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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.

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The cops have pulled you over and accused you of driving under the influence — what you do next can have a big impact on your case if you have…

One of the most important parts of child custody is adhering to the rules of the custody order. Each parent has rules and guidelines within the custody order they must…

The law guarantees every criminal suspect the right to an attorney. Unfortunately, you don’t get to choose your public defender. You only get your choice of a lawyer if you decide to go private. But how much will you end up paying for the services of a private lawyer? Below are some of the factors that determine criminal defense fees.

Number of Charges

A single criminal act can trigger multiple charges or counts. For example, if the authorities have accused you of driving under the influence (DUI), you might face other related charges, such as:

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Threatening someone might not seem like a serious crime. However, Illinois criminal laws classify some threats as intimidation, which attracts grave repercussions. Below is a brief overview of intimidation in the state.

The Crime

Intimidation arises if one person threatens someone with harm or bodily violence if they act or fail to act in a certain way. Intimidation charges apply whether the threat is direct or indirect. The charges also apply even if the perpetrator doesn’t follow through with the threat.

An example of a direct threat is a restaurant owner threatening a rival with false accusations if the rival doesn’t stop business operations. An example of an indirect threat is if the restaurant owner sends a third party, say a gang member, to threaten the rival on their behalf.

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Hearsay, statements made outside the courtroom, are typically inadmissible as evidence in criminal trials. Like most laws, however, there are exceptions to the rule. Below are some of the exceptions that allow courts to accept hearsay as evidence.

Present Sense Impression

Many people like to describe their experiences. For example, if you are on a bus with a broken air conditioner (AC), you might complain to the person next to you about the hot weather. In such a case, the court may allow your statement as evidence of whether or not you are available to testify.

The rationale is that you would only have commented on the hot weather if you were truly feeling hot. With that rationalization, your statement is more likely to be true. (more…)