No one wants to believe that our justice system fails innocent people. However, wrongful convictions happen at an alarming rate. The rate of wrongful convictions could be as high as ten percent in the United States. Therefore, thousands of people who do not belong there could be in prison right now. Our Chicago civil rights…

Getting wrongfully accused of and prosecuted for a crime can cost you your reputation, your career, and thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend yourself. If the police and prosecutors misuse their authority intentionally, they might get sued for malicious prosecution. It is an uphill battle to prove that malicious prosecution happened, so you…

The case of State v. Steele centered on the Fourth Amendment implications involved in the determination of whether a driver is “seized” when an officer in a marked police cruiser tails the driver’s car at 3 a.m., follows the car into an empty parking lot and hails the driver down by using hand gestures. The…

We have specific civil rights guaranteed to us by the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Understanding those civil rights can mean the difference between freedom and prison. It can mean the difference between keeping your property and having it seized by the government. An essential element of the protection under the 14th Amendment…

When someone is arrested, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The United States Constitution guarantees our civil rights to legal counsel and a fair trial. We trust that justice will prevail, and innocent people will be found not guilty. However, what happens when the justice system fails and a person is wrongfully convicted of…

Correctional facilities such as jails and prisons are legally required to take reasonable steps to keep inmates safe. If you or a loved one contracted COVID while incarcerated in Illinois, you may have a legal claim. Legal action is already underway against state officials and others who have neglected their duties to safeguard prisoners’ health….

Netflix recently streamed “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” a dramatization of the story of seven antiwar activists who were allegedly behind the riots that took place at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The Aaron Sorkin film has all the elements of a compelling legal drama: politics, violence, and the civil unrest of the late…