Yearly Archives: 2021

Traffic violations are incredibly common because there are so many drivers on the road. Even if you do your best, it’s easy to miss a stop sign or to drive a little too fast. If you would like to know more about traffic violations, check out these top four commonly asked questions.

1. What Is a Traffic Violation?

Traffic violations refer to any time you break the laws of the road when driving. This typically includes actions like speeding, driving through a stop sign, driving the wrong way, doing a U-turn where prohibited, parking in a handicap spot, and much more. (more…)

When you are stopped and charged with driving under the influence (DUI), you may only think about the cost of the ticket, attorney, and court cost itself. Unfortunately, these are only the beginning of the charges you may incur. A DUI will cost you much more, and some of this cost may negatively affect you for years to come. Here are a few costs to consider before you choose to drink and drive.

Cost Of Your Auto Insurance

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The American judicial system is based on the premise that you are innocent until proven guilty. The ruling is primarily hinged on evidence as it establishes a person's innocence or…

Law enforcement officers use breath tests to verify whether you're driving under the influence of alcohol. However, these devices can sometimes give erroneous readings. You could find yourself in some…

Expect your appearance to play a role in court proceedings. Ideally, only the facts of the case and the available evidence should matter. However, the world has conditioned people to judge others based on their appearance, even if subconsciously. Therefore, ensure that your dressing and grooming will project an image that can strengthen your case.

Below are some helpful tips to use.

Dress Comfortably

Ensure all aspects of your attire are comfortable. Court sessions can sometimes be lengthy. Uncomfortable attire might leave you fidgety before the case ends. The judge or jury might misread signs of your discomfort and assume you are lying during your testimony. Your nervousness can also distract people from the proceedings.

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Being accused of a crime is a stressful time, especially if you are being accused of a felony. Felonies are typically more serious than misdemeanors and have stricter punishments. For this reason, it’s important that you fully understand felonies if you are being accused of one. To learn more, check out these three commonly asked questions about felonies.

How Does a Crime Become a Felony?

As far as the federal government is concerned, a felony is any crime that is punishable by one year in jail. However, states may be less strict about this definition, and they typically consider the amount of possible jail time and the location of the jail time (prison versus county jail). In general, most states recognize some crimes as automatic felonies. These include murder, rape, and kidnapping.

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With more and more states legalizing cannabis, you may be confused about your own state’s laws, especially since the federal government does not condone the use of cannabis. Despite this, cannabis legality is determined on a state level. If you would like to know more about the Illinois cannabis situation, keep reading.

Is Cannabis Legal in Illinois?

In 2019, Illinois passed an act legalizing the use of recreational cannabis for adults, which went into effect on January 1, 2020. In addition, medical cannabis users can grow up to five plants. The cannabis grown must be used for personal use, so you can’t sell any to individuals or dispensaries. If you don’t have a medical cannabis card, you can’t grow any cannabis plants.

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A DUI charge may be just the beginning of a long, confusing road ahead. And that road can be difficult to navigate if you go it alone, especially if you don’t understand common legal terms used in DUI charges.

Take a look at this quick vocabulary lesson in order to understand DUI legal terms and how these terms may help you, should you ever find yourself facing a DUI charge.

Probable Cause

Probable cause is an incredibly important term because this is what will establish whether or not the arresting officer had cause to stop you to begin with. A police officer cannot simply look at a driver on the road make a general assumption that the driver is drunk; there must be probable cause for the officer to turn their lights on. (more…)

Many people who are accused of a crime need an attorney for their criminal trial. However, not every lawyer is a criminal defense attorney. Many handle civil cases, such as personal lawsuits. If you would like to learn more, check out these four times you may need a civil attorney.

Fighting a Personal Injury Case

One of the most common types of civil cases are personal injury cases. While some personal injury cases end up going to court for the judge to determine how much you deserve, most disputes are handled during an informal settlement. Even if you choose the settlement route, you’ll need a skilled attorney to negotiate for you, so you get your fair settlement.
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Traffic violations, even misdemeanors, can attract serious consequences. Some effects may be immediate, while others occur in the long term. Many people might be warier of the violations if they understood the potential penalties. Below are some effects of traffic violations in Illinois.

Fine, Fees, and Legal Costs

Whichever direction your case takes, it’s likely to cost you money. The direct costs will come in three main ways.

Fines (more…)