Illinois Criminal Lawyer

What is an Illinois Criminal Lawyer?

An Illinois Criminal Lawyer is an attorney, barred in the State of Illinois, who represent clients who have been accused of misdemeanors and felonies in the State of Illinois. A misdemeanor is designated as a crime that is not punishable by more than 1 year in prison. In contrast a felony is a crime that has a permissible sentence of more than 1 year in prison. In the State of Illinois the Circuit Courts of the State have jurisdiction over misdemeanors and felonies committed within the State of Illinois. Illinois recognized 5 categories of felony and 3 categories of misdemeanor that are categorized by possible penalty.

Why do I need an Illinois Criminal Lawyer?

It is not necessary for you to hire an Illinois Criminal Lawyer but it is highly recommended. Under the 5th Amendment to the United States Constitution you have the right to have a Criminal Lawyer represent you, whether you can afford one or not. If you cannot afford an Illinois Criminal lawyer then the Illinois courts will appoint a public defender to represent you in your case. The United States Constitution guarantees legal representation when you are faced with any kind of jail time. It is highly recommended that you retain an Illinois Criminal law Lawyer if you are being prosecuted for a crime in the State of Georgia, especially if the crime is a felony. When you are arrested it is in your best interest to remain silent and invoke your right to counsel. The authorities are not permitted to ask you any questions once you have invoked that right and once your Illinois Criminal Lawyer arrives all discussion with the authorities should be through your Illinois Criminal Lawyer.

There are many advantages to having your own personal criminal lawyer. Illinois criminal lawyers have the knowledge and expertise to handle your specific case. They know how to perform investigations, argue on your behalf, and get evidence against you excluded from being presented to the jury. Public defenders appointed to you by the Illinois courts usually have a heavy docket and, even though it is their legal duty to represent you to the fullest, they may not have the expertise, or ability, to represent you in the way that a private Illinois Criminal Lawyer can.

When consulting your Illinois Criminal Lawyer it is important to realize a few things. First, you should be completely open with your Illinois Criminal Lawyer. Any communications with your Illinois Criminal Lawyer is protected through the attorney/client privilege. As long as your conversation, or communications, are intended to be private then your Illinois Criminal Lawyer may not disclose that information. Your Illinois Criminal Lawyer is responsible for conducting the strategy taken through the course of the criminal action. This does not mean that all concerns about your case are under the control of the Illinois Criminal Lawyer. Any settlements, offers of settlements, or pleas must be discussed with you, the client, before any action is taken. The Illinois Criminal Lawyer has the duty to inform you of any settlement offers and may not accept any agreements with the prosecution without your consent. If an Illinois Criminal lawyer does so then it may be grounds for malpractice on the part of the Illinois Criminal Lawyer and even offer you grounds for an appeal or re-trial.

Being charged with a crime in the State of Illinois is a serious matter and should not be resolved without the help of an Illinois criminal lawyer. As with any criminal lawyer anywhere in the country an Illinois criminal lawyer will be expensive. For representation of misdemeanor charges it is likely to cost you a retainer fee in the range of $1,000 to $3,0000 or more for representation by your Illinois criminal lawyer. Illinois criminal lawyers who represent you in felony matters may charge you a retainer fee of $5,000 to $10,000 for representation and as high as $25,000. As with anything else, this rate is not set in stone and the greater the charge, complexity of the case, and length of the case will increase your costs dramatically. Costs can increase when you begin to consider the cost of expert witnesses, investigators and other necessary costs of representation. When considering an Illinois Criminal Lawyer money should be the last thing on your mind. Even though an Illinois criminal lawyer will be expensive any price is worth staying out of prison.

What Questions to Ask a Illinois Criminal Lawyer?

When you meet with your Illinois Criminal Lawyer you will want to have a number of questions prepared to ask. You should interview, if you can, at least 3 Illinois Criminal Lawyers to determine which one is right for you. Some examples of questions that you may want to ask are:

■ How long have you been practicing criminal law in Illinois?
■ What is your trial experience and record?
■ How many of your cases settle?
■ What is the main issue in my case?
■ What problems do you see in my case?
■ Where did you go to law school?
■ How many cases like mine have you handled and what were the results?
■ What are your fees?
■ What kind of penalties are foreseeable? What is the maximum penalty?