reports from mid-2025 indicate a significant drop, with only 64 carjackings reported between January and June of 2025. Dedicated task forces in Illinois have recovered numerous stolen cars and made a significant number of arrests, and Illinois passed a bill that required car manufacturers to establish a 24-hour hotline for police to…
Continue Reading Carjacking in Illinois: Penalties and Defenses

When most of us think of theft, we think of physical property or money being taken. However, in the state of Illinois, theft of utilities like electricity, gas, and water can result in misdemeanor or even felony charges under 720 ILCS 5/16-14. Anyone who diverts or tampers with a utility meter, or uses electricity, gas, or water without authorization, commits theft of services.
An increasing number of utility companies are utilizing smart-meter data and digital evidence to identify any irregularities in usage. In some cases, the issue is nothing more than a faulty meter or a billing dispute.
Continue Reading Power, Gas, and Water Theft: Illinois Law Explained

In today’s world, both homes and workplaces often rely on shared computers, tablets, and company servers. So, what happens when law enforcement finds child pornography files on a device used by multiple people? In the state of Illinois, possession of child pornography (720 ILCS 5/11-20.1) is a felony with devastating penalties, including time in prison, and mandatory sex offender registration, not to mention the social stigma of being convicted of a sex crime.
It can also be very challenging to secure employment or rent a home. When the evidence in a child pornography case is tied to a…
Continue Reading Who’s Liable for Child Pornography on a Shared Device?