Criminal Defense Attorney in U.S. Federal & Florida and Illinois Courts

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How Do I Find My Zoom Code For Chicago Court/Cook County Court?

Click The Links Below To Access Cook County & Chicago Courts Zoom Codes: * Skokie criminal misdemeanor and felony zoom codes * Bridgeview criminal misdemeanor and felony zoom codes * 26th and California criminal courthouse zoom codes * Daley Center zoom codes for traffic tickets and DUIs * Maywood criminal misdemeanor and felony info (no […]

Chicago’s Most Dangerous ‘L’ Stops

Michael J. Petro – Chicago Defense Attorney According to the news, Chicago is a dangerous place. So dangerous that an outsider could easily envision a massive free-for-all, with bullets flying everywhere. But anyone who’s spent any amount of time in the Windy City knows a far different reality. Yes, Chicago violence is well documented. But […]

Medicare Fraud and Abuse Cases

Michael J. Petro – Medicare Fraud Defense Attorney in Chicago, IL In recent years, Medicare fraud and abuse cases have been on the rise in the United States. Nowhere is the problem more visible than in Chicago, where an increase in the number of cases has prompted officials to put a moratorium on new home […]

Federal Crime Sentencing Guidelines

The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are nonbinding instructions for punishing criminal defendants in a uniform manner. Although the 2017 sentencing guidelines are not compulsory, judges must consider them as they assess appropriate sentences for defendants convicted in the federal court system. When judges deviate from the guidelines, they are required to explain the factors that went […]

Plea Negotiations and Agreements in Federal Court

Many criminal cases frequently end in plea agreements before a trial ever begins. If you are facing federal charges, Michael Petro can work with you and the prosecutors to negotiate a plea agreement. At the federal level, rules for sentencing are very complicated.  Many federal offenses have mandatory sentencing requirements.  Prosecutors are working very hard non-stop […]

New Chicago Unit Investigating Healthcare Fraud Violations

A new federal investigative unit will prosecute defendants for a variety of crimes related to health care fraud in Illinois. The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois recently announced that the new unit will pursue many different types of alleged health care fraud perpetrators, including medical providers who falsify records to justify […]

Preliminary Hearing in Federal Court

For defendants facing federal charges, it is important to understand what to expect in a preliminary hearing. After your attorney has entered a not-guilty plea, the preliminary hearing typically occurs. In the preliminary hearings, the prosecutor will attempt to demonstrate the existence of sufficient evidence to charge you. If you’ve been charged with a crime […]

Female Genital Mutilation Charges

A grand jury investigation into female genital mutilation has expanded to three more states — including Illinois — as federal agents identify additional Doctor suspects. The new targets of the investigation reportedly live in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Female genital mutilation is defined as the intentional injury or alteration to female genitals for […]

Map of Chicago Homicides 2006 – 2016

Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney Michael J. Petro provides a useful map for analyzing murders in Chicago neighborhoods in 2016. In the chart below, Mike analyzes how Chicago neighborhood gun crime correlates with murders committed in the City of Chicago. Summer is a bittersweet time for Chicago. The city celebrates the beautiful lakefront, the Taste of […]