Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyers
With A Reputation For Results In Tough Cases
Many people in Illinois have raised serious concerns about the continuing impact of racial bias on prosecution, conviction and sentencing in criminal cases. One of the most important areas of study has been implicit bias, when people’s decisions are affected by unconscious stereotypes and prejudices. Implicit bias rests on the acceptance of socially propagated stereotypes about a racial group rather…
A number of people in Illinois and across the country have been exonerated even many years after a criminal conviction on the basis of DNA evidence examined later on. While DNA evidence is often entered at trial by both the prosecution and the defense, there are circumstances where DNA could be re-examined after a conviction. These kinds of requests, especially…
Black people in Illinois and across the country are still more likely to be imprisoned than white people, although one study points to a positive trend in reducing racial disparity in the criminal justice system. The Council on Criminal Justice reported declining racial gaps in imprisonment rates in local jails and state prisons as well as probation and parole authorities.…
If your employer has entrusted you with keeping the books or managing the financial accounts of his or her business, you may have felt honored with the level of trust imparted to you. However, you undoubtedly felt the weight of that trust. Handling the money and maintaining the records means any mistakes fall squarely on your shoulders. It also means…
Bias in the criminal justice system is a major concern in Illinois and across the country. Disparate sentencing and penalties have led to nationwide calls for criminal justice reform. However, one of the most concerning aspects of bias are the forms that are unintentional or subconscious. It can be more challenging to prove unconscious bias, but the effects on a…
Illinois readers who are concerned about privacy issues should be aware that many tech and app companies readily share customer information with law enforcement agencies without a warrant, according to a report by Government Technology magazine. These companies include Ring, Lyft, Uber, Netflix, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Venmo. According to the report, law enforcement officers routinely ask people for footage…
People in Illinois who are accused of certain types of crimes may agree to settle the issue through a diversion plea. In these circumstances, the person pleads guilty and agrees to other circumstances, such as attending a program or paying a fine. As a result, the plea is not considered to be a conviction under state law. However, after a…
A recently filed lawsuit accuses Apple Inc. of using facial recognition technology to track the activities of shoplifters in Illinois and around the country. According to the lawsuit, the company used the controversial software to accuse an innocent New York teenager of stealing goods worth thousands of dollars from Apple Stores in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Delaware. The mix-up came…
When defendants in Illinois go on trial for state or federal offenses, they often face a jury trial. Jurors’ life experiences and opinions about society can often affect their decisions, for better or worse. One Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling in February 2019 formalized the recognition of that reality, saying that members of juries cannot leave their world views outside…
For many people in Illinois, the advancement of technology can also lead to a decrease in personal privacy. While many individuals are familiar with the controversies surrounding tech companies’ use of personal data, the issue can be far more significant when law enforcement wants access to a person’s locked cell phone. A federal judge’s ruling may provide people with greater…