Soon, nearly 12,000 inmates in federal prisons across the country will be eligible to have their sentences reduced because of a new law attempting to make penalties for crack possession more consistent with penalties for possession of cocaine. In the federal prison system, nearly 1 in 17 inmates is in custody as a result of a conviction for crack [...]
Oftentimes people call my office with questions similar to this..., "I've been charged with 720 ILCS 550/4-B. Is that bad?" It's one thing to know generally what you've been charged with, but understanding your criminal charges specifically can give you greater understanding of the consequences of your charges as well as how to fight them. Below I've [...]
What is bail? I am asked this question by defendants and their families alike. Bail, the setting and posting of it, is what must occur between a person's arrest and the ultimate outcome of their criminal case. Bail comes in two forms: monetary and non-monetary bail. Monetary bail is the posting of cash or property to release the [...]
Chicago Weapons Charges - Yours Could Be Dropped Illinois Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional a law regarding unlawful use of a weapon. In a recent turn of events, the Illinois Supreme Court has determined a law regarding Chicago Weapons Charges that once indicated having a gun on one's person outside of their home or business to [...]
Drug attorney chicago 720 ILCS 550 Marijuana possession is considered a drug crime. “Possession" may include more situations than you think such as: Marijuana among your personal belongings, such as in your pockets, bag, purse or backpack Marijuana in your vehicle Marijuana in your home Marijuana paraphernalia, such as pipes or seeds, in your [...]
What is the difference between an expungement and sealing of my record? Criminal arrests can have many detrimental consequences in one's life. A criminal background can prevent you from finding employment, prevent you from being able to certify for certain licences or simply be an embarrassing mark on your record. Many of my clients ask me about what they [...]
residential burglary 720 ILCS 5/19-3 Residential Burglary is a class 1 Felony. It is punishable by 4-15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. It is non-probationable. I have included the statute below for your reference. Your best route to avoid certain incarceration is to hire counsel and attempt to have the charge [...]
Chicago Criminal Lawyer Purav Bhatt explains the difference between theft (720 ILCS 5/16-1) and robbery (720 ILCS 5/18-1). To many of my clients, the offenses of robbery and theft seem identical because both involve the taking of other people’s property without their permission or consent. However, they are separate and different crimes in Illinois and therefore are prosecuted differently. The best way to understand the [...]
When I represent clients being charged with the offense of retail theft or shoplifting I am inevitably asked about a letter each of them receives from the legal representative of the store, oftentimes before their first court date, from which they are accused to committing the retail theft or shoplifting offense. The law in Illinois regarding civil liability [...]