Criminal defense law encompasses all acts that are considered illegal under local, state, and federal laws. These crimes can range from minor traffic violations to more serious crimes such as aggravated assault or murder. When you are accused of a crime and come up against the criminal justice system in Illinois, you will have to put up a strong fight to prove your innocence.

Here at Hirsch Law Group, we strongly believe in the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty. We know how high the stakes can be if you are found guilty of committing a crime, particularly if your charges carry with them a potential prison sentence. Our criminal defense attorneys pride themselves on their passion for fighting for defendants’ rights.

If you have been accused of committing a crime in Joliet, IL, you should contact a Joliet criminal defense lawyer. Coming up against prosecutors can be a difficult task without legal representation and you do not want to risk losing your freedom or getting a permanent criminal record because you could not defend your case properly.

Our criminal defense lawyers have the experience and drive that you need to win your case in Joliet, IL. Do not waste any time contacting us. The sooner you do, the better chance we have to win your case.

Call us today at 815-880-1134 to schedule a free consultation.

Criminal Defense Lawyers at Hirsh Law Group

When facing criminal charges, you want to have an attorney that is highly experienced with criminal law and related practice areas. Attorneys that are experienced across a wide range of criminal issues will have the expertise necessary to win your case. At Hirsch Law Group, we have a team of lawyers that are highly experienced in criminal law, which includes building strong cases for our clients and fighting these cases at trial.

Our law office is unique in that we have a number of former prosecutors now practicing as aggressive criminal defense attorneys. Because of this, they have a strong awareness of the mindset of a county prosecutor, and they can try to predict arguments that a prosecutor would make in your case.

Our law offices throughout Illinois are renowned for their dedication to defending clients’ rights and fighting aggressively to ensure justice. Our legal practice has been ranked in the 40 best law offices in Illinois on Expertise.com. In addition to this, our managing attorney, Gordon H. Hirsch, who is a former Will County prosecutor, has an AVVO rating of 10.0, which is the highest rating attainable, based on independent reviews and client testimonials.

When your life is on the line because of criminal charges, you should have the best criminal defense attorney by your side. Contact us at Hirsch Law Group to discuss your case with a highly experienced Joliet criminal defense lawyer from our firm.

Criminal Charges in Joliet, IL.

Criminal cases in Joliet, IL, can range from minor crimes such as traffic offenses to serious crimes such as domestic violence or murder. However, regardless of the seriousness of your crime, a criminal conviction can have a serious impact on your life and may result in a permanent criminal record. Our law office represents clients that have been charged with many types of offenses including, but not limited to;

DUI Charges

DUI, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is considered a serious crime in Joliet, IL. If you are convicted, a DUI can never be expunged from your criminal record. So, when you apply for a job or loan from a bank, and they request to see your criminal record, they can see that you have been convicted of a DUI.

On top of this, DUI charges carry with them harsh penalties. For your first conviction, you may face up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $2,500. If you are convicted a second time within the following 5 years, you will be sentenced to 5 days minimum in a county jail or 240 hours of community service. Any convictions on top of this can result in your driving privileges being revoked and serious jail time.

Luckily, we have a team of premier DUI attorneys at Hirsch Law Group that can help minimize your DUI charges or get your case thrown out.

Drug Crimes

Drug crimes are a huge problem in Illinois. Because of this, police officers and prosecutors take narcotics violations very seriously. Crimes involving narcotics that you can be charged with include drug possession, trafficking, manufacturing, and distribution. The sentences and fines for each of these crimes vary and you could be facing a serious felony charge depending on your circumstances.

Alongside violent crimes, drug crimes have some of the harshest penalties attached to them in the state of Illinois. For possession of anabolic steroids, which is charged as a misdemeanor, you could face 30 days in county jail and $1,500 in fines. For a felony charge of drug possession, you could face up to 50 years in prison and up to $200,000 in fines.

On top of this, there are certain aggravating factors that are taken into account when sentencing a person convicted of a drug crime. For example, if you were caught selling drugs near a public park or a place of worship, you could be faced with increased jail time and added fines.

Domestic Violence

An accusation of domestic violence alone can often be enough to ruin your reputation. As such, having a criminal defense attorney for any charges of domestic abuse or violence is extremely important. You may be facing charges for breaking a protection order, aggravated stalking, attempted sexual assault, or violating a stalking order, which are all considered serious crimes in Illinois.

Acts of alleged domestic violence can be charged as either misdemeanors or felony charges. If you are convicted of a felony, you could be facing a lengthy prison sentence and a permanent criminal record. Even with a misdemeanor, a domestic violence conviction could massively impact your life and ruin your reputation.

An experienced criminal attorney can help your case by carrying out a thorough investigation, questioning the statements of the complaining witness, and speaking with the police officer present at the time. The only way to avoid a misdemeanor or felony conviction of domestic violence is to have the backing of an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Financial Crimes

White-collar crimes, or financial crimes, such as money laundering and embezzlement, are often charged at the felony level in Illinois. Often, these charges arise due to a misunderstanding or because the defendant didn’t have the opportunity to provide evidence defending their case.

Regardless of this, the felony prosecution of white-collar crimes is usually aggressive, and it is important that you have a strong criminal defense that you can bring to court. If you are convicted of embezzlement or money laundering, for example, you could be sentenced to up to 30 years in federal prison, depending on the circumstances.

Usually, crimes that involve large amounts of money are brought against individuals in a position of power, such as executives, CEOs, or high-profile individuals. As such, these charges have the potential to ruin your reputation and could result in your business going bankrupt. For this reason, it is important that you hire an experienced defense lawyer from our law office who can help prevent a serious conviction.

How Does the Criminal Justice System Work in Joliet, IL?

The criminal legal system can be described as complicated, to say the least. Often, building a criminal case against a defendant can take quite some time as prosecutors need to gather enough evidence to ensure a conviction. Prosecuting felonies can be even more complicated and federal prosecutors often spend a significant amount of time building up criminal cases.

In general, however, the process of bringing criminal charges against a defendant follows these stages:

1. Investigation

Law enforcement agencies will investigate a crime against an alleged suspect. This will include getting search warrants from county judges, investigating the crime by speaking to witnesses involved, looking at security footage, and examining evidence.

2. Arrest

If the law enforcement officers leading the investigation believe that they have probable cause to arrest the subject, they will get an arrest warrant from the judge and arrest the defendant. They may discuss legal issues with the defendant and interrogate them about the crime before bringing criminal charges against them.

3. Court

The defendant will be arraigned in court and asked to plead guilty or not guilty. It is important that the defendant speaks with a criminal defense attorney before attending the arraignment to be advised on how they should plead. The defendant will either be kept in jail on bail or released, depending on the circumstances and the skills of their lawyer.

4. Plea Bargain

To avoid a trial, your Joliet criminal defense lawyer may try to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor. This will depend on the evidence the prosecution has against you and whether you are happy to plead guilty to a crime.

5. Trial

If the defendant pleaded not guilty, the case will then be brought to a judge or jury trial. Your Joliet criminal defense lawyer will argue your case using the evidence they have gathered and the defense that they have built prior to the trial. They will be up against experienced prosecutors who will be determined to ensure a conviction.

6. Verdict

Once all evidence has been submitted to the court the judge or jury will be asked to reach a verdict. If a guilty verdict is given, you will have the opportunity to appeal the decision to a higher court. Your criminal defense lawyer in Joliet will advise you on what your best options are at this point.

Navigating your way through the criminal justice system can be quite overwhelming and confusing. By law, you are entitled to a public defender. However, public defenders often have a huge amount of cases on their desks, and they are unable to dedicate the time necessary to each case. If you do not want to risk spending time in prison or having a permanent criminal record, you should always hire an experienced criminal defense attorney.

The Responsibilities of a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Joliet, IL.

The main job of criminal defense lawyers is to ensure that their clients are impacted as little as possible by criminal charges. This may mean reducing their client’s charges, minimizing the penalties they receive, or getting their charges out altogether. A good criminal defense lawyer will fight aggressively to ensure that your rights as a defendant are protected and that you receive the best possible outcome for your case.

Some of the main responsibilities of a criminal defense lawyer in Joliet, IL, include:

  • Research – An attorney must research all evidence brought against the client, speak with witnesses, and come up with a smart defense strategy for their client.
  • Communication – A good attorney will always communicate with their client about how the case is proceeding and advise them on the ins and outs of their case.
  • Negotiation – This includes speaking with the prosecutor to try and resolve the case as quickly as possible and come up with a fair deal or settlement for your case.
  • Representation – A criminal defense lawyer represents clients at all stages of the trial, including the arraignment, hearing, trial, and any subsequent appeals or motions.

The most important thing to consider when choosing a lawyer to defend your case is their experience. An attorney that has a sound legal career and has many client testimonials will be able to offer you the representation that you need. At Hirsch Law Group, we have been serving Illinois residents since 2013 and we can help you with any legal issue you are facing. Schedule a free consultation with a Joliet criminal defense attorney from our law firm today.

Examples of Criminal Defenses

In order to fight against criminal charges, you must bring forward a robust defense that proves your innocence. Whether you are suspected of committing violent crimes, traffic violations, capital offenses, or drug crimes, your defense should prove to a jury that you do not deserve the charges brought against you.

The defense used in your case will depend entirely on the circumstances, however, some examples of common defenses used include:

  • Innocence – If you are innocent of the crime you are accused of, your attorney will argue that you did not commit the crime and that you are completely innocent. They will have to bring a strong case forward to prove your innocence.
  • Coercion or duress – This defense argues that you were forced to commit the alleged crime due to the threat of violence or actual violence. So, if a person threatened to use unlawful force against you if you did not traffic drugs for them, for example, you could use the defense of coercion or duress.
  • Self-defense – If you committed a crime because you needed to defend your own life, you can use the argument of self-defense.
  • Statute of limitations – Almost all crimes in Illinois are subject to a statute of limitations, which means that the prosecution only has a certain amount of time to bring charges against a defendant. If charges are brought after this time has elapsed, you can use the statute of limitations defense.
  • Ignorance or mistake – Although this does not work all of the time, your lawyer may be able to get your charges reduced by arguing that you made a mistake or that you were unaware that the act you committed was criminal. This will of course depend on the type of crime you are accused of.
  • Alibi – If you had an alibi at the time of the criminal offense, such as being out of town or being at work, an attorney can use this as your defense.
  • Defense of property – Like self-defense, you can argue that you committed the crime in defense of your property. This could include assaulting a person who attempts to rob your home, for example.

An experienced Joliet criminal defense attorney will investigate your case thoroughly and build up a strong defense that is suited to your case. Schedule a free consultation with our law office today to discuss your case.

Contact a Joliet, IL. Criminal Defense Lawyer From Hirsh Law Group Today

Criminal charges in Joliet, IL, should not be taken lightly. A criminal conviction has the potential to destroy your reputation and take away your personal freedom. If you are facing criminal charges, regardless of how serious they are, you should speak with an experienced Joliet criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.

Here at Hirsch Law Group, we have a team of criminal defense lawyers who are ready to take on your case and fight for your rights. Our law office has been serving Joliet since 2013 and we are experienced in numerous practice areas including criminal law, personal injury cases, and domestic issues. On top of this, a number of our lawyers have acted as former prosecutors, meaning we can look at your case from both sides.

Our advice is to seek legal representation from a law office that will fight aggressively to protect your rights. We believe that Hirsch Law Group is the right law firm for you.

Schedule a free consultation by calling 815-880-1134.