Denial of Injunctive Relief Upheld in 2-1 Split In Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals As we have previously covered, there has been a flurry of litigation after the Illinois state legislature passed a ban on the sale and transfer of various assault weapons and...
Felonies
More Changes to Federal Sentencing Guidelines
Expansion of Compassionate Release As we previously covered, changes to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for the sentencing of “Zero Point Offenders” went into effect November 1, 2023 after there was no objection from Congress. Those changes also will be applied...
Famous Rapper Questions Lawyers Use of AI at Federal Trial
Rapper Accuses Attorney of Outsourcing Closing Arguments to AI Technology In Request for New Trial Prakazrel Michel, better known by his professional name “Pras” and as a member of the hip hop group Fugees, recently appealed his April federal conviction on charges of...
Lawful Marijuana Users May Have Gun Rights Restored
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals Hears Case Concerning Medical Marijuana Users and the Second Amendment As we have previously covered, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and by extension the federal government remain committed to denying...
Republican Senators Voice Opposition to Proposed New Gun Control Regulation
Department of Justice Seeks to Redefine “Engaged in Business” to Expand Gun Control The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a proposed rule change by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that would expand when a person is “engaged...
Felons May Be Able to Have Gun Rights Restored
Recent Supreme Court Decision Presents Avenue for Felons to Possess Guns Again Last year when the United States Supreme Court announced its decision in New York Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, many advocates of Second Amendment rights saw an opening for greatly...
Illinois Lawmakers Attempt to Combat Rising Carjackings on Multiple Fronts
City of Chicago Sues Kia and Hyundai Over Rise in Auto Thefts Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson recently announced that the City of Chicago has filed a lawsuit against car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai, alleging that a defect in their car designs on multiple vehicles make...
Department of Justice Shifting Focus to Concentrate on White Collar Crime Enforcement
High Ranking Official Highlights Appointment of Chief Counsel for Corporate Enforcement as Evidence of New Focus This past Monday, the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, Marshall Miller, announced during a panel on white-collar crime that the Department of...
Cook County States Attorney’s Office Publishes “Do Not Call List” of Police Officers Deemed Unsuitable to Testify in Court
Hundreds of Police Officers Will Not Be Called to Testify as Prosecution Witnesses in Cook County Criminal Courts Although many believe that law enforcement officers are prone to lying in court as a means to an end, statistically most law enforcement officers are...
Illinois to Expand Eligibility for First-Time Gun Offenders
Legislation Expands Qualifications for Deferred Prosecution for First Time Gun Offenders Illinois recently passed into law an expansion of who can qualify for the second chance probation program with bipartisan support. Under the previous law, enacted as a pilot...