Fierce Advocates for the Rights of the Accused – Skokie Battery Criminal Defense Lawyers
Whether you have had problems with the law in the past and are facing enhanced penalties or this is your first encounter with the criminal justice system, the experience of handcuffs being slapped on your wrists is humbling and stressful. However, any offense that constitutes a “violent crime” such as battery will be treated more seriously by Skokie police officers and local prosecutors. Battery is considered a violent crime so anyone charged with such an offense faces potentially serious consequences, including a misdemeanor or felony conviction, substantial fines, criminal record, probation, anger management classes, counseling, and more. Important: If you are arrested for battery in Skokie or the surrounding areas, you should exercise your right not to speak with the police until you have an attorney present and immediately seek legal advice.
The Skokie Police Department has substantial resources and political support which has resulted in an overall crime rate that is far lower than the national average. Aggressive law enforcement tactics have allowed Skokie to achieve declines in the crime rate five out of the last six years. Aggressive investigation and prosecution strategies have contributed to a crime rate in Skokie that was 10 percent lower in 2013 than over the preceding decade. The commitment of the Skokie police to enforcing violent offenses recently yielded a decline in assaults by seven percent, criminal sexual assaults by 29 percent, and battery by three percent. This commitment to crime reduction means that those arrested for battery (and the related offense of assault) can expect investigators to aggressively pursue these cases. This aggressive posture can result in innocent citizens being arrested and a rush to judgment to pad law enforcement and prosecutor statistics.
Why Hire a Skokie Criminal Defense Attorney from Goldman and Associates?
Whether you were arrested following an argument with your spouse or during an altercation in the parking lot of a sporting event, an experienced criminal defense attorney can mean the difference between a dismissal and loss of your liberty, and other adverse consequences. Skokie Criminal Defense Attorney Steven Goldman has handled over 5,000 criminal cases since founding Goldman & Associates over a decade and a half ago. His commitment to protecting the rights of the accused and reigning in overzealous prosecutors and law enforcement agencies is evidenced by his decision to focus his law firm exclusively on criminal defense since the inception of the firm.
While Mr. Goldman brings the skill, expertise, and experience people associate with a top criminal defense law firm, he maintains a commitment to maintaining effective channels of communication with his clients rather than passing his clients off to junior law clerks and office staff. While some people qualify for a court appointed attorney, Mr. Goldman has the financial resources, time, and ability to limit his caseload, which permits him to meet with his clients and explain their situation and options. Public defenders often labor under a massive caseload. Further, our law firm has the financial resources to retain experts in a range of areas of specialized knowledge and use forensic testing, which might be unavailable to a public defender operating within the limited budgetary constraints of financially strapped local governments.
What Is Battery [720 ILCS 5/12-13] in Illinois?
Illinois law defines battery as knowingly causing bodily harm to another or making contact with another individual in an insulting or provoking manner. Battery often is distinguished from the related defense of assault by the fact that actual physical contact must occur. There is no requirement that the alleged victim suffer injury, and the contact can be minimal. Battery also can be charged as an aggravated offense depending on the surrounding facts and circumstances.
If an individual is charged with battery in Skokie or the surrounding vicinity, he or she will be prosecuted for a Class A Misdemeanor. A conviction of battery can carry a punishment of a maximum one-year term in jail and a fine up to $2,500. Anyone charged with aggravated battery faces far more serious consequences ranging from a Class 3 Felony to a Class X felony depending on the specific situation.
A battery conviction can result in incarceration, substantial fines/costs, classes and/or counseling, community service, probation, and a criminal record. While our first goal is to investigate the potential for a dismissal of charges or acquittal after trial, Mr. Goldman also negotiates aggressively for other favorable dispositions like diversion rather than incarceration. Our Skokie Battery Criminal Defense Lawyers at Goldman and Associates offer a free consultation, so you should call us today at (773) 484-3131 or (847) 215-2600 to schedule your free consultation. We can even come to you, so contact us to balance the scales of justice when facing criminal charges in Skokie or the surrounding areas.
