Expungement & Sealing

First felony offense eligible for deferred prosecution under Offender Initiative Program

December 29, 2012
Thumbnail image for First felony offense eligible for deferred prosecution under Offender Initiative Program

A person who is charged with a felony but has no criminal background will benefit from a new state law in 2013 that allows for dismissal. The Offender Initiative Program is a new statute modeled after the deferred prosecution program developed by Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez. The statute will apply in all counties [...]

Read the full article

Misdemeanor convictions that cannot be sealed: crimes of violence

November 23, 2012
Thumbnail image for Misdemeanor convictions that cannot be sealed: crimes of violence

A person who is found guilty of a misdemeanor can have his record expunged in most circumstances. Most misdemeanors allow the court to impose a term of supervision if the defendant has no criminal history. Supervision is not a conviction, and it can be expunged. A conviction, however, cannot be expunged. It can only be [...]

Read the full article

Job applicants with criminal records may find employment under new EEOC policy

October 29, 2012
Thumbnail image for Job applicants with criminal records may find employment under new EEOC policy

As anyone with a criminal record can tell you, one conviction can have a devastating impact on your future. When you apply for a job with a criminal record, you usually don’t expect to make it past the background check. But that all may change soon under an important policy change with the Equal Employment [...]

Read the full article

Cook County to host annual expungement summit June 2, 2012

May 1, 2012
Thumbnail image for Cook County to host annual expungement summit June 2, 2012

All persons who have ever been arrested in Cook County should be aware of the free expungement seminar scheduled for June 2, 2012. Under Illinois law, any person who is arrested and charged with a crime has a record with the Illinois State Police that can be disseminated nationwide. The record of the arrest remains [...]

Read the full article

Important changes to Illinois retail theft laws in the year 2012

April 24, 2012
Thumbnail image for Important changes to Illinois retail theft laws in the year 2012

Illinois state law concerning retail theft has seen some significant changes in the year 2012. State lawmakers in Springfield have overhauled the retail theft statute. First, the offense is no longer found under 720 ILCS 5/16A-1. That section was repealed, and replaced by Section 16-25. All charges for retail theft written in 2012 fall under [...]

Read the full article

Examining State Police expungement statistics

October 4, 2011
Thumbnail image for Examining State Police expungement statistics

The Illinois State Police are mandated by law to keep track of how many petitions to expunge or seal they receive each year, and what the outcome is. This is a new legal obligation. It became mandatory through the Expungement Backlog Accountability Law. 20 ILCS 2630/14. In the past, the State Police were notorious for [...]

Read the full article

Two types of domestic battery and penalties

September 13, 2011
Thumbnail image for Two types of domestic battery and penalties

The law in Illinois provides that there are two types of domestic battery offenses. First, a person can be charged with domestic battery for causing bodily harm to any family or household member. Second, a person can also be charged with domestic battery for making contact of an insulting and provoking nature with any family [...]

Read the full article

Illinois felonies result in conviction despite fact that offender has no criminal background

May 24, 2011
Thumbnail image for Illinois felonies result in conviction despite fact that offender has no criminal background

A person with no experience in the criminal justice system will see that the courts make a distinction between felony and misdemeanor cases. In almost every courthouse in Illinois, felony cases are heard by a judge who hears only felony matters. The judge presiding over felony cases is usually a Circuit Judge. These judges are [...]

Read the full article

What is a Class C misdemeanor in Illinois?

April 10, 2011
Thumbnail image for What is a Class C misdemeanor in Illinois?

The Class C misdemeanor in Illinois is an atypical offense. Most misdemeanor offenses are categorized as Class A misdemeanors, not Class C misdemeanors. The law in Illinois says that a person charged with a Class C misdemeanor is subject to a maximum 30 days imprisonment and fine of $1,500. On the books, there are three [...]

Read the full article

What is a Class B misdemeanor in Illinois?

March 23, 2011
Thumbnail image for What is a Class B misdemeanor in Illinois?

Under Illinois law, a criminal offense is generally classified as either a felony or a misdemeanor. The difference between felony and misdemeanor is that a felony has a penalty of one year or more imprisonment, whereas a misdemeanor is a penalty of less than one year. There are three types of misdemeanors: Class A, Class [...]

Read the full article

← Previous Entries