Choose a Defense Attorney With The
Experience To Make The Right Moves

Stephen L. Richards

profile
  • Sole Practitioner

Location:

Chicago, IL

Phone:

Fax:

773-634-8107

Email:

Areas Of Practice

  • Criminal Law
  • White Collar Crime
  • Serious Felonies
  • Drug / Weapons Cases
  • Appeals -- Post-Convictions
  • Sentencing -- Mitigation
  • Civil Rights/1983
  • Legal Education
  • Legal Ethics

Litigation Percentage

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Certified Lead Counsel, Capital Litigation Trial Bar, Illinois Supreme Court, 2001

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 1985
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2008

Education

  • Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, New York
    • J.D. - 1983
    • Honors: Order of Barristers, Moot Court
  • University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
    • B.A.
    • Honors: With Honors
    • Major: History

Published Works

  • Reasonable Doubt Redux, 34 John Marshall L. Rev. 495, 2001
  • The Admissibility of Expert Testimony, American Bar Association, 2003

Representative Cases

  • People v. Terry Griggs, 152 Ill.2d 1, 604 N.E.2d 257, 1992, Ill. S. Ct.
  • People v. Arthur King, 154 Ill.2d 217, 608 N.E.2d 877, 1993, Ill. S. Ct.

Classes/Seminars

  • New Ideas for Jury Selection, Illinois Public Defender Association, 2007 to 2007
  • Capital Jury Selection, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal, 2007 to 2007

Honors and Awards

  • Selected to Super Lawyers 2012 - 2019
  • Kutak-Dodds Award, Defender Prize, National Legal Aid and Defender Association

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Illinois Public Defender Association, President, 2006 to 2008
  • Illinois Public Defender Association, Board Member, 2000

Past Employment Positions

  • Office of the State Appellate Defender, Deputy Defender, 2000 to 2008
  • Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, Assistant Public Defender, 1989 to 2000

Notable Results

Accusation: Attempt First Degree Murder
Facing: 30 years in prison at 85%
Result: Post-conviction petition granted
Accusation: Solicitation of a Prostitute, Obstructing Justice, Battery
Facing: 30 years in prison at 85%
Result: Post-conviction petition granted
Accusation: Solicitation of a Prostitute, Obstructing Justice, Battery
Facing: 365 days in jail, loss of legal residence
Result: Post-conviction petition granted
Accusation: Solicitation of a Prostitute, Obstructing Justice, Battery
Facing: 365 days in jail, loss of legal residence
Result: All charges but battery dropped, one year expungeable supervision
Accusation: Solicitation of a Prostitute, Obstructing Justice, Battery
Facing: 365 days in jail, loss of legal residence
Result: All charges but battery dropped, one year expungeable supervision
Accusation: Attempt First Degree Murder
Facing: 365 days in jail, loss of legal residence
Result: All charges but battery dropped, one year expungeable supervision
Accusation: Attempt First Degree Murder
Facing: 30 years in prison at 85%
Result: All charges but battery dropped, one year expungeable supervision
Accusation: Attempt First Degree Murder
Facing: 30 years in prison at 85%
Result: Post-conviction petition granted