Posted on December 23, 2016 in DUI/DWI

If you are arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol in Illinois, it is critically important that you fight the criminal charges that are pending against you. In order to do that, you will need an experienced DUI criminal defense attorney by your side fighting for you the whole way. These are important charges that you need to get reduced or dismissed-the consequences of being convicted for a DUI are life-altering and long-lasting. At worst, a lawyer can simply ensure that you receive fair treatment under the law. Consider the followingwhen looking for a DUI defense attorney.

An Attorney Who is Qualified and Experienced

If you have been charged with a DUI, it is important to hire an attorney who is experienced in handling DUI defenses just like yours. An experienced DUI criminal defense attorney will know the specifics of the law, will understand the criminal court system, and will listen to you as you explain what happened that caused you to get arrested. The outcome of your defense will impact your life in a big way. Do not put your fate into the hands of an inexperienced attorney.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 21, 2016 in Traffic Offenses

Many people have been guilty of speeding at some point in time when they are behind the wheel of a vehicle. Sometimes it happens on accident, while other times adriver purposefully means to exceed the posted speed limit. However, ifyou are caught speeding by Illinois law enforcement, aticket for violating the state’s speeding laws will be issued to you.

Receivinga traffic ticket can adversely affect you if you admit your guilt to your traffic offense. For instance, if you go to the courthouse and immediately pay your ticket without fighting it in traffic court, you effectively have made an admission that you are guilty of the speeding charge.

Admitting guilt for a traffic violation can result in the addition of points to your driver’s license. If you accumulate too many points, then serious consequences can result. Too many points can mean that your license will be suspended, which will make traveling more difficult for you without the ability to drive. Ultimately, much is at stake when you are issued a traffic ticket for speeding. Hence, it is important that you fight your speeding ticket. With the help of an experienced Illinois traffic offenses defense attorney it might be possible to get your charges reduced or dismissed altogether.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 16, 2016 in DUI/DWI

When a person is stopped by law enforcement for a traffic violation, and the officer who made the traffic stop develops a reasonable suspicion that the driver of the vehicle is intoxicated by alcohol, the police officer can request that the suspected drunk driver submit to a breathalyzer test.

A breathalyzer test is a chemical test that analyzes the amount of alcohol on a person’s breath and then determines whether the person has a blood alcohol concentration that is over the legal limit of 0.08. Under Illinois implied consent law, drivers are required to submit to a breathalyzer test upon a police officer’s request or else face consequences, such as the automatic suspension of their driver’s license. But remember: you do have the right to refuse to submit to a breathalyzer test.

Even if you are pulled over and you do submit to breathalyzer testing, there are many things that could render your breathalyzer testing results invalid. It is well established that breathalyzer tests are not foolproof and there can be any number of procedural mistakes that could make your test results invalid. Invalid breathalyzer test results cannot be used against you in a DUI case against you. A few examples of things that can make your breathalyzer test results invalid include:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 15, 2016 in Child Custody

If your child has recently gone through a divorce, you are likely wondering how his or her parenting arrangements for his or her children will affect you and your time with your grandchildren. You might be wondering what rights you have to spend time with your grandchildren and whether or not time with you is considered as part of their custody arrangement.

The short answer to your questions is this: unless you have court-ordered guardianship of your grandchild or grandchildren, your child and his or her former spouse are not legally required to have their child spend time with you. However, if you are routinely denied the opportunity to spend time with your grandchild, you may file a petition to have the court grant you visitation rights with your grandchild. Visitation rights are written into the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act along with other laws related to a child’s well-being.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 14, 2016 in DUI/DWI

Illinois has strict laws when it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol. Driving under the influence is defined by 625 ILCS 5/11-501 as occurring when a person is operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, which can be shown if his or her blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 or more.

Law enforcement, prosecutors, and the courts take DUI offenses very seriously. Moreover, they levy the harshest criminal charges that they can justify against analleged drunk driver. However, whenchildren are involved in a DUI, punishment can become substantially worse for the accused drunk driver.

Not only is your driver’s license automatically suspended when you are arrested for DUI, but you also face a misdemeanor charge for a first time offense, presuming that there are no aggravating factors involved in your DUI. If there are aggravating factors, your offense could be upgraded to a felony DUI offense.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 09, 2016 in Drug Charges

Begin caught while committing a drug offense and/or being charged with a drug offense is tough in its own right. You will need to hire a criminal defense lawyer and go to court, and you can potentially face jail time, fines, probation, and a criminal record that will be with you for a long time. Additionally,the police can take your personal property if it is associated with the drug offense, such as your car, money, or other belongings.

Illinois Drug Asset Forfeiture Laws Are Far-Reaching

Illinois has certainaggressive and broad drug asset forfeiture laws. Under Illinois drug asset forfeiture laws, any property that is associated with criminal drug activity can be seized by the police. This causes many problems for people who own property that was taken into custody by police. These laws do not distinguish between the person who allegedly committed a crime and who actually owns the property. Moreover,the laws extend to other items that may have been purchased with money associated with a crime. Finally, the property is not automatically released if the charges against the alleged offender are dropped.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 07, 2016 in Theft

During the holiday season there is a noticeable spike in the instances of retail theft. For whatever reason, people are more likely to shoplift in November and December than at any other time of the year. Ahigher rate of foot traffic in stores around the holidaysmakesit easier to commit retail theft. Moreover,there are a lot of pressures placed on people this time of the year, which can drive them to committing an act of shoplifting.

According to MarketWatch, the most commonly stolen items around the holidays in the United States include:

• Electronics and electronics accessories, such as cell phone cases, headphones, etc.;
• Winter or leather clothing;
• Meat, seafood, alcohol and chocolates;
• Children’s toys; and
• Perfume or cologne.

Ultimately, many of these items, such as electronics and electronic accessories, leather clothing, and some children’s toys, can be greatly valued. It is not uncommon for electronics to cost hundreds of dollars, which might be part of the reason why someone would steal these items from a store in the first place.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 01, 2016 in DUI/DWI

Even the most sensible people can sometimes exercise poor judgement, or think that they are sober enough to drive after a few drinks. Drunk, intoxicated, or even buzzed drivers are often pulled over by law enforcement and arrested on DUI charges. Oftentimes,these individuals have no idea what to do because they are first time DUI offenders. A DUI conviction can have a profound impact on your life beyond the obvious criminal consequences, such as jail time and fines. Many first time DUI offenders are stunned by the additional consequences of a DUI.

DUI Facts: The Profile of the Average DUI Offender

According to the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State, the average DUI offender in Illinois is a male around the age of 34 years old, who is intoxicated behind the wheel between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. This typical DUI offender generally hasa blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of twice the legal limit (legal limit being 0.08 BAC in Illinois for drivers over the age of 21). Ninety percent of the drivers who were arrested in 2014 for DUI lost their driving privileges as a result, and 86 percent of those drivers who were arrested were first time offenders.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on November 30, 2016 in Divorce

Anyone who has ever been in a serious relationship can probably relate. The initial stages of the relationship are filled with happiness and excitement at the very thought of one another. While nobody expects the “puppy-love” phase to last forever, it is during this stage that many couples decide to get married. As time goes by, however, the relationship may cool into a less dramatic and intense type of love, and, in some cases, even further than that. Eventually, one or both spouses may find themselves feeling bored, lonely, and unloved despite the rings on their fingers. Some may be inclined to take immediate action and file for divorce, but rushing toward the end of your marriage is not usually the best idea.

Relationship Cycles

Your relationship is going to be constantly changing. Life does not stand still and neither does love. Even the healthiest of marriages have rough patches. There is a reason that the typical wedding vows include the phrases “for better or for worse,” “in good times and in bad,” and “in sickness and in health.” If you took the leap of faith to marry your spouse, you believed that your love was deeper than physical attraction and good feelings. Before you decide to file for divorce, take an objective look at your marriage and try to determine it is really over or if you are just going through a tough time.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on November 25, 2016 in Drug Charges

Getting arrested for a drug offense, such as possession or intent to distribute, is a bad situation on its own. If you are convicted for such an offense, you can face jail time and fees. However,getting caught with drugs can also mean that you will lose personal property, such as your car or other assets, if such assets are affiliated with the drug offense. Drug asset forfeiture is a common practice in Illinois, yetmany people are unaware of it until it happens to them or someone they know.

If you are charged with a drug crime, you might be subjected to Illinois’ drug asset forfeiture laws. Under these laws, property that is associated with drug activity or a crime can be seized by law enforcement. The point of the seizure is to limit the amount of resources that are available for criminal activity. If your personal property is taken by law enforcement under state asset forfeiture laws, it may take a long time to get your seized assets back, and recovery of your seized property can be at a great cost to you.

Continue Reading ››