THE RISE OF COURT COSTS

In recent years, court costs have increased to the point where they are often times more expensive than legal representation. Court costs vary from county to county and depending on the nature of the charge. Interestingly, a person convicted of murder or rape who will spend years or life in prison at taxpayer expense does not pay any court costs. Yet, a person found guilty of a minor moving violation may owe hundreds of dollars of court costs. If court costs are not paid in full, the person owing the costs can be brought before a judge to face stiffer

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS IN SKOKIE, ROLLING MEADOWS & OTHER SUBURBAN LOCATIONS

Most people are arrested and charged with crimes contemporaneously. However, there are many instances when someone is under investigation for a crime and the police want the subject of their investigation to speak with them or to provide physical evidence to them. The best time to hire an attorney is when you are being investigated for a potential crime but before you have spoken with or provided evidence to the police and the proverbial “damage has been done.” Most individuals do not know their legal rights and do not know when their right to silence and right to legal counsel

THE GROWING LIST OF CRIMES PROSECUTED IN MAYWOOD, BRIDGEVIEW AND OTHER COOK COUNTY COURTHOUSES

It is not easy being a young person in Illinois these days. For example, when I was a kid, if a police officer caught you with beer, the beer would be confiscated and your parents might be advised about it. Today, you would be arrested or cited for Underage Possession or Consumption of Alcohol and possibly face a driver’s license suspension, community service, a drug and alcohol evaluation, drug and alcohol education and/or treatment and other consequences. The same can be said of Speeding. If you speed more than 30 MPH over the posted speed limit, you are guilty of

SUSPENDED DRIVERS LICENSES ARE A GROWING PROBLEM IN ILLINOIS

I was a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney from January 1990 through August 2000. During my prosecutorial years, the Illinois Vehicle Code (“Traffic Code”) was relatively small. The Traffic Code has grown almost exponentially since then. The most common form of driver’s license suspension I see is based on moving violation convictions. If you are under twenty-one (21) years of age, two (2) moving violation convictions within twenty-four (24) months will suspend your driver’s license for a fixed period of time. If you are over twenty-one (21) years of age, three (3) moving violation convictions within one (1) year will

Practicing in Different Jurisdictions

Many attorneys tend to practice criminal law in the same courthouses, but have little experience in other jurisdictions.  We find that there can be variances from judge to judge, prosecutor to prosecutor and county to county.   The same case may have very different results depending on where the criminal charge is brought, who is prosecuting the charge and who is deciding the charge.  The attorneys at Elizer & Meyerson, LLC, practice in Cook, Lake, DuPage, Will, Kane, McHenry,  DeKalb, Winnebago and even Ogle county.  Although it involves a great deal of travel, we find that practicing in more than one

Illinois Summary Suspension Law & Due Process Rights

Virtually all DUI cases start with the issuance of a Notice of Statutory Summary Suspension.  The arresting officer hands the defendant a gray sheet of paper which states that the defendant’s driver’s license will be suspended 46 days from the date of arrest.  Many clients are understandibly upset that they will lose their license unless they are able to prove to a Judge: (1) they did not refuse chemical testing; (2) they were not read their warnings to motorist; (3) the officer did not have reasonable grounds to believe they were under the influence while driving; (4) they submitted to a test and