Criminal charges often involve serious consequences, such as jail sentences, and/or fines, loss of driving privileges, probation, and deportation if you are not a United States citizen. However, the law recognizes certain defenses which may result in your charges being dismissed. Other alternatives may allow your case to be plea bargained, so that the penalties can be reduced. There may also be diversionary programs available which allow charges to be dismissed if you are a first time offender.

Criminal, DUI, traffic ticket, license revocation hearing:

• Homicide – 1st degree murder, felony murder, capital murder, intentional homicide of an unborn child, 2nd degree murder, voluntary manslaughter of an unborn child, manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, drug induced homicide, reckless homicide and attempted murder.
• Sex Offenses – criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, rape, statutory rape, sexual exploitation of a child, failure to register as a sex offender, public indecency, prostitution, soliciting for a prostitute, soliciting for a juvenile prostitute, pandering, keeping a place of prostitution, keeping a place of juvenile prostitution, patronizing a prostitute, patronizing a juvenile prostitute, pimping, juvenile pimping, obscenity, and child pornography.
• Drunk Driving (DUI/DWI)/Traffic Violations – driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI), driving under the influence of intoxicating compounds (DWI), petitions to rescind statutory summary suspensions (suspensions resulting from DUI/DWI arrests), driving while driver’s license is suspended or revoked, fleeing or attempting to elude police officer, aggravated fleeing or attempt to elude a police officer, leaving the scene of a property or personal injury accident, drag racing, aggravated speeding (driving 40 miles per hour or more in excess of the speed limit), reckless driving, aggravated reckless driving, speeding, speeding in a school zone, speeding in a construction zone, failure to stop at a stop sign, failure to obey a traffic control device, open alcohol in automobile, passing a school bus while stop sign is out, and all other traffic violations.
• Drug Crimes – possession of a controlled substance such as cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, GHB, and all other scheduled substances, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, delivery of a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a school or church, possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver, delivery of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, drug manufacturing, drug cultivation, drug trafficking, and drug conspiracy.
• Weapon Offenses – unlawful use of weapons (UUW), unlawful use or possession of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the department of corrections, aggravated discharge of a firearm, reckless discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful sale of firearms, unlawful possession of firearms and firearm ammunition, unlawful purchase of a firearm, gunrunning, and defacing identification marks of firearms.
• Theft – theft, retail theft, deceptive practices, forgery, unlawful use of a credit card, financial identity theft, aggravated financial identity theft, possession of stolen property, financial exploitation of an elderly person or a person with a disability, robbery, armed robbery, burglary, residential burglary, possession of a stolen motor vehicle (PSMV), vehicular hijacking, aggravated vehicular hijacking, possession of burglary tools, and unlawful use of sound recordings.
• Other Felonies and Misdemeanors – assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated battery of a child, domestic battery, violation of an order of protection (VOOP), reckless conduct, disorderly conduct, kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, unlawful restraint, aggravated unlawful restraint, child abduction, unlawful visitation interference, hate crime, stalking, aggravated stalking, home invasion, criminal trespass to property, criminal trespass to state supported land, criminal damage to property, criminal damage to government supported property, arson, aggravated arson, escape, and perjury.
• Federal Offenses – all charges pending in U.S. Federal Courts.
• White Collar Crimes – bribery, fraud, extortion, identity theft, counterfeiting, kickbacks, RICO crimes, racketeering, embezzlement, larceny, perjury, money laundering, wiretapping, and tax fraud.
• Expungements
• Petitions to Revoke Supervision, Conditional Discharge, and Probation
• Personal Injury and Worker's Compensation – work injuries, automobile accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, defective products, slip and fall injuries, products liability injuries, and dog bite injuries.
• Secretary of State Driver's License Revocation Hearings – hearings for full reinstatement of driver's licenses and restricted driver's permits, formal hearings, and informal hearings.
• Criminal Appeals – post-conviction relief, appeals, and appellate law.

Classification of crime	Usual Prison or Jail Sentence	Possible Extended Term	Probation Term	Madatory Supervised Release	Maximum Fine
MURDER		—	Not allowed
1st degree	(Death)5	—	Not allowed	—	$25,000
	Life, no parole6	—	Not allowed	3 years	$25,000
	20-60 years7	60-100 years	Not allowed	3 years	$25,000
2nd degree	4-20 years	15-30 years	4 years	2 years	$25,000
HABITUAL CRIMINAL8	Life, no parole	—	Not allowed	—	—
FELONY
Class X	6-30 years	30-60 years	Not allowed	3 years
1	4-15 years	15-30 years9	Up to 4 years10	2 years	$25,000, or more if specified
2	3-7 years	7-14 years9	Up to 4 years10	2 years	$25,000, or more if specified
3	2-5 years	5-10 years	Up to 21/2 years	1 year	$25,000, or more if specified
4	1-3 years	3-6 years	Up to 21/2 years	1 year	$25,000, or more if specified
MISDEMEANOR
Class A	Under 1 year	—	Up to 2 years	—	$2,500
B	Up to 6 months	—	Up to 2 years	—	$1,500
C	Up to 30 days	—	Up to 2 years	—	$1,500
PETTY OFFENSE	—	—	Up to 6 months	—	Amount stated up to $1,000
BUSINESS OFFENSE	—	—	—	—	Amount stated

Penalties for Possessing Marijuana

Amount in Grams*	Max. prison	Max. Fines	Assessment
Up to 2.5	30 days	$1,500	$ 200
2.5 to 10	6 months	$1,500	$ 200
10 to 30 ?	364 days	$2,500	$ 300
30 to 500 ?	3 years	$25,000	$ 500
500 to 2,000	5 years	$25,000	$ 500
2,000 to 5,000	7 years	$25,000	$ 1000
Over 5,000	15 years	$25,000	$ 2000

There are about 28 grams in an ounce.
Penalty is higher for a repeat offense.
Sources: 720 ILCS 550/4; penalties by class of crime stated in 730 ILCS 5/5-8-1, 5/5-8-3, and 5/5-9-1;

Penalties for Transferring Marijuana:

Amount In grams*	Maximum prison	Maximum fine	Additional assessment
Up to 2.5	6 months	$1,500	$200
At school	364 days	$2,500	$300
2.5 to 10	364 days	$2,500	$300
At school	3 years	$25,000	$500
10 to 30	3 years	$25,000	$500
At school	5 years	$50,000	$500
30 to 500	5 years	$50,000	$500
At school	7 years	$100,000	$1,000
500 to 2,000	7 years	$100,000	$1,000
2,000 to 5,000	15 years	$150,000	$2,000
Over 5,000	30 years	$200,000	$3,000

CRIMINAL BRANCHES OF THE FIRST MUNICIPAL DISTRICT
CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY

Honorable E. Kenneth Wright, Jr.
Presiding Judge
First Municipal District
Circuit Court of Cook County
1303 Richard J. Daley Center
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-603-6132
T.D.D.: 312-603-6673
FAX: 312-603-4211

Location - 2600 South California Avenue, Chicago, IL 60608 Telephone Number
Branch 57 Felony Narcotic Preliminary Hearings - Room 100 AM/PM
(773) 869-3072
Branch 66 Homicide/Sex Related Felony Court - Room 101 PM
(773) 869-3160
Branch 1 Central Bond Court - Room 111 PM
(773) 869-3160
Branch 98 Felony Indictment Call - Room 101 AM
(773) 869-3160
Branch 2 Traffic Prisoner Call - Room 100 PM
(773) 869-3072

Location - 1340 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago IL 60605
Branch 46 Assignment Judge, Jury Trial Call/
Misdemeanor/Ordinance - Room 501 (312) 341-2861
Branch 47 Misdemeanor/Jury Trial Call - Room 502 (312) 341-2871
Branch 60 Domestic Violence Actions - Room 701 (312) 341-2893
Branch 61 Domestic Violence Actions - Room 702 (312) 341-2892
Branch 62 Domestic Violence Actions - Room 601 (312) 341-2758
Branch 63 Domestic Violence Court - Room 602 (312) 341-2889
Branch 64 Domestic Violence Bond Court - Room 202 (312) 341-2710

OUTLYING COURTS

Branch 34 (773) 373-8878 Misdemeanor/Ordinance
155 West 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60609
Branch 48 (773) 373-8877 Felony Preliminary Hearings/Public Housing
155 West 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60609
Branch 44 (773) 265-8915 Felony Preliminary Hearings
3150 West Flournoy Street, Chicago, IL 60612
Branch 43 (773) 265-8927 Misdemeanor/Ordinance
3150 West Flournoy Street, Chicago, IL 60612
Branch 23 (773) 804-6154 Misdemeanor/Ordinance
5555 West Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60639
Branch 50 (773) 804-6140 Felony Preliminary Hearings
5555 West Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60639
Branch 29 (773) 404-3316 Misdemeanor/Ordinance
2452 West Belmont, Chicago, IL 60618
Branch 42 (773) 404-3304 Felony Preliminary Hearings/Public Housing
2452 West Belmont, Chicago, IL 60618
Branch 38 (773) 660-0346 Felony Preliminary Hearings
727 E. 111th Street, Chicago, IL 60628
Branch 35 (773) 660-2438 Misdemeanor/Ordinance
727 E. 111th Street, Chicago, IL 60628

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