What are my rights if I've been arrested in Chicago?

First of all, police should advise you immediately upon arrest of your constitutional rights: you have the right not to speak to the police, you have the right to have an attorney, and if you cannot afford an attorney you have the right to a public defender. If you have been arrested or charged with a crime in Chicago, a Chicago criminal defense lawyer can help you through the criminal process, from the time of arrest until sentencing. Hiring a lawyer sooner in the process rather than later may help you mount a stronger defense and avoid saying or doing things against your self-interest. Note that you must unequivocally assert your right to an attorney (“I will not speak until I have an attorney present”) in order for police to stop questioning you. Once you do that, they must stop all questioning until you have an attorney present. In contrast, it is easier to accidentally waive your right to silence. You invoke your right to silence by not speaking, but if you do say something, the police may use that as evidence against you in court.

What options do I have if I did commit the crime of which I'm accused?

A criminal prosecution requires that the government prove every element of its case beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a very exacting standard, and a skilled criminal defense lawyer can seize upon the many opportunities to weaken the prosecution's arguments. For example, there may be a problem with the chain of custody of a key piece of evidence, or the defendant might not have been properly instructed of his Fifth Amendment rights. Even if you committed the crime for which you are charged, the government is responsible for proving it and following the strict procedures in place to assure a fair trial. The office of the Cook County State's Attorney, which prosecutes crimes in Chicago, has stated that it will invest substantial resources in increasing enforcement and incarceration, which makes it even more crucial that criminal defendants retain skilled counsel to represent them. Defending against criminal charges in Cook County can be challenging, which is why it is important find a Chicago criminal defense lawyer to zealously argue for your rights. A criminal record can affect your employment prospects, housing applications, and more, particularly if you are convicted of a felony. Don't hesitate to contact a Chicago lawyer; your freedom may depend on it!

Chicago Criminal Lawyers

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Darryl A. Goldberg

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Maria G. Antoniolli

Criminal Lawyer Serving Chicago, IL

(630) 668-6700
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Illinois Criminal Defense Attorney with 13 years of experience

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Andrew Weisberg

Criminal Lawyer Serving Chicago, IL

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Michael I. Leonard

Criminal Lawyer Serving Chicago, IL

(312) 363-7895
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Michael Leonard has a well-earned reputation as one of Chicago's best criminal defense and trial lawyers. Michael is known for obtaining not guilty jury verdicts for his clients in State and Federal criminal... Read More »

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Bryce Wayne Powell

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 216-5150

University of Idaho College of LawIdaho, Montana and IllinoisAmerica's Top 100Illinois Bar Association and Montana State Bar

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Steven M. Goldman

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(773) 484-3131

Western Michigan University Cooley Law SchoolUniversity of ArizonaIllinoisAITL, NADA and NewsweekISBA and CBA

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Dena M. Singer

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 525-2017

University of Wisconsin - MadisonUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor7th Circuit, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Indiana, Southern District of Illinois, U.S. Supreme Court, Wisconsin and IllinoisUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and Law Bulletin Publishing CompanyState Bar of Illinois and Criminal Law Committee of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois

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Alison Motta

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 281-9911

Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of TechnologyIllinoisThe National Trial Lawyers AssociationSupplement to Defending Illinois Criminal Cases, Trial Preparation and Strategy and Defending Illinois Criminal Cases, Chapter 10: Trial Preparation and Strategy

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Mitch Furman

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 236-7078

The John Marshall Law SchoolColumbia College ChicagoIllinoisIllinois State Bar

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Kendall D. Hartsfield

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

Thomas M. Cooley Law SchoolGovernors State University and Western Illinois UniversityIllinois and United States District Court for the Northern District of IllinoisNational Trial Lawyers, American Society of Legal Advocates, Avvo and AvvoIllinois State Bar Association, Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers...

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Jennifer Snyder

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 883-9466

DePaul College of LawIndiana University - Indiana University-BloomingtonIllinois and IllinoisLake County Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association

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Carlos H. Davalos

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(773) 312-0234

James E. Rogers College of Law, University of ArizonaIllinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of IllinoisSuper Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers and The National Trial LawyersLitigation Counsel of America, Super Lawyers...

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Thomas Caukins Brandstrader

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(847) 650-4070

Western State UnivSan Diego State UnivCalifornia and IllinoisIllinois State Bar Association and California State Bar

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Ian M Barney

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 854-0906

Loyola University ChicagoLoyola University ChicagoIllinois, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 7th Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana and U.S. Supreme CourtSuper Lawyers Magazine, Super Lawyers Magazine, Super Lawyers Magazine and Super Lawyers MagazineState Bar of Illinois

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Voss Skoullos

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Jennifer K. Kearney

Criminal Lawyer Serving Chicago, IL

(331) 285-1495

Illinois Criminal Defense Attorney with 20 years of experience

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William Gaston McLean III

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 714-5603

Florida Coastal School of LawNew York UniversityIllinois and FloridaFlorida Coastal School of LawThe Florida Bar and State Bar of Illinois

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David S. Olshansky

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 203-5500

Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of TechnologyUniversity of MiamiIllinois and U.S. District Court Northern District of IllinoisAmerican Bar Association, Illinois Bar Association...DUI Overview and Federal and White Collar Defense

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Nenye Uche

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 858-8188

University of Wisconsin - MadisonIllinoisIllinois Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers and The National Black LawyersChicago Bar Association and Cook County Bar Association

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Mitchell S Sexner

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of TechnologyNorthwestern UniversityIllinoisIllinois State Bar, Illinois State Bar Association...

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Jonathan Bedi

Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(312) 525-2017

American University Washington College of LawLoyola University Chicago7th Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois and IllinoisChicago Lawyer and the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, The Law Bulletin Publishing Company, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and The Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar AssociationState Bar of Illinois, Notre Dame University College of Law...

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Jeremy Pfeifer

Evanston, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(847) 864-5510

Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonFederal Court, Northern District of Illinois and IllinoisCVLSChicago Bar Association and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

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Margaret M. O'Connell

Arlington Heights, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

(847) 794-4152

The John Marshall Law SchoolBradley UniversityIllinois State BarSuper Lawyers, AVVO and MartindaleState Bar of Illinois, United States District Court, Northern District...

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