For most crimes, this means the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt all the elements of a crime, and that the defendant committed that crime. For example, if you committed a retail theft, the prosecution must prove that 1) you 2) knowingly 3) took possession of merchandise 4) from a retail store 5) with the intention of keeping it and 6) without paying.

Beyond a reasonable doubt does not mean beyond any doubt at all, it just means beyond all reasonable doubt. While this is a relatively high burden for the prosecution, the reality is that different judges and juries have very different ideas about what “beyond a reasonable doubt” really means. Some judges may find you guilty on the exact same facts that another judge might use to acquit you. That is why it is so important for your attorney to have some knowledge about the judges in a courthouse.

Some issues that arise in criminal court, however, do not require the stricter beyond a reasonable doubt standard of proof. If you are charged with open alcohol or another minor offense, the burden of proof may be the lower “preponderance of the evidence” standard, in which the prosecutor need only show it was more likely than not that you committed the crime.

If the defendant brings a motion to quash an arrest or suppress the evidence that police seized during an arrest, the defendant must prove that the police acted improperly under the lower preponderance of evidence standard.

A DUI requires the state to prove you were driving or had control of a vehicle while impaired beyond a reasonable doubt. However, a petition to challenge the Secretary of State’s automatic suspension of your driving privileges is a civil proceeding, even though it is conducted in the same criminal court as your DUI. You, the defendant, now have the burden of proving by preponderance of the evidence that there were no reasonable grounds for the arrest or that the officer did not read you the warnings to motorists.

If you have been charged with a criminal offense, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. An attorney can review your case for its best possible defense. Perhaps the state cannot meet its burden of proof. An experience attorney can probe the weaknesses in the state’s case to help present your case in its most favorable light.

If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)

The post THE CRIMINAL BURDEN OF PROOF IN ILLINOIS appeared first on A SKOKIE CRIMINAL LAWYER EXPLAINS THE LAW 1-847-568-0160.

Intoxication is only a defense when 1) it was involuntarily produced and 2) it deprived you of the substantial capacity to either appreciate the criminality of your conduct or conform your conduct to the law.

Intoxication may be involuntary where it is produced by fraud, artifice or deceit. If someone slipped drugs into your punch, you might not be responsible for what happens next. Intoxication also includes the unexpected or unwarned side effects of prescribed medication. For example, a doctor prescribes an antidepressant without warning you that it can cause sleep walking. In one Illinois case, the court held a defendant was entitled to have his intoxication defense reviewed by the jury where he had killed his wife and her lover after having taken Zoloft. People v Hari. But even when involuntary, your intoxication must deprive you of all reason. You can’t use intoxication as a defense if you otherwise knew what you were doing.

Legal intoxication should not be confused with diminished capacity, a defense no longer available in Illinois. The fact you committed the crime when you voluntarily became too drunk or drugged to think straight will not excuse your conduct.

Because the defendant has the burden of proving the intoxication defense, it is critical to present the most compelling evidence possible. A criminal law attorney can review your case to determine if the defense applies and how best to prove it.

If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.).

The post THE INTOXICATION DEFENSE IN ILLINOIS appeared first on A SKOKIE CRIMINAL LAWYER EXPLAINS THE LAW 1-847-568-0160.