Unfortunately, a surprising number of people find themselves the victims of assault, battery, and other violent offenses every year in Illinois. Even more shocking, many of these people end up being the person who is charged with a violent criminal offense. If you were charged with a violent offense after defending yourself in a robbery, fight, or attack, you may be bewildered and unsure of what to do. The first step is to assert your right to remain silent and contact a lawyer for help. You could be facing life-altering consequences, including considerable jail time.

Can I Face Charges if I Acted in Self Defense?

When police are called to the scene of a physical altercation, they do not know the events that preceded their arrival. In many cases, it is nearly impossible to tell how a fight started or who is the true culprit. This can lead to victims being treated like criminals. You may have been arrested and charged for assault, battery, or even homicide even though you were only acting in self-defense. Do not take these charges lightly. Speak to a lawyer as soon as possible.

What Does Illinois Define as Self Defense?

In order to prove that your actions were not malicious but instead an act of self-preservation, your lawyer will need to demonstrate that you used reasonable force to defend yourself, another person, or your property.

Fatal car accidents are a sad reality in Illinois, with around 1,000 people losing their lives each year. These crashes are an undeniable tragedy for the victims and their families, and they can also be incredibly difficult for the other drivers involved, who are left to cope with the mental impact and the legal consequences they may face in civil and criminal court. If you have been involved in a fatal car crash, you could face homicide and other felony charges, and it is important to work with an attorney who can help you protect your rights.

Understanding Reckless Homicide Charges in Illinois

It is important to note that not all fatal accidents will result in criminal charges against one of the drivers involved. However, if there is evidence that a driver was acting recklessly at the time of the crash, they may be charged with the criminal offense of reckless homicide. The standards for determining recklessness are similar to those for a regular reckless driving charge.

This means that in most cases, the driver must have been acting with “willful or wanton disregard” for other people’s safety, or have intentionally used an incline to make their vehicle airborne. However, certain other actions can also be considered recklessness for the purposes of a reckless homicide charge, including driving at least 20 miles per hour above the posted speed limit in a school or maintenance zone or failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.

Even though the right to own firearms is written into our country’s constitution, gun ownership has been a highly contested issue in the United States for years. Illinois was the last state in the country to legalize the concealed carry of firearms in 2013, finally allowing its citizens to keep a firearm on their person without it being in plain sight. To legally practice this right, however, you must follow certain rules and procedures, or you could face criminal charges.

Gun Ownership Laws

In the state of Illinois, you are permitted to own firearms, but only after you have received your firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card. The requirements for getting a FOID card include being at least 21 years old, not being a convicted felon, and not being addicted to narcotics, among other requirements.

If you wish to carry a firearm on your person and keep it out of plain view, you must have a concealed carry license (CCL). Requirements to receive a CCL are similar to those for a FOID card, but there are additional requirements that must be met. The requirements for receiving a CCL include:

When you hear the word “fraud,” you may imagine some form of theft or deceitful behavior. Fraud is often generally defined as “any act in which one person intentionally misrepresents an existing fact to another in order to induce the other person to act or to gain something of value.” It is important to note that there can be many actions that may be considered a type of fraud. In some cases, an individual may not even know what constitutes this type of crime. Illinois law defines seven categories under which criminal charges of fraud can be filed. The penalties vary depending on the circumstances, but regardless, the consequences can be serious. Therefore, if you or someone you know is facing such charges, it is imperative that you seek legal counsel from a skilled attorney who can build a solid defense on your behalf.

Understanding Fraudulent Actions

Fraud can include numerous acts, some of which are punished more severely than others. However, it can be difficult to prove fraud in some cases since the prosecution has to show the defendant knew it was wrong and committed it intentionally. The charges can range from misdemeanors to felonies depending on the party that was defrauded and the amount stolen. The punishments can include years in prison and fines exceeding thousands of dollars. In certain cases, an offender may also be ordered to pay restitution to the party directly affected by the fraud.

A few of the main kinds of fraud charges that are issued in Illinois include:

Chicago has been named one of the most dangerous cities, with extremely high crime rates. Turning on the news each night, you likely see devastating videos of gun violence leading to lost lives. While it is no secret that Chicago has more than its fair share of violent crimes, statistics show that property crimes actually make up 76 percent of criminal offenses in Chicago in 2018. As a city known for its crime, it is important to know what actions constitute the most common offenses if you are a Chicagoan. Knowing who you can turn to if you find yourself facing criminal charges is even more critical. The legal team at Luisi Legal Group assists clients in defending themselves against all of the following charges.

Theft

Of all the crimes committed in Chicago, theft is the most common, with nearly 65,000 offenses recorded in 2018. The definition of theft is fairly obvious; it means taking something that does not belong to you. This also includes knowingly obtaining stolen property, even if you are not the one who stole it. The consequences of theft are dependent upon the price of the item. The lowest charge one can face is a Class A misdemeanor for items under $500 in value. However, when the price begins to surpass $100,000, those found guilty have committed a Class X felony.