Author Archives: admin

WHAT IF THE DRUGS YOU SUPPLIED WERE NOT THE ONLY CAUSE OF DEATH?

            Under Illinois law, you can be charged with drug-induced homicide if you illegally delivered a controlled substance to someone who’s death was then caused by that substance.   See 720 ILCS 5/9-3.3. But what if someone else was also responsible … Continue reading

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WHAT HAPPENS AT AN ILLINOIS PARDON HEARING?

When you petition for a pardon in Illinois, you may request a hearing. Once your petition is accepted, your hearing will be set for Chicago or Springfield, depending on the date you filed.  Hearings are set quarterly, and each quarter has a … Continue reading

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ILLINOIS LAWS BAR POLICE FROM LYING WHEN INTERROGATING JUVENILES IN CUSTODY

            Two Illinois laws prohibit police from knowingly using deceptive tactics to coax a confession out of a minor. 720 ILCS 405/5-401.6 and 720 ILCS 5/103-2.2 state that a confession by a minor under age 18 at the time of … Continue reading

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WHEN CAN YOU USE DEADLY FORCE IN DEFENSE OF A DWELLING?

            It is very late at night.  You hear someone prowling outside your window.  You want to take some sort of action, but at what point are you allowed to use deadly force to defend your home?              According to … Continue reading

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DOES A PARDON AUTOMATICALLY EXPUNGE MY ILLINOIS CRIMINAL CASE?

The answer is no, but it is generally possible to get a pardon case expunged by filing a petition in the county where your criminal case occurred. The chief judge of that county, however, has full discretion over whether to … Continue reading

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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET AN ILLINOIS PARDON?

Obtaining an answer to your petition for executive clemency could take as little as a few months, but usually it takes much longer. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board accepts petitions for executive clemency at all times, but the wait for … Continue reading

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DO I NEED AN ATTORNEY TO GET AN ILLINOIS PARDON?

The answer is no.  Even so, you may want to consider hiring one. In order to file an Illinois pardon, certain critical documents are needed.  You can probably get most of these with minimal difficulty.  The harder part is writing … Continue reading

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GIVING YOUR FIREARM TO THE WRONG PERSON: THE OFFENSE OF UNLAWFUL DELIVERY IN ILLINOIS

            With the rising number of mass shootings, some prosecutors have sought charges against the parties who provided the firearms to the mass shooter. For example, one Illinois man was recently convicted of illegally giving his son an assault-style rifle … Continue reading

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CAN I CLEAR MY OLD ILLINOIS ARREST WARRANT WHEN I LIVE OUT OF STATE?

Many years ago you were young and reckless.  You got arrested in Illinois.  You wanted to pretend your case didn’t exist, so you skipped out on your court date and eventually moved out of state.  Older and wiser, you worry … Continue reading

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IS FREE SPEECH A DEFENSE TO THE CRIME OF GROOMING IN ILLINOIS?

The answer is generally not. Under the right circumstances, however, you may be able to prove that what you said to the child was in fact innocent. Although a law may be deemed unconstitutional if it penalizes innocent people who … Continue reading

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