You may have heard rumors about drug convictions making college students across Illinois and the rest of the nation ineligible for financial aid. For a long time, those rumors were true. Until recently, anyone who received a drug conviction at a time when they were...
Belleville Criminal Defense Law Firm
Belleville Criminal Defense Blog
Eyewitness misidentification: What you should know
Regardless of what some may think, not everyone convicted of a crime is guilty. Issues with the U.S. justice system can lead to the erroneous conviction of an innocent person. After spending years, sometimes decades in prison, hundreds of people have been released...
Two ways to put a criminal record behind you
Most of us have made mistakes that we are not proud of, but we have put those errors behind us. A criminal record is different. No matter how much you have changed your life since you were convicted of a felony, it stays on your record. That means whenever you apply...
What are the consequences of not going to traffic court?
It is understandable to feel scared or angry about going to court after a police officer cites you for a traffic violation. However, if you have a date in traffic court coming up, you should not ignore it in the hopes your problem will go away. The state of Illinois...
How are drug trafficking and drug possession different?
Drug crimes are serious offenses. However, they are not all the same. Some drug offenses have longer prison sentences than others. You are at greater risk of going to prison for a long time if a prosecutor charges you with drug trafficking than if the charge is for...
Ways a criminal conviction can impact your life
Criminal convictions put people behind bars. In many instances, individuals subject to incarceration are eventually let out. Convicts set free are either done serving time or are in the free world under strict supervision. That said, they have a black mark on their...
What are some signs of methamphetamine use?
The drug methamphetamine has very dangerous effects on the health of a person, which is why lawmakers have made it illegal to possess. A conviction for having meth could send you to prison for multiple years. You should be aware of signs of meth use so you know if a...
Seek legal advice before deciding to face criminal charges on your own
Facing criminal charges is a scary ordeal. You will have a chance to defend yourself in court against the charges, but if you are convicted you could spend time in jail and face other penalties. Before you decide to take on the task of representing yourself in court,...
Yearly comparisons in Illinois see higher drug enforcement rates
When it comes to state drug initiatives, there are three types of measures. These are prevention measures, treatment measures and enforcement measures. Units like the Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group in Illinois focus on the enforcement aspect of things....
Understanding Illinois’ ignition interlock device laws
When an Illinois traffic stop leads to a charge and subsequent conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol, you may face serious penalties that might include jail time, steep fines and substance abuse treatment obligations, among others. In Illinois, you...