Getting caught with illegal drugs carries serious penalties in Illinois, especially as the attention of courts and society at large is drawn towards the dangers of the opioid pandemic. In general, more dangerous drugs carry more serious penalties, and while people may disagree with the classifications, drugs are nevertheless divided into strict classes that make determining criminal punishments easier. 

The least serious drugs are classified as Schedule V drugs, which includes things like cough syrup and other substances that are unlikely to be abused. On the other end of the spectrum are Schedule I drugs, including heroin, ecstasy, and, on the federal level, cannabis. Oxycodone is a Schedule II drug, and along with other opiates, it has a high potential for addiction and abuse. If you have been charged with possession or distribution of Oxycodone or another illegal drug, it is important to get the help of an Illinois criminal defense attorney. 

What Are Schedule I and II Drug Crime Penalties? 

The fact that Schedule II drugs can be obtained with a prescription makes them easy to buy and sell. However, even if a drug like Oxycodone was obtained through a prescription, only the person who was prescribed may use it or have it in their possession. Illegal distribution, possession, manufacture, or delivery of Schedule I or II drugs are serious crimes that can carry felony penalties. 

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Much has been made in recent years of necessary reforms to the criminal bail system. Nevertheless, until bail is no longer required or there is another way to ensure people charged with crimes appear in court, bail will continue to plague people who have yet to be proven guilty. If you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with a crime in Illinois, you should know as much as you can about how the bail system works. 

What is Bail? 

When someone is accused of a crime in Illinois, the state has several options. Depending on the severity of the crime, the alleged perpetrator may be kept in jail, released on bail, or released without having to post bail. If someone has enough money to pay the full amount of bail with cash, he or she can do that. If not, a jail may allow a surety bond, which lets the defendant out of jail after 10 to 15 percent of the bail is posted. No matter what happens, the defendant never gets back the 10 percent of a surety bond because the court keeps it as a fee. 

What Happens to Bail if I Do Not Show Up to Court as Ordered? 

If you posted bail on the condition that you would attend future court dates, even if you miss that court date by accident, the consequences can be very costly. In addition to forfeiting (losing) the entire bail, you can be put back in jail and charged with a Class C misdemeanor for missing court. Violating other bail conditions, such as possessing a firearm while out on bail, can also cause you to lose your bail and incur further criminal charges. 

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It is the morning after a fun night with friends. You wake up, your head hurts, and then your stomach sinks as you remember - you were arrested last night for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This happens to about 35,000 people every year in Illinois and even though you may have never thought it would happen to you, now you have to deal with the consequences. 

Will I go to jail? Will I lose my license? All of these are questions we frequently hear from first-time DUI clients. While the specific punishments can depend on the case and your previous criminal record, it is important to take your first DUI seriously and hire an Illinois DUI defense lawyer so you can make the appropriate amends and avoid harsher sanctions in the future. 

What Are the Penalties for a First-Time DUI in Illinois? 

Someone’s first DUI offense is a Class A misdemeanor. Class A misdemeanors are the most serious misdemeanor charges and one could land you in jail for up to a year, along with up to $2,500 in fines. For strictly first-time DUI offenses, it is rare to be hit with the harshest penalties available - more often, there will be a mandatory $500 minimum fine, probation, and possibly substance abuse counseling. 

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As any parent of a young child knows, sometimes running errands while constantly buckling a tantruming or sleeping child in and out of a car seat is simply too much to ask. Frustrated and exhausted, parents will often lock a child in a car and quickly run into the grocery store or post office, complete their business, and hurry back out to find all is well. 

Unfortunately, even if the parent feels the child is safe, this may result in criminal charges. Under certain circumstances, Illinois law prohibits leaving young children unattended in a vehicle because doing so can place a child at significant risk. If you have been charged with child endangerment for leaving your child in a car, read on. 

Is Leaving a Child in a Car Really Child Endangerment? 

Many parents, especially those living in rural areas who grew up with plenty of independence, have a hard time understanding how a cautious parent who leaves a sleeping child in a car could be guilty of child endangerment. Yet a child left alone in a car is subject to many hazards, including: 

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Having a gun on your person or in your car in Illinois without a concealed carry permit is a gun crime. Illinois does not allow open carry, which is the practice of openly having a firearm in public. Therefore, in order to go anywhere with a gun outside of your home, you must have a concealed carry permit in Illinois (excluding transportation of firearms, which only requires the gun to be contained in an enclosed case). 

Only people who are 21 and older, who have completed the appropriate training course, and who have a Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) may have a concealed carry permit, and only handguns may be concealed. While following these rules may seem onerous, they are absolutely essential for preventing criminal charges. If you have been charged with a concealed carry permit violation, you may want the help of a criminal defense attorney. 

Concealed Carry License Violations in Illinois

Certain areas may not have guns brought into them, even with a concealed carry license. Schools, government buildings such as courthouses, and buildings in state and national parks do not allow concealed carrying. Carrying or using a firearm illegally in these places, even with a concealed carry license, is considered an Unlawful Use of a Weapon (UUW) offense. 

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