In Illinois, the crime of theft is defined in 720 ILCS 5/16-1 as the crime a person commits when they
Theft Charges in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear Illinois Criminal Law
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear Substitution of Judge from a Criminal case in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear Under Illinois law, a person charged with a crime has the right to have a judge removed from their case under certain conditions. That right to substitute a judge is an important
Arraignment in a Criminal Case in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In Illinois, those charged with criminal offenses (which range from speeding tickets to misdemeanors and felonies) have a court appearance called an Arraignment. The Arraignment happens at the beginning of the case, often the first or second
The Preliminary Hearing in an Illinois Criminal Case
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In an Illinois criminal felony case, the Defendant has a right to a preliminary hearing. The preliminary hearing is a court date at which the prosecution has the burden
Illinois Sex Offender Law – Who is Required to Register
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear The Illinois law concerning sex offender registration is one of the more complex ones in the country. Illinois also imposes serious penalties for those who are convicted of failure to register. For that reason, any person who
Promoting Prostitution Charges in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In Illinois, it is a crime to promote prostitution. The Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) defines the crime of promoting prostitution as follows in 720 ILCS 5/11-14.3:
Solicitation of a Sexual Act Charges in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear Solicitation of a sexual act is prohibited by 720 ILCS 5/11-14.1 in Illinois. The Illinois Compiled Statutes defines Solicitation of a sexual act as the crime committed by any
Prostitution Charges in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In the state of Illinois, prostitution is prohibited by 720 ILCS 5/11-14. Prostitution is defined by Illinois law as a crime committed when a person who knowingly performs, offers or agrees to perform any act of
A Self Defense Gun Case from Rock Island County, Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear Earlier this year, I had the honor of representing a woman named Judy, who used her gun to defend herself, her sister, and her sister-in-law after they were violently attacked in a parking lot in Rock Island County, Illinois. Much to her surprise, Judy was charged in Case Number 2010CF1076 in Rock Island County, Illinois, after telling the police about the attack she suffered. After a variety of motion hearings, we proceeded to a jury trial on February 7, 2012. The result of that trial was a verdict of Not Guilty, at which point the court ordered that Judy’s gun be returned to her right on the spot. Judy was then able to walk out of the courthouse with her pistol, return home, and accept an even better employment offer that had been on hold as she awaited trial. With Judy’s permission, I am sharing her story here.
Criminal Sexual Assault in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In 1961, the State of Illinois revamped it criminal laws, eliminating the crime of “rape.” In place of “rape,” a variety of new crimes were created, including “criminal sexual assault.” Under Illinois law (720 ILCS 5/12‑13) the crime of criminal sexual assault is committed when a person does any of the
Battery and Aggravated Battery in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In Illinois, the crime of battery is defined by
Identity Theft and Facilitating Identity Theft in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In the State of Illinois, it is a crime for a person to use another person’s identification to obtain goods,
Assault and Aggravated Assault Charges in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In the State of Illinois, the crime of Assault is defined by law (720 ILCS 5/12 et seq.) to be conduct that “without lawful authority . . . places another in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery
Marijuana (Cannabis) Possession Charges in Illinois
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear In Illinois, the legal term for Marijuana is “Cannabis,” rather than “Marijuana,” “weed,” “grass,” “ganja,” etc. Possession of Cannabis is a serious crime in Illinois, and anyone charged