Schedule a Free Consultation|
Call 815-740-4025
-
- Home
- Our Firm
- Criminal Defense
- Assault & Battery
- Domestic Battery / Domestic Violence
- DUI/DWI
- Drug Crimes
- Driver's License Reinstatement
- Speeding Tickets, Traffic Offenses & Violations
- CDL Violations
- Gun & Weapons Charges
- Felony Crimes
- Misdemeanor Crimes
- Juvenile Crimes
- Expungement & Record Sealing
- Resisting Arrest / Obstructing the Police
- Retail Theft & Shoplifting
- Police Questioning: When Miranda Warnings Are Required
- Media
- Blog
- Contact
Recent Blog Posts
Young Millennial Buyers and the Real Estate Market
With still-rising home prices and a job shortage, many people in their 20s and early 30s are unable to purchase a home. While many young millennials may be living in their parents’ basements, they are currently the largest segment of the population in the United States which are buying homes.
Here are more interesting facts about the millennial real estate market:
- Millennials are getting help from their parents. Parents of young, first-time home buyers are providing them with loans or money for an initial down payment. With the amount of financial help coming from them, parents of young millennials often have a strong say in the type, location, and price of the homes their children buy.
- Millennials put time and effort into the home buying process. The young generation scours the internet for hours in search of their perfect home.
Appeals Court Upholds Verdict in “Sleeping Judge” Case
During a criminal trial, the judge is responsible for the things that go on in his or her courtroom. He or she oversees the proceedings, maintains order, rules on evidentiary objections, and ensures that the details of the case are properly recorded. But, what if the judge does not appear to be in complete control? What if he or she, for example, were to fall asleep during the proceedings? Would the defendant in such a case have grounds to ask for a new trial? An appeals court in Illinois was recently asked to determine the answers to such questions.
Unusual Circumstances
Back in 2014, a Whiteside County courtroom was the setting for the trial of a man accused of numerous counts of first-degree murder. During the course of the trial, there were several instances where the lights in the courtroom were dimmed so that video depositions and evidence could be presented and heard. On at least one those occasions, the presiding judge dozed off while video evidence was being shown and, according to court documents, had to be poked awake by a court clerk.
What Type of Real Estate Investment Should You Make?
If you are considering investing in real estate, understanding the types of available real estate and the kind of investments you can make is instrumental in ensuring that your investments are financially sound and right for you.
The type of real estate investment you should make is not only dependent on your finances and the location of the property, but also on whether or not you are seeking to attain viable income from the investment. All real estate investments fall under one of two categories : non-income-producing investments and income-producing investments. Non-income-producing investments include houses and vacation homes, while income-producing investments include commercial property such as retail, office, and industrial property.
Some Health Systems Are Hesitant to Recommend Medical Marijuana
A recent post on this blog talked a little about national trends and local efforts regarding the legalization of recreational marijuana. While several lawmakers in Illinois have begun the process of trying to legalize recreational use of the drug, only approved medical use is currently legal under state law. The state’s medical marijuana program currently includes more than 23,000 registered patients, but many believe the number could be higher if certain doctors and health systems were more inclined to recommend cannabis for approved conditions.
Qualification Requirements
In order to qualify for participation in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program in Illinois, a patient must be diagnosed with one of about 40 specified debilitating medical conditions. These conditions include various forms of cancer, as well as HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD).
The Question of Reasonable Suspicion in Criminal Arrests
In spite of efforts to thoroughly define procedures for detaining criminal suspects, the law actually provides police with a certain amount of leeway during the course of executing their duties. Although everyone is innocent until proven guilty, police often apply the somewhat vague standard of reasonable suspicion to a situation when attempting to investigate the possibility of criminal activity.
How and When Reasonable Suspicion Is Applied
The concept of reasonable suspicion was first established by the United States Supreme Court in 1968. It allows police to stop and briefly detain a person if, based on the officer’s training, they believe that person may be engaged in criminal activity. However, while reasonable suspicion is intended to permit law enforcement the opportunity to slow or stop action in a situation so they can gather information and determine whether or not an illegal act occurred, its application can create controversy.
Do You Have to Unlock Your Phone for the Police?
Just as technology makes advances on what seems like a daily basis, the laws governing the use of and access to technological devices is still evolving. A case currently making its way through Illinois courts addresses just this issue, and, as it stands, law enforcement now can require an owner to unlock their cell phone in the process of executing a search warrant. This district court decision overturned a lower court’s decision on the matter, making the contents of one’s phone subject to search as part of a criminal investigation.
Are Your Face or Fingerprints Protected by the Constitution?
In the interests of convenience and security, cell phone manufacturers have begun adding features that allow a user to access their cell phone through a facial recognition program, or by using fingerprint identification technology. Access via these and other security code programs continue to be the subject of legal battles between law enforcement, the public, and product manufacturers. An Illinois district court ruled that access by means of fingerprint was covered under the parameters of a search warrant, based on the circumstances of the case, which included:
6 Things To Do Before Signing a Commercial Lease
Starting a new business or moving an existing business to a new location is a complex process. Understanding your rights and needs when signing a commercial lease is instrumental in the success of your business. The following are six actions you should take before signing a lease for any commercial property:
- Make sure you sign a lease that is right for you and your business. There are four main types of commercial leases :
- In a single net lease, you will only pay property tax and utilities, while the owner pays for insurance, repairs, and maintenance.
- In a double net lease, you will pay property taxes, utilities, and insurance premiums, while the landlord will pay for repairs and maintenance.
- In a triple net lease, you will be paying all building costs, and the owner will be paying for certain repairs.
- In a modified gross lease, you will be responsible for the base rent, and in the following years, you will pay both the base rent and some operating expenses.
Longtime Illinois Lawmaker Charged With Retail Theft
In an ideal world, nobody would be above the law. Our world, of course, is not perfect, and many individuals—especially business leaders and politicians—seem to get away with things that the average citizen would not. For at least one former Illinois state representative, however, this does not appear to be the case, as she is now facing charges in connection with retail theft from a shopping center in Lombard.
Alleged Return Fraud Attempt
According to several local news outlets, the 71-year-old former General Assembly member allegedly stole three women’s clothing items from a Von Maur store at the Yorktown Shopping Center in late September. The items were reportedly taken around 2:00 in the afternoon. Authorities say that the woman returned to the store a little after 9:00 p.m. the same day and tried to return the stolen merchandise for cash or store credit.
Understanding Domestic Battery in Illinois
Domestic violence is a problem that continues to plague tens of thousands of families across the country. Despite countless awareness programs, educational campaigns, and victim empowerment efforts, as many as one in three women and one in four men will experience domestic violence at the hands of an intimate partner at least once in their lifetime.
In terms of the law, domestic abuse is an area that blurs the line between family law and criminal law. It is understandable that such behavior would be a factor in cases related to child custody and parental rights, but the same actions that cost a parent time with his or her children could also result in criminal penalties as well. Domestic violence is most often charged as domestic battery in Illinois, and it is important to understand the potential consequences.
Two Types of Actions
Just as the crime of battery may be committed in two ways, domestic battery can too. A person commits domestic battery when he or she causes bodily harm to a family or household member. Domestic battery may also be charged in the absence of bodily harm if a person makes physical contact of a provoking or insulting nature with a family or household member. Thus, a slap across the face could be considered domestic battery, even if the slap did not cause a cut or bruise.
Is Illinois Poised to Legalize Recreational Marijuana?
In 2015, Illinois joined 28 other states that offer access to medical marijuana for qualifying patients. Recently, advocates and some politicians have begun steering the legalization conversation toward expanding access to marijuana in this state for recreational use.
New Tactics in the War on Drugs
Although the federal government still considers cultivation, possession, distribution, and use of marijuana a crime, several states across the country have begun enacting laws decriminalizing marijuana. In addition to the variety of medicinal qualities researchers have identified, some lawmakers consider the legal sale of marijuana an emerging and untapped source of revenue. Here are some of the events that have helped shift the conversation about marijuana legalization:
- In addition to the 29 states that offer access to medical marijuana, eight states have legalized its sale for recreational use.
