Chicago Illinois Criminal Defense Blog

In theory, the criminal justice system exists to punish those who commit offenses. Unfortunately, it does not always work out this way. Innocent people often end up with criminal records. One way this happens is by false confessions. In fact, about 30% of wrongful convictions overturned because of DNA evidence involve false confessions. 

The idea of an innocent person confessing to a criminal offense may sound strange, but it happens frequently and for understandable reasons. Here are some explanations behind wrongful confessions. 

Criminal charges for drug possession are serious in Illinois. From cocaine and heroin to marijuana and opioids, you may face jail time, thousands of dollars in fines and restricted access to student aid. Being convicted of drug possession may alter your life forever. Even once you are out of jail, it may impact your reputation and career. 

But just because the police handcuff you and prosecutors bring charges against you does not necessarily guarantee things will end in a conviction. There are plenty of possible strategies for challenging drug possession charges, depending on the details of your situation. Here is a look at some of the most common defenses for drug charges. 

Police officers exist to uphold and enforce the law. Unfortunately, this does not always work out. There is a wide variety of police misconduct, including false arrests, illegal searches, excessive force, false imprisonment and police brutality. All of these instances are unlawful. 

When you get arrested or detained by police, you may have questions about whether it is lawful. It is helpful to understand the definition of a false arrest and what justifies an arrest.

Even if you hear about police brutality frequently, you may be unclear on what that term actually means. It is an important legal term to know if a police officer ever mistreats you. If you are a victim of police brutality during a stop, arrest or detention, you may be able to bring legal charges against the officer and get your case dismissed. 

But before you start accusing a law enforcement official of excessive force, it is vital to have an idea of what those words entail. Here is an overview of what society tends to consider as police brutality.