Did you know that in some criminal cases Illinois prosecutors are bound by a statute of limitations (SOL) that limits the timeframe within which they are permitted to file criminal charges against you? This means that if you commit a crime in Illinois, and are not officially charged before an applicable statute of limitations clock expires, then the government will more often than not be barred from charging you with that crime in the future.

This may sound fairly straightforward, but keep in mind that Illinois does not have a statute of limitations that applies to every crime. Moreover, there are circumstances under which a statute of limitations clock can be tolled (i.e. suspended) for a time, and in some cases it can be very hard to tell when the period of limitation begins.

Therefore, it is essential tolearn about Illinois’ key criminal statutes of limitations. If you suspect that the applicable statute of limitations has expired for a crime that you committed in the past, consult with a local criminal defense lawyer about your legal options.

Some of the most commonly committed drug offenses in Illinois involve narcotic drugs. Criminal defendants across Illinois arearrested and charged with possession, sale, distribution, or manufacturing of narcotics, but do not fully understand what those charges mean.

Often,people are unclear on what a narcotic drug is, and instead merely know drugs by their street names—heroin, cocaine, opium. For clarification, under Illinois law, narcotic drugs include:

• Opium and opiates, such as:
  • Oxycodone;
  • Codeine;
  • Hydrocodone;
  • Methadone; and
  • Hydromorphone.
• Heroin;
• Cocaine; and
• Ecgonine (a cocaine-like substance).

Illinois is tough on drug offenses involving narcotic drugs because of their highly addictive nature, and people who use these drugs often form physical and psychological dependencies on these drugs. There is also a risk that a person taking these drugs could overdose.

Countless people in Illinois get behind the wheel when they do not have a valid driver’s license. These drivers may have never obtained a driver’s license in the first place, could have a suspended driver’s license, or could have had their driving privileges revoked. According to a recent news article posted by WREX.com, far more Illinois drivers get behind the wheel without a valid driver’s license than onemight think.

What Motivates People to Drive Without a License?

According to the article, across the state of Illinois, state law enforcement have issued citations to more than 100,000 drivers who were behind the wheel while driving on a revoked or suspended driver’s license. Between the years of 2011 and 2015, there were more than 300,000 convictions for driving with a revoked or suspended driver’s license. Why are these numbers so high? Why do people choose to risk it and drive when they do not have a valid driver’s license?

Everyone has heard the story of the little boy who cried wolf. Repeatedly the little boy made false assertions that a wolf was nearby, alarming everyone else in the town. But in truth, there was no wolf. Finally, others stopped believing the boy, and when the boy saw a wolf that posed a real threat to those in the town, no one would heed his warnings because he had developed a reputation as a liar. The moral of this children’s story is that it is not a good idea to report false threats and place groups of people into a state of alarm unnecessarily. A similar premise underlies Illinois disorderly conduct law.

Falsely alerting groups of people of danger is a serious offense in Illinois. When there is no real threat of danger, there is no need to alert others. Alerting others to a false danger can place these people in a state of panic or distress, and can cause them to act in an alarmed way unnecessarily. In effect, false reports of danger put people on edge, and cause them to do things that they might not normally do because they feel like they are in danger, and these false reports of danger can cause disruptions of the peace. Some examples of offenses that can warrant a disorderly conduct charge include:

• Crying “fire” in a crowded place where there is no real threat of a fire;
• Reporting to 911 a false call for help, such as calling police to a scene where there is no crime being committed or calling for an ambulance when none is required;
• Falsely making a report of a bomb or other dangerous explosive; or
• Making a false report about an abused or neglected child.

Any one of these instances where someone falsely reports a situation or danger, causes dozens of others to be mobilized into action. For instance, if “fire” is shouted in a club, the club patrons will take steps to exit the building, which is unlikely to occur in a safe and considerate fashion since the patrons are likely going to panic. Patrons might get hurt while trying to exit the club, such as being trampled by the crowd or being struck by someone who is panicking. Not only that but if the alleged fire is called into 911, fire trucks will come to the club where there is no real fire, taking these firefighters away from other calls.

The newest rendition of alcohol is a freeze dried form of powdered or crystallized alcohol. The powdered alcohol is considerably lighter than traditional liquid alcohol and can easily be transported. The powdered alcohol is mixed with water or other liquids to form an alcoholic beverage.

Powdered alcohol was approved for use in the United States by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in 2015. However powdered alcohol is not readily available in the United States. Obtaining the approval of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau was the last regulatory step required before powdered alcohol can be manufactured and sold in the United States. The earliest that powdered alcohol will be available for purchase in the United States is by the upcoming summer. But there are a number of states that have proactively banned powdered alcohol sales and use before the substance is even available on the market.

Illinois Bans Powdered Alcohol