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A moving violation occurs when an Illinois traffic law is violated by the driver while the vehicle is in motion, such as speeding, Chicago drunk driving or running a red light. Non-moving violations are typically related to parking violations, faulty equipment or paperwork violations (insurance, registration, inspection).

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

Driving under the influence of alcohol, other drugs or intoxicating compounds is the act of operating any motorized machinery after consuming alcohol or other drugs. In Illinois, a driver is legally considered to be under the influence if they have a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or more, have used any illegal substance, or are impaired by medication. The same DWI and DUI laws apply for Chicago drunk driving incidents. Be sure to speak with an Illinois DUI lawyer immediately if you’ve been charged.

Drug Crime Attorney Fred Dry

Designer drugs refer to any types of drugs created in a laboratory, and the term includes illicit substances such as MDMA (ecstasy), ketamine, GHB, Rohypnol (roofies), LSD (acid), bath salts, and methamphetamine. These types of drugs are often made in a lab, a loosely used term that can include everything from professional labs to ad hoc setups in a basement or garage, and they hold a high potential for abuse, death, psychological injury, and a myriad of other health problems. For these reasons, among many others, the State of Illinois upholds harsh penalties for people found in possession of designer drugs, and anyone associated with the manufacture, traffic, sale, and possession of these drugs are used as scapegoats to get designer drugs off the streets once and for all.These types of drugs are often made in a lab, a loosely used term that can include everything from professional labs to ad hoc setups in a basement or garage, and they hold a high potential for abuse, death, psychological injury, and a myriad of other health problems. For these reasons, among many others, the State of Illinois upholds harsh penalties for people found in possession of designer drugs, and anyone associated with the manufacture, traffic, sale, and possession of these drugs are used as scapegoats to get designer drugs off the streets once and for all.

If you or someone you know has been arrested or is under investigation, you need a Chicago designer drugs attorney who understands that extensive penalties and fines do not solve the designer drug problem in Chicago. At the law office of Fred Mark Dry, we’ve seen how illegal searches and seizures have violated clients’ Fourth Amendment rights and how police and prosecutors use intimidating interrogation techniques to produce false confessions.

Interviewer: What would you say is the most difficult aspect that you have to deal with as an attorney when it comes to sex crimes?

Fred Dry: I think the willingness of judges and juries to believe the person who’s complaining over the person who’s defending.  A defense case has to be much stronger than a prosecution case to win in a sex case because people are inclined to believe people who claim to have been sexually violated. It’s not the problem of persuasion. That’s another thing – a person who’s looking for a criminal defense lawyer has to think about and has to think about whether or not they believe that a lawyer they’re about to hire is capable of persuading a judge or a jury in their favor, and that’s where experience comes in, skill, knowledge, understanding of the law.

Certain Sex Crimes Trials are Appropriate for a Jury and Certain are Appropriate for a Judge

Interviewer: What would you say are some of the more common misconceptions that people have about sex related crimes?

Fred Dry: In many cases, people believe that cases on sex related crimes can’t be won, even if they’re not guilty. They believe they can’t get a fair trial because of the nature of what the accusation is, which is not so. Sometimes, they believe that a good lawyer can’t make a bad situation better, they just believe that all lawyers are going to end up being the same and that they’re going to be found guilty no matter what, which is clearly a misconception.  And there are ways to win these cases; not in every case. But the government doesn’t have a perfect prosecution record and sometimes, they can be won.

fred dry blog pic

A Conviction for Sex Related Crimes Cannot be Expunged in Illinois

Interviewer: How much weight do they actually have in court? Is it something that someone should be concerned about?

Fred Dry: Field sobriety tests do hold weight as DUI evidence in court. However, the outcome will be dependent on the court’s ability to have a clear understanding of how the tests were administered, including the instructions by the police and a truthful description of the driver’s performance.  Representation by an experienced and skillful DUI attorney goes a long way in making this happen.

In Chicago, we’re very lucky because most police cars now have video cameras and the court is not left with only the police officers’ description of what happened. The judge can usually look at the video and see what transpires and so they do have a lot of weight in court. They are very persuasive, but often times they demonstrate that people do better on the tests than how the police officer might describe it verbally. If a person comes in and says I did well on the test and explains how they did what the officer asked for, it is much more persuasive when the judge looks at the video. The judge has a much better idea rather than just the  defendant’s verbal description compared to the police officer’s description. Courts tend to see the videos in a much more objective way than they take the testimony of either the defendant or the police officer. If they’re videotaped, the Field Sobriety Tests can have great weight in court.

Interviewer: What does it mean to be indicted?

Fred Dry: An indictment is a way of starting a felony prosecution. It’s a powerful word. Most people respond very negatively to it, but it’s just a means of starting a prosecution. It involves the grand jury.

In Illinois you can start a felony case with what’s known as a complaint for preliminary examination, which is a complaint that’s filed by the state’s attorney’s office.

Choosing a Chicago attorney who primarily deals with the area of law you need assistance with is critical to the outcome of your case. Obtain referrals, contact the local bar association and find out information about the attorney. Do not hire a Chicago attorney without checking their background. If possible, speak with someone who has worked with that attorney.

Your Chicago Attorney Needs

There are different types of lawyers for different types of cases. When looking for a Chicago attorney, find one that practices in the type of legal matters you need help with — Chicago drunk driving, Illinois criminal law, Illinois and white collar crimes, sex crimes, or other areas of practice. Inquire about how much of their practice is in that particular field. If it is a small minority, then you may want to keep reviewing other Chicago attorneys.

Interviewer: What are some things that you recommend that someone look for in a lawyer?  And at the same time, what are some red flags?

Fred Dry: The most important thing about seeking a lawyer for any type of the case is finding a lawyer who is willing to actually fight for you.  There are some lawyers who are looking for a shortcut, that is to say they’d rather negotiate a plea bargain than fight – and I’m not saying that plea bargains aren’t valuable but they aren’t valuable on every case – and sometimes if the plea bargain offer is very enticing to the defendant, maybe it indicates that the government has a lack of faith in their own case and they’re willing to take a very small payment for a very expensive product, so to speak.  That is to say if it appears too good to be true, maybe it is too good to be true. Maybe the deal is being offered because the case is not provable. So, if a lawyer says, “Well, I can get you a terrific deal”, how do they know before they’ve even been to court and reviewed all the facts and circumstances?

A Defense Lawyer Should Be Willing to Investigate the Case and Advise His Client Accordingly

Defense Against Your Charges With a Leading Chicago DUI Attorney

Having a Chicago DUI attorney is vital. Each year, thousands of people are arrested in Illinois for driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Drunk drivers are estimated to cause the deaths of more than 300 people each year and put hundreds more in hospitals for their injuries. It is easy to see why Illinois law enforcement has been cracking down on drunk drivers throughout the state. Road blocks, traffic stops and sobriety tests can be a normal occurrence on a weekend night, and if you have been arrested, it is vital that you protect your rights and freedoms.

Driving under the influence is a serious crime and could leave you facing major penalties. There are specific sets of rules and regulations that must be followed when stopped for a suspected DUI, and if your rights were violated in any way, then you need to obtain the counsel of a trusted Chicago DUI attorney such as Fred Mark Dry. When you work with his firm, you will receive trusted representation and defense for your DUI charge. Mr. Dry can represent you immediately following your arrest at your Secretary of State hearing or in a court of law at a vehicular manslaughter trial if necessary. Attorney Dry can also offer you representation if you feel that your rights were violated during your breath and blood tests or if your license has been revoked.

Interviewer: I hear these days that police officers are going undercover and doing things to apprehend sex offenders.  Is that something that you’ve seen?

Fred Dry: I had at least one client accused of prostitution who was a student of the law and she knew about the Illinois eavesdropping law which has been recently found unconstitutional but because of that eavesdropping law, she couldn’t record the audio portion of her sessions, so she would record her video portions of her sessions.  She got arrested in a sting one time when the police came in and posed as a customer and her case ended up being dismissed because she had video of the police officers engaging in inappropriate behavior. So, there are ways to combat this but once again, if you’re a prostitute, you’re engaging in illegal behavior, so there’s a fine line between protecting yourself and committing further crimes.

The Police Can Apprehend Sex Offenders By Regularly Scouring the Newspapers and the Internet Searching for Potential Prostitutes

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