The U.S. Supreme Court issued an important decision on Fourth Amendment rights for rental car drivers. If a driver who is not listed on a rental contract—but who has permission from the authorized driver to use the car—gets pulled over, are they protected...
Earlier this year, you fell off a ladder at work and seriously injured your back. You went to the doctor, who prescribed you an opiate to help you tolerate the pain. The drug worked well, but now you experience extreme pain anytime you don’t take it. Last...
Last year, Wilmer Catalan-Ramirez—a Chicago father of three—was met with a horrifying surprise. The Chicago police raided his home one evening and arrested him, citing that his name was listed in the city’s gang database.Their information, however,...
The question of what is considered excessive police force has been raised in myriad cases around the country in recent years. What is the legal backing that gets a police officer off the hook for injuring—or even killing—a civilian?In today’s post,...
There are both state and federal laws surrounding drugs. If you’re charged with a drug-related crime, how do you know whether your case will be tried in state or federal court? What’s the difference between these two systems?Generally, a drug crime will be...
If you're convicted of a crime in the U.S., you'll likely face jail time. However, if you're a non-U.S. citizen convicted of that same crime, you could be sent back to your home country.The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is a piece of federal legislation which...
If you’re an immigrant in the United States and are charged with a crime, it’s particularly important to understand how your actions following your arrest could affect your immigration status. Legal advice that applies to a U.S. citizen may not serve your...
One evening in southern Illinois, a 17-year-old boy named Anthony sat at home. Suddenly, the police arrived, arresting Anthony in front of his family—without explaining why. Anthony has an IQ of 60—which places his cognition on par with a nine year old....
You're driving down the road, on your way to work, when you get pulled over for failing to signal a lane change. The police officer approaches your vehicle, asks for your driver's license and vehicle registration and runs a background check. So far, this process is...
If you’ve been charged with a drug crime, you may be worried about what this means for your future. In the state of Illinois, penalties for drug crimes are stiff. Even for possession charges, you could face a long prison sentence and steep fines.In such...
