Posted on April 27, 2014 in Criminal Defense

Illinois Eavesdropping Act is one of the toughest in the country. The law was passed in 1961, making it a felony to make an audio recording of any conversation unless all parties agree to the recording. If someone is found guilty, they face a prison sentence. The punishment for being found guilty of recording a police officer is even harsher – up to 15 years in prison.

However, over the past several years, the law has faced legal challenges by people who have been arrested and charged with violating, including a case backed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois (ACLU). The judge in that 2011 case ruled that the law was constitutional. In his decision he said, "If you permit the audio recordings, they’ll be a lot more eavesdropping. . .  There's going to be a lot of this snooping around by reporters and bloggers."

But a few months later, another judge ruled that the law was unconstitutional and dropped all charges against the defendant – a woman who recorded a conversation she had with officers from Chicago Police internal affairs division, where they were trying to discourage her from discouraging her from filing a complaint of sexual misconduct against another officer.

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 Posted on April 02, 2014 in Uncategorized

Northbrook Speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt examines the offense of speeding in Northbrook, Illinois.

Most drivers have received at least one speeding ticket over the course of their driving history. While your experience with past speeding tickets may lead you to believe that this is a minor issue, the laws in Northbrook, Illinois have changed dramatically in recent years. As such, the phrase “it’s only a traffic ticket” no longer applies in Northbrook, Illinois. Recent changes to the traffic laws have greatly increased the penalties for speeding in Northbrook, Illinois while at the same time lowering the threshold for determining what amounts to the more serious “Aggravated Speeding” charges. Northbrook speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt is well-versed in these changes and can assist you in preserving your driving privileges.

Northbrook speeding ticket lawyer Matthew R Gebhardt has included some of the most recent changes below:

625 ILCS 5/11-601.5 provides that:

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 Posted on April 02, 2014 in Uncategorized

DuPage County Speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt examines the offense of speeding in DuPage County, Illinois.

Most drivers have received at least one speeding ticket over the course of their driving history. While your experience with past speeding tickets may lead you to believe that this is a minor issue, the laws in DuPage County, Illinois have changed dramatically in recent years. As such, the phrase “it’s only a traffic ticket” no longer applies in DuPage County, Illinois. Recent changes to the traffic laws have greatly increased the penalties for speeding in DuPage County, Illinois while at the same time lowering the threshold for determining what amounts to the more serious “Aggravated Speeding” charges. DuPage County speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt is well-versed in these changes and can assist you in preserving your driving privileges.

DuPage County speeding ticket lawyer Matthew R Gebhardt has included some of the most recent changes below:

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 Posted on April 02, 2014 in Uncategorized

Cook County Speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt examines the offense of speeding in Cook County, Illinois.

Most drivers have received at least one speeding ticket over the course of their driving history. While your experience with past speeding tickets may lead you to believe that this is a minor issue, the laws in Cook County, Illinois have changed dramatically in recent years. As such, the phrase “it’s only a traffic ticket” no longer applies in Cook County, Illinois. Recent changes to the traffic laws have greatly increased the penalties for speeding in Cook County, Illinois while at the same time lowering the threshold for determining what amounts to the more serious “Aggravated Speeding” charges. Cook County speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt is well-versed in these changes and can assist you in preserving your driving privileges.

Cook County speeding ticket lawyer Matthew R Gebhardt has included some of the most recent changes below:

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 Posted on April 02, 2014 in Uncategorized

Lake County Speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt examines the offense of speeding in Lake County, Illinois.

Most drivers have received at least one speeding ticket over the course of their driving history. While your experience with past speeding tickets may lead you to believe that this is a minor issue, the laws in Lake County, Illinois have changed dramatically in recent years. As such, the phrase “it’s only a traffic ticket” no longer applies in Lake County, Illinois. Recent changes to the traffic laws have greatly increased the penalties for speeding in Lake County, Illinois while at the same time lowering the threshold for determining what amounts to the more serious “Aggravated Speeding” charges. Lake County speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt is well-versed in these changes and can assist you in preserving your driving privileges.

Lake County speeding ticket lawyer Matthew R Gebhardt has included some of the most recent changes below:

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 Posted on April 02, 2014 in Uncategorized

Rolling Meadows Speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt examines the offense of speeding in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.

Most drivers have received at least one speeding ticket over the course of their driving history. While your experience with past speeding tickets may lead you to believe that this is a minor issue, the laws in Rolling Meadows, Illinois have changed dramatically in recent years. As such, the phrase “it’s only a traffic ticket” no longer applies in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Recent changes to the traffic laws have greatly increased the penalties for speeding in Rolling Meadows, Illinois while at the same time lowering the threshold for determining what amounts to the more serious “Aggravated Speeding” charges. Rolling Meadows speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt is well-versed in these changes and can assist you in preserving your driving privileges.

Rolling Meadows speeding ticket lawyer Matthew R Gebhardt has included some of the most recent changes below:

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 Posted on April 02, 2014 in Uncategorized

Skokie Speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt examines the offense of speeding in Skokie, Illinois.

Most drivers have received at least one speeding ticket over the course of their driving history. While your experience with past speeding tickets may lead you to believe that this is a minor issue, the laws in Skokie, Illinois have changed dramatically in recent years. As such, the phrase “it’s only a traffic ticket” no longer applies in Skokie, Illinois. Recent changes to the traffic laws have greatly increased the penalties for speeding in Skokie, Illinois while at the same time lowering the threshold for determining what amounts to the more serious “Aggravated Speeding” charges. Skokie speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt is well-versed in these changes and can assist you in preserving your driving privileges.

Skokie speeding ticket lawyer Matthew R Gebhardt has included some of the most recent changes below:

625 ILCS 5/11-601.5 provides that:

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 Posted on April 02, 2014 in Uncategorized

Chicago Speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt examines the offense of speeding in Chicago, Illinois.

Most drivers have received at least one speeding ticket over the course of their driving history. While your experience with past speeding tickets may lead you to believe that this is a minor issue, the laws in Chicago, Illinois have changed dramatically in recent years. As such, the phrase “it’s only a traffic ticket” no longer applies in Chicago, Illinois. Recent changes to the traffic laws have greatly increased the penalties for speeding in Chicago, Illinois while at the same time lowering the threshold for determining what amounts to the more serious “Aggravated Speeding” charges. Chicago speeding ticket attorney Matthew R Gebhardt is well-versed in these changes and can assist you in preserving your driving privileges.

Chicago speeding ticket lawyer Matthew R Gebhardt has included some of the most recent changes below:

625 ILCS 5/11-601.5 provides that:

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 Posted on April 02, 2014 in Domestic Battery

Rolling Meadows Domestic Battery Lawyer Matthew R. Gebhardt examines the offense of Domestic Battery and Domestic Violence and their penalties under the laws of the State of Illinois.

Domestic Battery or Domestic Violence can be charges as a Class A Misdemeanor or Felony in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Supervision is not a possible disposition which means any conviction to theses types of charges will result in a permanent conviction on your record. Convictions can lead to jail time and can negatively impact citizenship status if you are not a citizen of the United States.

Definitions of Domestic Battery / Domestic Violence

(a) A person commits domestic battery if he or she knowingly without legal justification by any means:

(1) Causes bodily harm to any family or household

member;

(2) Makes physical contact of an insulting or

provoking nature with any family or household member.

(a) A person who, in committing a domestic battery, knowingly causes great bodily harm, or permanent disability or disfigurement commits aggravated domestic battery.

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 Posted on March 27, 2014 in DUI

The City of Des Plaines has reached an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and will be paying the agency $92,000 over some members the Des Plaines Police Department allegedly faking the numbers of DUI arrests in order to receive grant money issued by the IDOT. According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the Des Plaines Police Department was awarded both state and federal grant money for both seat belt enforcement and DUI campaigns.

The IDOT grant program, the Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), requires that both the numbers of DUI arrests, as well as the blood alcohol levels of those arrested, be submitted. By submitting that information, a police department is then reimbursed for equipment, mileage, and police officer overtime pay.

An internal investigation by the city revealed that some officers falsified those numbers and discovered 122 arrests submitted between 2009 and 2012 did not exist. However, IDOT awarded the Des Plaines Police Department an extra $132,893 that they would not have received without those false reports.

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