How many times can I get court supervision for traffic tickets in Illinois?

June 22, 2021
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NOTE: This page features refreshed content to explain how Public Act 101-55 adjusted certain traffic laws in Illinois. Since January 1, 2020, this Act increased the mandatory fines for the offense of passing a stopped school bus. Court supervision is the minimum sentence in Illinois, allowing charge(s) to be dismissed after a period of time […]

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Illinois Law Changes Definition of Forgery in 2012

June 10, 2021
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NOTE: The following information was updated to explore the effect of Public Act 101-645. Since this Act became effective on June 26, 2020, certain Illinois rules have changed concerning the expungement or sealing arrests, charges, and convictions. Forgery is a crime that has gone through many changes under the Illinois criminal code. This offense is […]

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What is a Class B misdemeanor in Illinois?

May 25, 2021
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NOTE: This page includes adjusted content to reflect the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (Illinois House Bill 1438), which became effective on January 1, 2020. Since that time, it is no longer an offense to possess cannabis within certain limits for in-state residents and out-of-state visitors. Under Illinois law, a criminal offense is generally classified […]

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720 ILCS 5/24-1.6: Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon Under Illinois Law

May 18, 2021
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NOTE: This article was refreshed to include new information on Illinois criminal law after passage of Public Act 101-440. This Act took effect on January 1, 2020, adjusting the availability of good behavior sentence reductions in certain situations. The State of Illinois has some of the nation’s toughest laws on firearms. It is tragic, because […]

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An Explanation of Illinois Sex Crimes

May 12, 2021
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NOTE: The following information was updated to account for various amendments to sex crimes under the Illinois Criminal Code in 2019. More specifically, Public Act 101-0130 eliminated the statute of limitations for prosecuting major sex crimes in Illinois, including the regular and aggravated versions of criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual abuse. The accusation of […]

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What is the Illinois Crime of Inducement to Commit Suicide?

May 7, 2021
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In 2015, there was a highly publicized suicide case in Massachusetts involving Michelle Carter. This situation was commonly referred to as the “texting suicide case,” after Cater sent messages to a romantic partner, Conrad Roy, encouraging the act of suicide. As established in court documents, Roy expressed a desire and intent to commit suicide via […]

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What is a Class X felony in Illinois?

May 3, 2021
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NOTE: This article includes refreshed content to account for updates to Illinois law since passage of Public Act 101-223. After an effective date of January 1, 2020, this Act adjusted and reclassified the Illinois legal approach to aggravated battery offenses (720 ILCS 5/12-3.05). The Class X felony is, short of first-degree murder, the most serious […]

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What is a Class C misdemeanor in Illinois?

May 1, 2021
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NOTE: The content below was refreshed to account for changes to Illinois law on January 1, 2020, after the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (Illinois House Bill 1438) became effective. After that date, Illinois residents and out-of-state visitors are allowed to possess and use cannabis for recreational purposes, subject to certain limitations. The Class C […]

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Child Endangerment Laws & Penalties in Illinois

April 9, 2021
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Child endangerment is a serious offense under the Illinois Criminal Code. As this offense involves the mistreatment of children – and, thus, an intersection of criminal law and family law – it is severe in the eyes of the Illinois courts. Part of this reality stems from the fact that the Illinois courts have a […]

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How Does Illinois Penalize Violation of Civil No Contact Orders?

December 28, 2020
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Civil no contact orders are legal mechanisms under Illinois law designed to protect victims of sex crimes. These orders are available to victims of rape, sexual assault, or sexual abuse and their family or household members. Civil no contact orders are similar to an Illinois petition for order of protection in domestic violence cases. But […]

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