Author Archives: admin

HOW IS A COMMUTATION DIFFERENT FROM A PARDON?

You have a loved one in prison. He hung out with some people who were not his friends and got involved in a robbery. You want to shorten what seems like an unfair sentence. Are you looking for a commutation … Continue reading

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CAN MY FLIGHT BE USED AS EVIDENCE OF GUILT?

The answer is yes. If you fled from a crime, your flight can be one of the circumstances considered to establish your guilt. Whether an inference of guilt may be drawn from your flight depends on if you knew (1) … Continue reading

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CAN YOU TAKE YOUR OWN CHILD TO THE PARK IF YOU ARE A CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER?

The answer depends on the charges brought against you. If you are a convicted sexual predator or child sex offender, you cannot knowingly be present in any public park or loiter in a public way within 500 feet of a … Continue reading

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WHAT IS THE OFFENSE OF TRAVELING TO MEET A CHILD IN ILLINOIS?

You commit the offense of traveling to meet a child (under age 17) when you travel any distance by any means, or attempt to do so, in order to engage in sexual conduct with that child after using an online … Continue reading

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WHAT IS THE NECESSITY DEFENSE UNDER ILLINOIS LAW?

Under Illinois law, you may be able to plead necessity as a defense if you did not cause the situation and you reasonably believed your actions were necessary to avoid a greater harm than the injury which might reasonably result … Continue reading

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WHAT IS CHILD ABANDONMENT IN ILLINOIS?

Under 720 ILCS 5/12C-10, you commit child abandonment when you leave a child under age 13 for 24 hours or more unsupervised by a responsible person over age 14, without regard for the child’s health or safety. The child must … Continue reading

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DO I HAVE A RIGHT TO AN INTERPRETER IF I DON’T UNDERSTAND ENGLISH?

The answer is yes. According to Illinois case law, fundamental due process requires that a defendant who does not fully understand English be permitted an interpreter. Otherwise, a defendant could be deprived of his or her right to a fair … Continue reading

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WHAT IS DOMESTIC BATTERY UNDER ILLINOIS LAW?

You commit domestic battery if you knowingly without legal justification by any means: (1) cause bodily harm to any family or household member; (2) makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with any family or household member. (See … Continue reading

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WHAT IS FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN ILLINOIS?

Under Illinois law, there are three kinds of first degree murder. Intentional murder where you intend to kill or do great bodily harm to another knowing that your actions will cause death; Strong probability murder: Where you know your acts … Continue reading

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WHAT IS CONCEALMENT OF HOMICIDAL DEATH IN ILLINOIS?

In the 1944 comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace, Cary Grant’s character, Mortimer, finds a body in the window seat. It turns out that Mortimer’s elderly aunts have been murdering lonely, old bachelors “to end their suffering” by serving them arsenic-spiked … Continue reading

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