About 90% of all criminal cases are resolved by guilty pleas, instead of going to trial. People charged with a crime willingly give up their constitutional right to trial in exchange for a less harsh sentence. If you plead guilty to a criminal charge, and you are convicted, the judge is able to issue you the maximum sentence. In many cases, a criminal defense lawyer may advise a client to take a plea deal if the prosecution’s case seems winnable....

When Governor Bruce Rauner announced the Marijuana Policy Project that legalizes medical cannabis as a substitute for painkillers, cannabis patients were thrilled. Prescription drugs and opioids killed 70,000 people in 2017 in the United States, and 40% of those were from legal prescription drugs like hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine, and morphine. Although the question still remains, “How effective is cannabis at treating pain?” patients are relieved at the opportunity to avoid some of the side effects of prescription drugs and opioids,...

In January 2017, James L. Fortune, 33, from Grants Pass, Oregon, transported more than 100 grams of ketamine and cocaine on a passenger train to Illinois. Fortune was arrested by Illinois police following a tip at an Amtrak station. He was charged with felony possession with intent to deliver cocaine and ketamine. In exchange for a guilty plea, the felony charges of cocaine possession were dismissed. He was only charged with possession with intent to deliver ketamine between 100 and...

Ayelet Waldman, mother of four, describes her first acid trip as making her feel “...a little more cheerful, a little more productive...and very magical.” Microdosing, taking small amounts of LSD every few days or so, is a new and controversial trend, mostly popular among the Silicon Valley crowd. Waldman, diagnosed with a mood disorder, admits to have trying other traditional prescriptions, but still found herself, “Profoundly, profoundly depressed...and suicidally depressed.” Mind-altering drugs like LSD, mescaline, and mushrooms have played a...

Club drugs (or party drugs) are a group of synthetic drugs typically used in night clubs and house parties. These drugs are usually created in home labs, garages, and basements, using many different types of chemicals. Because of their homemade nature, it is very difficult to predict how strong what their effects will be. Popular Synthetic Club Drugs The following are the most commonly used club drugs for which a person might encounter punishment from law enforcement. Ecstasy (also known...

You get an email from an old college buddy whom you have not seen in ages. He is in town on business and invites you to a backyard barbecue hosted by a mutual friend. You eagerly reply that you will see him there! With the long Labor Day holiday weekend ahead, you are looking forward to kicking back and relaxing with close friends. That Sunday, you hop in your car and drive to your friend’s place, excited for what should...

Marijuana users—recreational and medicinal—are being caught in the legal web of changing state and federal laws. While the use of marijuana is legal in states such as Colorado and California, other states have strictly banned the use of the drug. For some, the rewards of choosing their own personal lifestyle outweigh the risks of being caught. Still, in Illinois, if you are caught using or possessing recreational marijuana, there are consequences that range from probation to serious jail time. In...

As much as we strive to have schools as a safe place for our children, drug use and sales in our schools are a sad reality. Drug use and drug arrests of students can have long lasting effects on the lives of the individuals involved, but the use and arrests are not confined to the just the students. One afternoon, dozens of Lake Central High School students crowded around the front entrance of the school building clapping and jeering as...

You have just been arrested. You have been charged with a crime. Now your entire future is at stake. Not only can being arrested and sent to jail lead to feelings of great anxiety and hopelessness, but a conviction can have ramifications in every area of your life, from work, to housing, to your career. Fortunately, the process of taking back your freedom happens soon after you are arrested, and an experienced criminal defense attorney is key to preserving the...

It has been almost 50 years since Dirty Harry hit the big screen in 1971. In this scene, loose canon crimefighter Harry Callaghan meets with the San Francisco District Attorney and an appeals court judge. They inform a discombobulated Harry that the evidence he seized from a suspected serial killer would be inadmissible in court. Criminal defense has changed a lot since then. Today, the search warrant rule is much more prosecutor-friendly than it was back then. In fact, the...

The key crime statistics for the last weekend of July included 74 shootings, 12 fatalities, zero arrests (so far), and lots of excuses. What does the spike mean for criminal defendants in Cook County and elsewhere? In a press conference, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson essentially blamed community members for not coming forward with information to police. “You all know who these individuals are,” an exasperated Johnson claimed. Other officials blamed “gangs” and gun owners for...

The plot thickens as police officers take the information they learned and try to get search warrants for the homes of Kevin, James, and Paul. The judge approves limited warrants for Kevin and Paul’s house. They live together and there is at least some evidence against both of them (Paul sold Vicodin to Sarah and Kevin was connected with the “doctor” who over prescribed pills.) But the police simply have to follow James until they find him breaking a law...

Now, we come to the exciting conclusion of this gripping saga. In reality, plea bargains resolve about 90% of criminal cases. So, in many situations, the end is rather anticlimactic, at least from a Hollywood perspective. Let’s assume that prosecutors dropped the drug possession charges against James’ girlfriend Vicki. After all, the evidence was very, very weak. That leaves us with the Three Musketeers. There are some issues with the evidence, which may warrant a trial. Then again, our three...

For the next few posts, let’s consider the fictional plight of James, Kevin, and Paul. These three guys are all high school teachers in their 30s. Teaching has many advantages, but it is also rather predictable and, sometimes, a little dull. The Three Amigos yearn for a little more adventure. Plus, they got hooked on old Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous reruns on Hulu, and they want to find a way to expand their incomes. They soon begin altering...

Since this is a criminal defense blog, we all knew that was only a matter of time before Kevin, Paul, and James have to face the music. But a lot of things must happen first. Sarah is a new teacher at the school and her back is killing her. As she vents to a colleague about the fact that her doctor cut off her Vicodin, her colleague mentions that there is a guy from the math department who may have...