Criminal Defense

Criminal cases in Illinois sometimes depend on testimony from witnesses. Although people tend to believe witnesses who identify suspects, this information is potentially unreliable. The Innocence Project, which helps people wrongfully convicted of killings and sex crimes gain their release with DNA evidence, reported that 71 percent of 350 exoneration cases involved witnesses who had identified the wrong people. A…

Cell phone users in Illinois and nationwide gained a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States regarding the privacy of their cell site location information. Privacy advocates view the 5-4 decision as a landmark ruling that updates the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures for the 21st century. Telecom companies automatically collect and store location…

In Illinois, some people have been exonerated after being wrongfully convicted of crimes that they did not commit. Some of these people were convicted after being falsely identified by witnesses. The problem of false identifications in criminal cases is widespread, affecting innocent people across the U.S. According to the California Innocence Project, mistakes are often made with how the photo…

Passed in the summer of 2017, the Bail Reform Act took effect in Illinois on Jan. 1. The new law requires courts within the state to consider a defendant’s financial situation when determining if he or she should post bail to be released. It also requires that the court consider the threat a person may face before requiring bail as…

Facing criminal charges can cause you to feel confused, anxious and many other emotions. Though you may work to create a criminal defense against the allegations leveled against you, you may still find yourself facing a conviction. This situation can feel even more nerve-wracking as the sentencing you may have to deal with could have considerable impacts on your life.…

In Illinois, black people who are charged with crimes are likelier to be convicted of the charges that carry jail time and to receive harsher punishments than those who are white. While the disparate treatment of suspects by law enforcement officers has long been studied, a new study analyzed the treatment of defendants by prosecutors and the courts, finding that…

Illinois residents can be charged with tampering with evidence if the authorities believe that the accused individuals attempted to conceal, alter, falsify or destroy the evidence. This evidence can include any object or documentation that could potentially be useful to a police investigation or inquiry. When individuals are accused of tampering with evidence, the prosecution is required to establish all…

On April 12, it was reported that an Illinois man who spent 21 years in prison received a $13 million award for a wrongful conviction. The man was convicted and incarcerated after he signed a murder confession that was allegedly drafted by Cook County prosecutors and officers with the Chicago Police Department. The man, who was 20 years old at…

In the wake of numerous publicized police shootings of civilian suspects, the public outcry has resulted in police officers in many cities being required to wear body cameras. These cameras record the actions of police officers as they respond to calls and conduct traffic stops. The Chicago police department began using body cameras at the beginning of 2015 in the…

When a defendant in Illinois is first handed charges, the investigation into their case is usually not complete. In fact, a lot of evidence may be discovered up to the date of the final ruling. If prosecutors find evidence that may point to the defendant’s innocence, they are obligated to reveal it to the criminal defense attorney. The 1963 United…