A Former Prosecutor and Top Criminal Defense Lawyer Serving the Edwardsville Illinois Area
Have you been charged with a crime? Are you being prosecuted for acts that you didn’t commit? It’s time you called a local criminal defense lawyer that has a reputation or personalized legal assistance and experience in a wide range of situations. At the Law Office of Robert Elovitz, we provide criminal legal advice to people in the Edwardsville, Illinois area that find themselves in a wide range of situations. As a family-owned law firm, we understand the pressure and stress that criminal charges can put on a family, and we’ll use our legal resources to help give you the best chance at a successful resolution of your case. Read below about the types of charges that we can help with, and call our staff for a free legal consultation!
Types of Criminal Violations
In the Edwardsville, Illinois area, people know where they can go for help with criminal charges. In fact, they know that our staff can help with a wide range of legal situations. From drug charges to assault and more, our team understands what a legal battle takes, and we’ll use the full extent of our resources to help you fight the charges that have been levied against you. Below, are the types of charges that we may be able to help you fight? Please review the list and contact us to schedule a legal consultation with a criminal defense lawyer.
- Misdemeanors
- Felonies
- Assault
- Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Child Abuse
- Arson
- Kidnapping
- DUI & DWI
- Rape
- Statutory Rape
- Drug Possession
- Drug Distribution
- Murder
- Manslaughter
- Theft
- Burglary
- More…
Felonies
Felonies are major crimes that are punishable by large fines and multiple years in a state penitentiary. Below, you’ll find the different types of felonies. However, if you’re charged with one of these, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll serve time. That depends on the evidence against you, the strength of your defense, and any possible plea deals that you may be offered by the prosecution.
- Class X Felony – This is the most severe type of felony, and it’s punishable by up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.
- Class 1 Felony – This type of felony is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and possible fines of up to $25,000.
- Class 2 Felony – This type of felony is punishable by up to 7 years in prison and possible fines of up to $25,000.
- Class 3 Felony – This type of felony is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and possible fines of up to $25,000.
- Class 4 Felony – This type of felony is punishable by up to 3 years in prison and possible fines of up to $25,000.
Statute of Limitations in Illinois
Statute of limitations refers to the amount of time that someone has to file a lawsuit against you for any number of crimes. The statute of limitations will vary depending on the charge, meaning you must be informed if you’re trying to levy charges against someone else. Our office can help you understand the statute of limitations for your specific legal situation.
Steps in a Criminal Proceeding
Each case is different. However, in the State of Illinois, the general process is as follows.
- Investigation – Any criminal trial will start with an investigation into the matter at hand. Persons of interest and suspects will be identified.
- Arrest – If law enforcement agents believe that there is enough evidence, they may make an arrest of one or more persons involved in the crime. They must have probable cause against those that they believe committed the crime to make an arrest.
- Bond/Bail Hearings – Once there are sufficient grounds to file charges, the accused will attend a bond hearing, where it will be determined whether or not they can be released on bond pending charges. The prosecution may make arguments as to why the accused should not be released.
- Preliminary Hearing/Grand Jury Hearing – In the case of a felony charge, the accused will be charged through a preliminary hearing or grand jury hearing. In a preliminary hearing, a judge decides whether or not there is enough evidence to bring charges. In a grand jury hearing, it’s decided by a jury of 16 people.
- Arraignment – This is where the accused is informed of the formal charges that are being brought against them.
- Trial – This is a multi-faceted phase that includes reviewing the evidence against the accused, preparing for trial, making plea bargains and, finally, going to trial. If a plea bargain is reached, the accused may receive a lesser sentence in exchange for entering a certain plea, usually a guilty plea.
- Verdict – Once the trial is complete, the judge or jury will issue a verdict of guilty or not guilty of the charges filed.
- Sentencing – If the Verdict is guilty, the judge will issue a sentence based on the law and precedence in the case.
- Appeals – Any convicted person has the right to appeal their case. However, the success of that appeal is dependent on evidence and errors made by the prosecution.
What to do if you’ve been charged
If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor or a felony, it’s important that you seek legal consultation with a qualified attorney. The law is complicated, and it takes the experience to understand how to navigate these issues.
We also provide legal assistance to Alton, Collinsville, Granite City, O’Fallon, Greenville, and the surrounding areas in Madison County, Illinois and Bond County.
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