One of the most common questions I get asked by people who are charged with a Domestic Battery is whether they can be guilty of a Domestic Battery if they did not hit anyone. The short answer to that question is yes. But let’s talk a little about what a…
Last June, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in a DUI case that many DUI lawyers had been closely following. The case is actually three separate cases consolidated into one case captioned, Birchfield v. North Dakota. What united all 3 cases was that they all dealt with a…
Recently, I won a Source of Funds hearing at the Maywood Courthouse. At my client’s initial bond hearing, the judge required that my client prove the source of funds prior to being allowed to post the required amount of the cash bond. Immediately after the bond hearing I was contacted…
Many times when someone is arrested and charged with a Domestic Battery the Court will issue an Order of Protection that seeks to protect the person claiming to be abused (Petitioner) from being harmed or harassed by the person who is being charged with the Domestic Battery. When I have…
This is one of the most common questions I get asked by people that have been arrested and charged with a Retail Theft. When I get asked that question, that’s when I start asking questions. Because whether or not they committed a Retail Theft depends on the specific facts of…
There was a time when eyewitness testimony was considered the best evidence in a criminal case. But recent scientific developments have cast doubt on the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Surveys of jurors in criminal cases show that jurors place great weight on the testimony of eyewitnesses. This can be dangerous…
In July of 2016, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation into law which makes possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil matter and not a criminal matter. This new law made Illinois the 17th state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. This means that if you…
On January 1, 2014, Medical Marijuana became legal in Illinois. The Illinois Medical Marijuana policy is stricter than most other states that have enacted Medical Marijuana. Illinois does not allow Medical Marijuana to be grown at home. The Marijuana must be cultivated at a state-regulated facility that is under strict…
Recently, I have represented clients who received speeding tickets. In the course of representing these clients, I have come to realize that people do not really understand the Illinois Speeding Laws. In the last few years, the Illinois speeding laws have been changed. The changes have drastically increased the penalties…
An Introduction to Domestic Battery in Illinois A criminal charge of Domestic Battery is a very serious criminal offense in Illinois. In recent years, public attention has been focused on Domestic Violence. I noticed the increased attention on Domestic Violence cases after the infamous OJ Simpson case. State legislatures throughout…