On May 29, the Illinois State Senate passed a bill that approved the use of recreational marijuana. Two days later, Michael Madigan and the House also voted in favor of this bill, confirming Illinois as the next state in the Union to go forward with legalization. With Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker having campaigned on the promise of legalizing recreational marijuana, many in the state are thrilled that it is now finally becoming a reality. However, as with any bill’s progressContinue reading →
Restore Driving Privileges The revocation of a persons driver’s license in Illinois from a DUI conviction can be devastating. The process to restore driving privileges can be difficult if not done correctly. Knowing the process and the complications within the process is the absolute key to being successful with the Illinois Secretary of State. Attorney Steven Haney has practiced in front of the Illinois Secretary of State for over 20 years and has helped hundreds of people restore driving privileges. InContinue reading →
Bond will usually be set by a judge who will take into consideration the nature of the offense, a persons prior criminal history, if any, and the persons ties to the community where the case is pending. An exception exists for most misdemeanor offenses for which the law allows bond to be set at a certain nominal amount without involvement of the court. Bond is set in one of two scenarios. If a criminal complaint is filed with the courtContinue reading →
“Aggravated speeding” is a relatively new criminal offense in Illinois. It is classified as a class B misdemeanor if the speed is between 26 – 35 mph in excess of the posted speed limit and classified as a class A misdemeanor if the speed exceeds 35 mph over the posted limit. Both are offenses potentially punishable by a jail sentence. Most Illinois misdemeanor offenses, including DUI and reckless driving, are eligible for a diversion program known as “court supervision”. Court supervision is theContinue reading →
What is the charge of drug trafficking? Drug trafficking involves the movement of any type of illegal drug, including cannabis, into Illinois from any other state for the purpose of distribution. The State must prove that the illegal drug came into Illinois from a location outside of this State. A drug trafficking charge is one of the most serious drug crimes as it carries a penalty that doubles the potential prison sentence that exists for the simple delivery of the drug independent of theContinue reading →
How will a DUI arrest affect my driving privileges? Everyone arrested for DUI faces a temporary suspension of their driving privileges 46 days from the date they either submit to a breath test, or, alternatively, refuse any type of breath, blood or urine test. This is called a Summary Suspension. For those who take and fail a chemical test (whether breath, blood, or urine), the suspension lasts for 6 months. For those who refuse any such testing, the suspension lastsContinue reading →
Can the victim drop the domestic battery charges? Only the prosecutor has the power and legal authority to start and end a prosecution for domestic violence. In Will County, the State’s Attorney will rarely, if ever, dismiss a domestic battery prosecution on the wishes of the complaining victim. You can learn more about domestic battery here. What are the penalties for domestic battery? Domestic battery is, most typically, charged as a class A misdemeanor, and carries a potential penalty ofContinue reading →
By Steve Haney posted in Hiring Competent Counsel on Friday, April 19, 2013 “Its not what you know, its who you know” is a saying all have heard. I am sure it applies to many aspects of life, but none more critical than for someone entering the justice system charged with a criminal offense. The vast majority of “criminal defendants” are not the perceived hardened criminal. Most are regular people who have never been in trouble before, and will, likely, never beContinue reading →
On behalf of Law Office of Steven Haney posted in Sentence and Punishment on Thursday, February 28, 2013 In a both just and necessary move, the Illinois House of Representatives has committed to exploring criminal justice inequalities within the state. Specifically, the House has created a committee tasked with addressing these inequalities. Given that the foundations of criminal defense law mandate that the system itself is just, transparent and treats similarly situated individuals equally, the responsibilities of this committee are truly important. The committeeContinue reading →
On behalf of Law Office of Steven Haney posted in Drug Possession on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court further brought criminal law into the digital age by deciding whether the use of a GPS tracking system by police without a warrant was considered an “unreasonable search” under the Fourth Amendment, and thus unconstitutional – which they decided in the affirmative. The decision will undoubtedly have implications for how police gather evidence for the purpose of bringing criminal charges throughoutContinue reading →