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...
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...
Received a Subpoena to Testify: What Should You Do?
If you’re ever find yourself in trouble with the police or FBI, you may receive a subpoena for business records or to testify. Typically, a Judge or Magistrate issues a subpoena after a request by a prosecutor. After the subpoena has been issued, it can be served in person or, in some cases, via email...
Business Records Subpoena: What You Should Do?
You need a Grand Jury Subpoena Attorney Michael J. Petro immediately to help you through this difficult process. If you own your own business, you may receive a subpoena for business records at any time. You...
Illinois Grand Jury Subpeona
Grand juries review evidence in criminal investigations and decide if probable cause exists to hand down indictments and proceed to trial. If you receive a grand jury subpoena, it means that a prosecutor wants you to appear as a witness before a grand jury.
Motion to Suppress Evidence in Chicago
A criminal defense attorney can make a motion to suppress evidence from a trial for several reasons. In most cases, the attorney may believe that the evidence was collected illegally by police or that it violates a defendant’s rights in some way.
Eyewitness Identification Expert Testimony at Trial Leads to Not Guilty
Eyewitness Identification Expert Dr. Geoffrey R. Loftus is a Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. For 50 years, Dr. Loftus has been studying human perception and memory. On January 24, 2017, Dr. Loftus flew to Chicago to testify as an eyewitness identification expert in a trial at the 26th Street court house in Chicago. Chicago criminal...
IP Address Linked to a Residence Is Enough to Search
Jesse Featherly challenges the denial of his motion to quash the search warrant that led to the discovery of child pornography on his computer. Featherly was living in a trailer park in Wisconsin when an agent in Oklahoma discovered that Featherly’s Internet-service account was being used to share files containing child pornography.
Health Care Workers Barred By Felony Convictions Can Now File For License With IDFPR
A new Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (“IDFPR”) state law taking effect in January will make it easier for previously barred health care workers and first-time applicants with felony convictions to once again become eligible for an Illinois license.
Effective January 2017, previously barred health care workers and...
Illinois Supreme Court Holds That Changes to the Juvenile Court Act Apply to Pending Cases
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS ex rel. ANITA ALVAREZ,
Petitioner, v. HONORABLE CAROL M. HOWARD et al., Respondents. 2016 IL 120729
Following a statutory amendment that raised the automatic transfer age for juveniles, defendant, Luis Montano, moved to send his pending criminal case to juvenile court for a discretionary transfer...