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What You Need to Know About Criminal Charges for Assault
Like many legal terms, people often use the word assault incorrectly. Although it is used casually to refer to aggressive or violent behavior, the Illinois Criminal Code defines the offense much more specifically. If you have been charged with assault, you are probably unsure of what to do next. The best start to effective criminal defense is educating yourself about your charges. If you are facing assault charges, read on to learn what exactly you are up against.
Assault and Battery Defined
The colloquial definition of assault usually refers to some type of physical altercation between individuals. What many think of as assault is actually two separate offenses according to the Illinois Criminal Code: assault and battery. The legal meaning of assault can only be completely understood when one considers the definition of battery.
Battery refers to instances when a person intentionally and without reason "(1) causes bodily harm to an individual or (2) makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with an individual." Battery can include things like a fist fight in a bar, slapping someone’s face, or even something as simple as poking someone in the chest with the intention of provoking them. Assault, in the legal sense, includes the threatening actions which precede aggressive or unwanted physical contact. More precisely, assault occurs when an individual is in "reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery."
Drug Dealer Peddling Elephant Tranquilizer Pleads Guilty
We have discussed the dangers of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in previous posts. The extremely potent substance is significantly stronger than heroin or morphine and is responsible for thousands of overdose deaths each year. Many individuals have died after using heroin which was secretly laced with fentanyl. Only three milligrams of the powder is enough to kill a grown man. The enormously unsafe nature of fentanyl has even led to legislation which allows drug dealers who sell fentanyl-laced products to be charged with homicide. However, a new synthetic opioid which is even more potent than fentanyl is now being discovered in homes across the United States, and lawmakers are responding sternly.
Carfentanil is a Deadly Synthetic Opioid
While fentanyl continues to be a massive public health concern, Carfentanil has even more sinister implications. The substance was originally engineered to be an elephant tranquilizer, but some people are now risking their lives by using it recreationally. The drug’s extreme toxicity has even provoked concerns that terrorists could use it as a weapon of mass destruction. Needless to say, law enforcement and legislators are paying close attention to this drug.
Experts Suggest Medical Marijuana May Curtail Opioid Abuse Epidemic
Opioid abuse has become a major public health crisis in recent decades. Many individuals become addicted to opioids after being prescribed drugs such as codeine, hydrocodone, OxyContin, or Percocet to manage extreme pain. Opioids are extremely addictive, and when a person continually takes these drugs, they eventually need more and more to feel the same pain-relieving effects. Many people become addicted to pain pills and then end up turning to heroin or fentanyl. Each day, an estimated 155 people lose their lives to opioid overdose. Some experts believe that medical cannabis could be the key to reducing the staggering number of opioid overdose deaths.
Studies Compared States with Legalized Medical Marijuana in States Without Legalized Marijuana
Recently, two studies regarding the medicinal benefits of cannabis were published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers compared opioid prescription frequency for states which have allowed the legal use of marijuana to those states which have not adopted legalized cannabis. One study analyzed opioid prescriptions covered by Medicare Part D and the other considered opioid prescriptions covered by Medicaid.
When Is an Illinois DUI is Considered a Felony?
In Illinois, there are three classifications of criminal offenses. Petty offenses are the lowest classification and include most traffic violations. The next level of offense a misdemeanor while the highest classification of crime, that which can carry the most serious penalties, is a felony. Those convicted of a felony usually face extended imprisonment as well as other serious punitive consequences. There are some instances in which a charge of driving under the influence (DUI) can be classified as a felony. Felony DUIs, also called aggravated DUIs, carry more severe disciplinary consequences than a misdemeanor DUI does and can seriously affect a convicted person’s ability to find employment or even a home in the future.
Most DUI Charges Are Considered Misdemeanors
If you are an Illinois resident have been charged with a DUI for the very first time, you will almost certainly be charged with a misdemeanor. Felony DUI charges come as a result of more serious violations of the law. Offenses which can result in a felony DUI charge include:
Illinois Burglary Laws: The Basics
The terms burglary, breaking and entering, robbery, and theft often get used interchangeably, and some confusion about the meaning of the terms exists. If you have been charged with burglary, you are probably unsure of what will happen next or what punitive consequences you may face. Read on to learn about burglary charges in Illinois and how a criminal defense attorney can help you fight these charges.
Burglary Occurs When Someone Trespasses with Intent to Commit a Crime
The Illinois Criminal Code provides the technical definition of burglary. "A person commits burglary when without authority he or she knowingly enters or without authority remains within a building, housetrailer, watercraft, aircraft, motor vehicle, railroad car, or any part thereof, with intent to commit therein a felony or theft." Put simply, a person who enters or remains on another person’s property without permission and intends to steal something or commit another crime on that property is committing burglary. Someone who breaks into a property but does not attempt to steal something or has no other criminal intent will usually only be charged with trespassing or another lesser crime.
What Rights Does Someone Accused of a Crime Have?
If you have even been arrested or accused of a crime, you know how dehumanizing the experience can be. Criminal suspects are often treated much worse than they deserve. However, you should know that those suspected of criminal activity have certain rights which cannot legally be denied to them. Every citizen should be educated about his or her rights and take steps to ensure that they are treated properly according to the law.
The Right to Be Free from Unreasonable Search and Seizure
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S Constitution states, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." If police wish to enter a person’s property in order to find evidence that they plan to use in court, they usually need a search warrant. Nonetheless, there are some situations which allow police to execute a search without a warrant. It is always a good idea not to give police your consent to search your home if they do not have a warrant. If police search anyway, do not attempt to physically stop them, but do make note of the circumstances and that you did not consent to the search. This information can be tremendously valuable in the future.
Illinois DUI Frequently Asked Questions
The state of Illinois takes drinking and driving very seriously. Car accidents involving intoxicated drivers caused 10,265 deaths in 2015 and thousands more injuries. Over a million people were charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) during the same year. If you are caught drinking and driving in Illinois, the penalties can be severe and life-altering. It is important that every driver be educated about DUI laws.
When Can Someone Be Arrested for DUI?
If a police officer suspects a driver is intoxicated, the officer will pull the car over. Next, if the officer still has concerns about the driver’s sobriety he will ask them to take a field sobriety test or chemical blood alcohol content (BAC) test. The BAC test is usually done via a breathalyzer device. If the test shows a result of 0.80 percent BAC or higher, the driver will be arrested for driving under the influence and his or her driver’s license will automatically be suspended for six months. A driver who is under age 21 is not legally permitted to drive with any amount of alcohol in their body. If you are under age 21, you can be charged with driving under the influence even if you do not blow over 0.08 percent BAC on a breathalyzer.
Experts Suggest Lowering DUI Legal Limit Could Save Lives
Drunk driving is a serious issue in the United States. Every year, drunk driving takes the lives of approximately 10,000 people. This works out to about 28 deaths linked to an impaired driver every single day. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes is estimated to be about $44 billion dollars. In order to mitigate the problem of drunk driving, legislators have limited the amount of alcohol a person can legally have in their body while driving. If a driver is caught driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than 0.08 percent, he or she will be charged with drinking under the influence (DUI). In order to less the number of alcohol-related car accidents, some experts suggest lowering the legal limit nationwide.
Scientists Say BAC Threshold Should Be Lowered to 0.05 Percent
A panel of accomplished scientists from the National Academics of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine analyzed data from many sources and came to the conclusion that states should lower the legal BAC limit. Presently, all 50 U.S. states maintain a BAC limit of 0.08 percent. Anyone with a BAC higher than this driving a car is breaking the law. It should be noted that although the legal limit is 0.08 percent, drivers showing signs of impairment with a BAC of at least 0.05 percent can still be charged with a DUI in Illinois.
Proposed Illinois Bill Would Allow Students to Use Medical Marijuana at School
Last week, an Illinois House panel called The House Elementary Education Committee unanimously approved legislation which would allow school children to consume medical marijuana in school. The proposed legislation would allow a parent or legal guardian to administer infused medical marijuana on school grounds and in school-owned transportation.
Medical Marijuana Prevents Student’s Seizures
House Bill 4870 was largely influenced by a lawsuit brought by parents of a child who has seizures. The girl suffers from seizures after undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and medical marijuana is the only medication which effectively controls them. The parents sued the school because they were not allowed to change their daughter’s medical marijuana patch or administer medical marijuana oil under her tongue on school grounds. As the law currently stands, a school nurse could lose his or her license if they administered medical marijuana to a student – even if the student has a valid medical marijuana card. Although it is unlikely, the student and her parents could face criminal prosecution for sending the girl to school with a medical marijuana patch. Advocates of the bill say that this is unacceptable.
Illinois Gun Ownership Laws
The tragic events that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month shocked the public. It is one of many school shootings which have rocked the public’s sense of safety in recent years. The shooting, which left 17 victims dead, has ignited the controversy regarding gun laws arguably more than any previous event. It is important now more than ever that all citizens understand the rights and responsibilities of those who choose to purchase a gun.
What is Required to Purchase a Gun in Illinois?
If an Illinois resident wishes to possess a firearm, he or she must obtain a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card. These cards are issued by the Illinois State Police to applicants who meet certain requirements. There are some instances in which a person will not be allowed to get a FOID card. Specifically, an applicant will not be eligible for a FOID card if he or she:
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