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Facing criminal charges in Dekalb County, Illinois, or anywhere else could be frightening. If you’re in that position, you risk going to jail or facing other criminal law penalties such as probation and payment of fines if convicted. But you could avoid those hazards if you successfully defend yourself at your trial.
Yes, it is possible to overcome your charges, but it is challenging to achieve alone. You’ll likely need help from a skilled criminal defense lawyer who understands how the law and legal system in the county work. They can represent you from your arrest and throughout your trial and work to ensure a positive outcome.
You don’t need to look too far for an experienced criminal defense attorney. Our aggressive Dekalb County attorneys are ready to fight for your rights and defend you throughout your trial. Read on to understand how criminal defense law works and specific ways we can help improve your chances of success.
Criminal Offenses in Illinois are classified as follows:
Misdemeanor offenses are punishable by up to 1 year of jail time upon conviction, with or without additional penalties such as payment of fines and restitution.
Crimes in this category include the following:
Theft of property worth less than $500
Simple drug possession
Traffic violations
Harassment or stalking
Domestic violence
Felony offenses are punishable by a minimum of one year in jail, in addition to other penalties the judge may impose.
These offenses are further divided into classes, with Class 4 felonies being the least severe and Class X felonies being the most severe. Class X felonies attract the death penalty, imprisonment for up to 30 years, or life.
Examples of felonies in Illinois include:
Rape
Murder
Kidnapping
Burglary
Theft of property valued over $500
The above classification of crimes is essential because it determines the penalty for a specific crime. Understanding where your crime falls can help you understand what you’re up against as you prepare your defense.
Criminal defense laws are made up of rules that protect those who have been charged with criminal offenses.
Some of these laws prescribe defenses that criminal defendants can rely on to save themselves from a criminal conviction. Others regulate the criminal investigation process and protect a defendant from prosecution based on wrongfully obtained evidence.
Some of the common criminal defenses are as follows:
Innocence: If you can prove that you are not responsible for the crime you’ve been charged with, you might be acquitted.
Alibi: You could provide evidence that you were somewhere else when the crime was committed.
Self-defense or defense of others: You could argue that you acted in defense of yourself or someone else when the crime occurred.
Insanity: If you can prove that you did not have the mental capacity to understand the consequences of your actions, you could avoid criminal liability.
Mistake of fact: You could argue that you made a mistake in judgment or perception of the situation, leading to your actions.
Consent (where a primary element of the crime is the victim’s lack of consent, like in sex crimes): If you can show that the victim consented to your actions, you could avoid conviction.
Entrapment: You may argue that law enforcement agents entrapped you into committing a crime.
Certain constitutional provisions also protect the rights of criminal defendants across the US. They include the following:
The Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures of property by law enforcement officers during criminal investigations. A criminal defense attorney can apply to the court to suppress evidence gathered in this manner so that it cannot be used against the accused person.
The Fifth Amendment protects criminal defendants from being prosecuted more than once for the same offense (double jeopardy). If you have been prosecuted and acquitted for a crime in the past, you can plead double jeopardy if the state charges you for the same offense a second time. But before relying on double jeopardy, you need to be sure that the facts/elements of the previous and current charges are the same. Consult a criminal defense law office to assess your case before relying on this principle in your defense.
Every criminal suspect or defendant has the right to remain silent while under arrest or during trial. The police must inform criminal suspects of this right before interrogating them. If they fail to do so and rely on the suspect’s statement to bring a charge or secure a conviction, such a conviction may be quashed on appeal.
Several other statutory defenses could relieve a criminal defendant. But in most cases, a seasoned criminal defense lawyer knows when each one is appropriate and how to establish it successfully.
Our aggressive criminal defense attorneys can help your case in several ways, including the following:
When you’re facing a criminal trial, you may need to make critical choices that could affect the outcome of your criminal case. We can provide top-notch legal advice to help you navigate the criminal justice system more easily and make informed decisions about your case.
Protecting your rights is our priority at our law firm. You can rely on us to look out for circumstances that could infringe on your rights and take steps to prevent such incidents.
We believe that every detail of your case is important. As we strive to build a formidable defense for you, we are prepared to review all the necessary documents, including police reports, witness statements, and other kinds of evidence the prosecution may have against you, and challenge them as much as possible.
Suppose the prosecution offers you a plea deal. In that case, we can help you decide if accepting the deal benefits you and help negotiate better terms if necessary.
During your trial, we are prepared to argue your case and use the evidence and facts we have available to convince the judge and jury to decide in your favor.
Our Dekalb County criminal attorneys can represent you in all kinds of criminal cases, including:
DUIs
Gun charges
Domestic violence
Burglary
Drug Crimes
Embezzlement
Homicide.
Theft
Traffic offenses.
We serve clients from all over Dekalb County, including the following locations:
Sycamore
Clare
Cortland
Dekalb
Esmond
Genoa
Hinkley
Kingston
Kirkland
Malta
Sandwich
Shabbona
Somonauk
Waterman.
Even if your specific Dekalb County location is not mentioned here, we’ll still be glad to hear from you. Do not hesitate to reach out; be assured that we’ll do all we can to assist you.
Dealing with criminal charges is difficult and full of uncertainty. But you don’t need to go through it alone. Our formidable criminal defense team will stand by you and represent you at every stage of your case.
We have two former prosecutors on our team. Their presence helps us understand how the other side works. We can easily anticipate the prosecution’s strategy and formulate a defense that effectively counters it.
If you have concerns about your defense or need immediate representation, contact us to schedule a free consultation. Let us review your case together and help you determine the next steps.
