what can my illinois states attorney help me with

by Ms. Marianne Nader Sr. 9 min read

The State's Attorney can be the debt collector for local government, especially when it comes to property taxes and bankruptcy issues.The office also offers legal advice and representation for local government human service agencies when it comes to child protection and welfare, child support, and adult services, including civil commitment hearings, welfare assistance and vulnerable adult issues.

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Where can I get a lawyer in Illinois for free?

Phone Number (312) 603-1880 Email [email protected] Mission The State's Attorney Office works to uphold public safety through the fair and efficient administration of justice. Assistant State’s Attorneys and support staff vigorously prosecute crimes committed in the County and provide extensive services to victims and witnesses.

What does a state's attorney do?

Illinois State’s Attorneys Links. Adams County; Bond County; Boone County; Bureau County; Champaign County; Clinton County

How do I contact the state's attorney for Cook County IL?

May 02, 2022 · Access to Illinois Attorney General Services and Information. Friday, April 29 2022 ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL JOINS LAWSUIT AGAINST U.S. POSTAL SERVICE CLAIMING FAULTY ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF NEW VEHICLE PURCHASES

What does the county attorney's office do?

Welcome to the Illinois Attorney General's. Help for Homeowners page. If you are behind in your mortgage payments, the materials on this page contain important information about the steps you should take to prevent foreclosure and avoid falling prey to foreclosure rescue scams. You may also contact the Attorney General's Homeowner Helpline at (866) 544-7151 to learn more …

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What is the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau?

The Criminal Prosecutions Bureau is divided into several divisions including Felony Trial, Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Municipal, Traffic, Conviction Integrity, Community Justice as well as the nationally recognized Victim Witness Assistance Unit that provides specialized services to victims of crime and their families

What is the Narcotics Bureau?

The Narcotics Bureau handles tens of thousands of cases each year and focuses most of its efforts on long-term investigations that target major dealers operating often with violent street gangs. The bureau seeks treatment programs, such as a successful Drug School, for low-level users.

What is the administrative services bureau?

The Administrative Services Bureau, which consists of all office support personnel, handles all administrative tasks of the State's Attorney's Office. This includes providing administrative support in the form of data entry, administrative assistants, clerks, receptionists, mailroom/supply clerks, warehouse facility clerks, law librarians, ...

What is a state attorney?

A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is the trial prosecutor depicted in countless television shows, books and films, State's Attorneys don't just prosecute accused criminals. ...

What is an assistant state attorney?

Assistant State's Attorneys, also known as Deputy State's Attorneys,are the ones who actually appear in court, file the legal briefs and interview witnesses. The State's Attorney, on the other hand, is in charge of policy, staffing and running the office, and making decisions about certain high-profile cases. Advertisement.

What is a prosecutor?

A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is ...

How are state attorneys elected?

In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. Their duties are spelled out in the laws of the local governments they represent, and they're held accountable by the voters for how well they do their jobs and how well their performance matches up with the local politics of the area. But a State's Attorney hardly ever does ...

What is the job of a criminal prosecutor?

Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan ]. First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation.

How do police arrest a suspect?

First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation. Attorneys review the request and may decide to issue a warrant, which allows the police to arrest the suspect. An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea.

What is an arraignment in court?

An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea. Depending on the type and severity of a crime, there can be several pretrial hearings. At some point during these hearings, a plea bargain may be offered to induce the suspect to enter a guilty plea. Advertisement.

Can a state attorney prosecute a case if the sister of the state attorney represents the defendant?

It is not per se improper for a state's attorney to prosecute a criminal matter in which the sister of the state's attorney represents the defendant. Illinois has not adopted the ABA Model Rule 1.8 (i), which prohibits the representation unless the client has consented after consultation about the relationship, or ABA Criminal Justice Standard 3-1.3, which prohibits a prosecutor from participating in a case if his parent, child, sibling or spouse represents the defendant. Given the delicacy of the situation, the attorney should follow carefully Rule 1.7 (b) of the IRPC that requires the prosecutor to decline representation if his relationship with the adverse counsel would adversely affect his representation. If the lawyer reasonably believes the representation would not be adversely affected, Rules 1.7 (b) and 1.4 (b) require client consent after careful disclosure.

Can a state attorney communicate with a judge?

It is improper for a state's attorney to communicate ex parte with a judge to obtain an emergency stay of a bail reduction order, except as allowed by law. In the facts presented, after a bail reduction hearing is heard and granted and defendant is in the process of posting bail, the state's attorney learned of further information bearing on the amount of bail, including that the defendant had threatened harm to the victim if released. The state's attorney tells the judge, ex parte, that previously unknown information had been discovered and seeks a stay so that an emergency motion to reconsider can be heard. The stay is granted and the state's attorney is directed to notify the defense counsel. The hearing is held and the original amount of bail was restored.

Is it a per se conflict of interest for a part time assistant state attorney?

It is not a per se impermissible conflict of interest for a part-time assistant state's attorney, who primarily is responsible for civil matters, or members of his firm, to represent defendants in criminal matters where the violations occurred in counties other than the county where the attorney serves as assistant state's attorney.

Is it improper for a state attorney to communicate with a minor under court supervision?

It is improper for a state's attorney to communicate with a person, a minor under court supervision in a juvenile court action, regarding other parties to the incident without prior consent of the minor's attorney. The opinion notes that the matter involving the minor is still pending and rejected the argument that the "matter" which was the subject of the communication was outside the matter concerning the minor because it concerned other defendants.

Can an assistant state attorney prosecute a criminal action against a former employee?

It is improper for an assistant state's attorney to prosecute a criminal action for abuse of patients against a former employee of a county-operated care facility while also representing the county facility in a civil suit filed by a third party for injuries allegedly resulting from the conduct of the former employee, even if the state's attorney's office is not representing the former employee in the civil suit. An impermissible conflict of interest may arise because the state's attorney may have to take inconsistent positions in the two suits: e.g. in the criminal suit, the state's attorney must prove that the former employee committed the abuse, while in the civil suit, the state's attorney may have to argue that the employee did not commit abuse. If the assistant state's attorney has already been involved in both actions, the entire state's attorney's office may have to withdraw from both matters.

Is it improper for a state attorney to offer court supervision on a DUI charge?

It is not improper for a state's attorney to offer court supervision on a DUI charge only if the defendant agrees to dismiss the civil proceeding to rescind a statutory summary suspension (a statutorily based suspension of driver's license related to the DUI). Generally Rule 7-105 of the ICPR (predecessor to Rule 1.2 (d) and (e) and 3.3 (a) (7) of the IRPC) prohibits threats of criminal charges to coerce adjustment of a civil, private, claim. Here the criminal charges are already pending, and the civil proceeding does not involve private claims, but rather the public interest in safety on public streets. In this situation, the conditional plea agreement does not prejudice the administration of justice and is not improper provided the defendant is adequately informed of the consequences of the plea agreement.

Can a state attorney withdraw a plea bargain?

However, a state's attorney cannot withdraw a plea bargain agreement because the defense counsel made critical comments regarding the offer to a third person. The prosecutor's decision to renege on the agreement for personal reasons violates Rule 1.2 (f) of the IRPC, which prohibits a lawyer from asserting a position when such action would serve merely to harass or maliciously injure another; Rule 3.3 (a), which prohibits a lawyer from engaging in conduct in violation of the Rules; and Rule 8.4 (a) (5), which prohibits a lawyer from engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.

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