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

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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 applicants with criminal convictions may once…

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 Chicago Appeals Attorney discovered that 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…

The “Lulling Letter” Doctrine and a Barber Who Don’t Cut Hair Straight

U.S. v. Kenneth Anderson, 809 F.2d 1281 (7th Cir. 1987) (Ed. Note – Barber Kenneth Anderson used to cut Chicago attorney Michael J. Petro’s hair as a little boy).    During the time of the events resulting in this case, Kenneth Anderson was a barber in Crown Point, Indiana. John Marine worked at Division 1 of…

Warrants, Illegal Searches and the “Third Party Doctrine”

Someone used the email address gslabs@hotmail.com to contact a Vietnamese website in an attempt to buy sassafras oil—a chemical that can be used to make the illegal drug known as ecstasy.   A key step in the investigation was learning that Caira was the person behind the gslabs@hotmail.com address. The DEA made that discovery by issuing…

“Official Acts” Definition- Must Know Rules For Politicians!

Robert F. McDonnell v. United States, No. 15-474. Supreme Court of the United States.  Decided June 27, 2016. In 2014, the Federal Government indicted former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and his wife, Maureen McDonnell, on bribery charges. The charges related to the acceptance by the McDonnells of $175,000 in loans, gifts, and other benefits from Virginia businessman…

Cross-Examination of Fingerprint Expert on “Brandon Mayfield” Case NOT Allowed

US v. Joel Rivas, No. 13-3526.   A fingerprint examiner (“Rottman”) testified at trial that he was certain the partial fingerprint found on a 9 millimeter handgun belonged to Joel Rivas.  Rivas’s only argument is that his rights under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment were violated when the district court did not allow him to cross-examine the…