20+ Years in Lake County
Former Felony Prosecutor
Misdemeanor Speeding
Repeat Offenders
Your Lake County, Illinois speeding ticket is charged as a misdemeanor or petty offense. In either case, your speeding ticket is an alleged moving violation and can damage your driving record.
My name is Matt Hoffman. I'm a Lake County defense attorney with more than 20 years' experience in Lake County traffic court. I'm also a former Lake County traffic court prosecutor.
I represent and defend drivers like you who've been ticketed for speeding throughout Lake County, Illinois. Over the years, I've successfully defended hundreds of clients charged with speeding throughout the Lake County court system.
I represent clients charged with speeding at all of the Lake County traffic courthouses, including those located at Mundelein, Park City, Round Lake Beach and Waukegan. I offer a free consultation on every case.
Matt Hoffman
Attorney at Law
Lake County Petty Offense vs. Misdemeanor Aggravated Speeding Tickets
Lake County Petty Offense vs. Misdemeanor Aggravated Speeding Tickets
When it comes to Illinois speeding tickets, there are two general types: petty offense speeding tickets and misdemeanor aggravated speeding tickets.
Petty offense speeding tickets are those that allege an act of speeding between 1 and 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. See, 625 ILCS 5/11-601(b). Misdemeanor aggravated speeding tickets allege speeding 26 or more miles per hour over the posted speed limit. See, 625 ILCS 5/11-601.5.
Petty offense speeding tickets do not carry potential jail sentences, whereas aggravated speeding tickets do. I defend clients charged with petty offense and misdemeanor speeding in all the Lake County traffic courts.
Consideration in detail first will be given here to the misdemeanor aggravated speeding ticket. The petty offense speeding ticket is discussed in more detail below.
Serious Potential Penalties in Lake County Aggravated Speeding Cases
Serious Potential Penalties in Lake County Aggravated Speeding Cases
Illinois aggravated speeding tickets themselves are divided into two types of misdemeanor offenses: class B misdemeanors and class A misdemeanors.
Class B misdemeanor aggravated speeding tickets are charged under Section 625 ILCS 5/11-601.5(a) of the Illinois Vehicle Code, or a similar local ordinance. A class B misdemeanor speeding ticket alleges you were speeding between 26 miles per hour and 34 miles per hour over the speed limit.
If, instead, you're charged with a class A misdemeanor aggravated speeding ticket, your case is charged under Section 625 ILCS 5/11-601.5(b) of the Illinois Vehicle Code, or a similar local ordinance. Your class A misdemeanor speeding ticket alleges you were speeding 35 miles per hour or more over the speed limit.
A conviction for either class B or class A misdemeanor speeding is a conviction for a criminal offense.
Specifically, what are the penalties for an Illinois aggravated speeding ticket?
Under Illinois law, your class B misdemeanor speeding ticket is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and up to a $1500 fine.
Alternatively, your class A misdemeanor speeding ticket is punishable by up to 364 days in jail and up to a $2500 fine.
Not only does your aggravated speeding ticket carry the possibility of jail time, but it differs from a petty offense speeding ticket in a number of other important ways.
How does aggravated speeding differ from petty offense speeding?
First, unlike petty offense speeding tickets, which might allow you to resolve the ticket without ever even going to court, your Lake County aggravated speeding ticket requires you to appear in court before a judge.
Second, while in many circumstances you might be eligible to receive court supervision for a speeding ticket charged as a petty offense, in some aggravated speeding cases court supervision is not even allowed.
Court supervision is a disposition of the ticket that does not result in a conviction for the offense and which ultimately leads to a dismissal of the charge by operation of law upon successful fulfillment of the supervision terms.
What circumstances prohibit court supervision for aggravated speeding?
If previously you were convicted of or placed on court supervision for aggravated speeding, then you cannot receive court supervision for a new misdemeanor speeding charge. See, 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1(p).
Additionally, if your aggravated speeding offense occurred in an "urban district," court supervision also will not be allowed. See, 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1(q).
Also, if you've already received court supervision twice for moving violations in the twelve months preceding the issuance of your new misdemeanor speeding charge, you cannot receive court supervision for the new charge. See, 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1(k).
Moreover, even if you are eligible to receive court supervision, that does not mean you have an automatic right to be placed on supervision, upon your request, in your case.
In considering whether to agree to court supervision as an outcome, both judges and prosecutors may consider your driving record and the facts of your case.
What will happen if you're found guilty in a case where court supervision is not allowed?
If you're found guilty in a situation where court supervision is not allowed, the court will convict you of the offense. That conviction will be recorded on your Illinois driving record and could lead to the suspension of your driver's license.
You're presumed innocent and you have the right to a trial.
Since in a misdemeanor case you're charged with a criminal offense, you're presumed innocent of the accusation against you. You have the right to a trial. The burden of proof is on the prosecution and is beyond a reasonable doubt.
Even though you're charged with a serious offense, fortunately you still have serious Constitutional protections. These include the right to confront any witnesses who would testify against you at trial.
The HoffmanLaw Office has the experience necessary to defend your case.
As your legal advocate in Lake County traffic court, I will take great care in defending you against your aggravated speeding charge.
I know a misdemeanor speeding conviction can have a seriously negative impact on your driving record and insurance rates.
I know in some cases a misdemeanor speeding conviction even can lead to a suspension of your driver's license.
When I defend you in your aggravated speeding case, I'm dedicated to seeking the best possible outcome of your ticket and to keeping your driving record as clean as possible.
I'm a former Lake County traffic court prosecutor, having worked in the Lake County State's Attorney's Office more than six years. What this means, simply, is that I did the prosecutor's job. Because of this, I know how prosecutors look at aggravated speeding ticket cases, and I know what arguments to make in your defense.
Aggravated Speeding Ticket FACTS
Class B Misdemeanor
Speeding between 26 and 34 miles per hour over the speed limit. Up to a $1500 fine and 180 days in jail.
Class A Misdemeanor
Speeding 35 or more miles per hour over the speed limit. Up to a $2500 fine and 364 days in jail.
Supervision Limitation
No court supervision if previously you had supervision for or were convicted of misdemeanor speeding. 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1(p).
Court Appearance Required
Your Lake County aggravated speeding ticket requires that you appear in front of a judge in traffic court.
Supervision Possible
Depending on your driving record and the facts of your case, you may be eligible for court supervision on your aggravated speeding ticket.
Reduced Charge
In certain circumstances, it may be possible to convince the prosecution to lower your misdemeanor to a petty offense.
HoffmanLaw Means Intelligent, Attorney-Led Negotiations
HoffmanLaw Means Intelligent, Attorney-Led Negotiations
I have years of trial experience with Lake County traffic charges. If I take your speeding ticket to trial, I'll aim to beat your case.
Does it ever make sense to negotiate?
There are circumstances, though, where negotiating for a known result more likely leads to a better outcome.
If you're charged with a class B or class A misdemeanor speeding offense, it might be possible to negotiate your charge downward to a petty offense.
Only the prosecution has the authority to reduce charges by lowering the speed alleged on your ticket. This is why negotiations occur between the defense and the prosecution, and never between the defense and the judge.
What can negotiating achieve in a misdemeanor case?
If performed effectively, negotiating with the prosecution for a specific, known and agreed-upon result in your misdemeanor speeding case can, in the appropriate circumstance, be viewed as the best way to resolve your charge.
A successful negotiation could mean not only achieving a reduction of the charge from a misdemeanor to a petty offense, but also avoiding a conviction for any offense. The potential of such an outcome generally should not be overlooked.
Just as I have a long and successful track record of Lake County trial court experience, as an experienced traffic court lawyer I have a hugely successful track record of negotiating strong and meaningful outcomes for my clients in misdemeanor aggravated speeding cases.
When I defend a client, I'm making a commitment. I'm committing to doing everything in my power to protect you.
When I defend you in a misdemeanor aggravated speeding case, I'm dedicated to seeking the best possible outcome of your charges and to keeping your driving record as clean as possible.
~Attorney Matt Hoffman, the HoffmanLaw Office
Your Defense Starts Here: How the HoffmanLaw Office Works to Defend Your Lake County Speeding Ticket
Your Defense Starts Here: How the HoffmanLaw Office Works to Defend Your Lake County Speeding Ticket
Attorney Defending Lake County Petty Offense Speeding Tickets
Attorney Defending Lake County Petty Offense Speeding Tickets
So, I've taken the time to review Lake County Illinois misdemeanor-level aggravated speeding tickets first. But what about the thousands of petty offense speeding tickets issued to Lake County drivers each year? Isn't a petty offense speeding ticket significant?
Of course it is.
If you're charged with a petty offense speeding ticket, you're charged with speeding between 1 and 25 miles per hour over the speed limit.
Petty offense speeding tickets are issued under Section 625 ILCS 5/11-601(b) of the Illinois Vehicle Code, or under a similar section of a local ordinance.
Unlike a misdemeanor speeding ticket, your petty offense speeding ticket is not punishable by jail time. However, just like a misdemeanor speeding ticket, your petty offense speeding ticket can result in a record of conviction, damage your driving record, trigger higher insurance rates and, in some cases, lead to the suspension of your Illinois driver's license.
How can a conviction for a petty offense speeding ticket suspend your Illinois driver's license?
Convictions for multiple speeding tickets can result in a suspension of your Illinois driver's license or driving privileges.
Special rules and enhanced penalties apply to the charges of speeding in a school zone and speeding in a construction zone.
If you plead guilty to or are found guilty of your Lake County, Illinois speeding ticket, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Lake County will notify the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State of the result in your case.
The Office of the Illinois Secretary of State then will examine your Illinois driving record and determine whether the outcome in your case warrants suspension action.
As a general rule, if you're a driver age 21 or over and you're convicted of 3 moving violations committed within a single 12 month period, the Secretary of State will suspend your Illinois driver's license. See, 625 ILCS 5/6-206(a)(2).
If you're a driver under 21 years of age, this type of multiple conviction-based moving violation suspension will be imposed much quicker.
If you are under 21, the Secretary of State will suspend your Illinois driver's license if you're convicted of only 2 moving violations committed within a single 24 month period. See, 625 ILCS 5/6-206(a)(36).
Court Supervision on Your Lake County Speeding Ticket
Court Supervision on Your Lake County Speeding Ticket
Court supervision on an Illinois speeding ticket is a type of disposition where a person is found guilty of the charge, ordered to fulfill certain conditions, but is not actually convicted of the offense. A driver's successful completion of the court supervision period leads to a dismissal of the charge. See, 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1(c).
As was discussed just above, a common statutory reason Illinois suspends driver's licenses or statewide driving privileges is when a driver accumulates too many convictions for moving violations within a specific time period.
Since a disposition of court supervision is not a conviction for the offense, as a general rule (most definitely there are exceptions to this rule) such a disposition will not trigger a license suspension.
There is another very basic benefit of a court supervision disposition for a Lake County misdemeanor or petty offense speeding ticket. Dispositions of court supervision are recorded on the private and confidential portion of your Illinois driving record and generally are not available to insurance. See, 625 ILCS 5/6-204.
Failure to fulfill the requirements of court supervision will lead to a revocation of court supervision, causing a conviction to occur.
The Office of the Secretary of State maintains the driving records of all Illinois drivers.
Whether you receive court supervision for or are convicted of a speeding violation, in both situations the Secretary of State will learn of the result.
Circumstances when the Secretary of State will not learn of your speeding ticket include when your charge is dismissed or when you're acquitted of the charge at trial.
How does the Illinois Secretary of State track records of conviction and court supervision?
The Secretary of State records dispositions of court supervision and conviction on your Illinois driving record, also known as your "driver's abstract."
Frequently, I request a driver's abstract from my clients so that I may fully prepare our defense. Abstracts may be obtained from the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State either in-person or online.
Dispositions of court supervision typically are contained on a separate page of your driver's abstract and are confidential.
Such dispositions can be used only to supply the court, law enforcement agencies and the Secretary of State with information. Except in certain circumstances, this information may not be applied to suspend or revoke driving privileges.
Additionally, dispositions of court supervision are not made available to insurance companies.
Are there limits on how often you can get court supervision?
Under the law, you're eligible to receive court supervision only two times for moving violations committed within a 12 month period. See, 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1(k).
Before agreeing in court to a disposition of court supervision for a moving violation, the prosecutor typically will inquire about your driving record.
Also, traffic court judges frequently ask drivers about their driving records when considering granting court supervision. The state statue governing the imposition of court supervision even lists different factors a judge is supposed to consider in deciding whether or not to allow court supervision in any given case. See, 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1(c).
Specific and different court supervision rules, requirements and limitations apply to drivers under the age or 21 and drivers who hold commercial driver's licenses.
Over Two Decades of Lake County Traffic Court Experience
Over Two Decades of Lake County Traffic Court Experience
As a traffic court defense attorney, I have over two decades of experience with Lake County petty offense speeding tickets. I understand even a petty offense speeding conviction can damage your driving record.
Insurance companies can use speeding convictions to increase rates. Multiple speeding convictions can trigger the suspension of your driver's license; so can a single speeding conviction in conjunction with convictions for other moving violations accrued in a specific period of time.
A conviction for speeding even can be used against you by a prosecutor or judge in determining the penalty for any subsequent tickets you receive.
How will the HoffmanLaw Office approach the defense of your Lake County speeding ticket?
When I defend a client against speeding in Lake County circuit court, I take into consideration all these factors in pursuing a positive outcome in your case.
I take my defense of petty offense speeding tickets very seriously. I know even a petty offense speeding ticket can impact your driving record for years to come.
If you're considering pairing with an attorney to defend your Lake County petty offense speeding ticket, I'm ready to get to work as your lawyer and to fight for a positive resolution.
If you're considering pairing with an attorney to defend your Lake County petty offense speeding ticket, I'm ready to get to work as your lawyer and to fight for a positive resolution.
~Attorney Matt Hoffman, the HoffmanLaw Office
HoffmanLaw: Ready to Defend Your Lake County Speeding Ticket
HoffmanLaw: Ready to Defend Your Lake County Speeding Ticket
When I defend you in your Lake County speeding case, I work hard to achieve an excellent outcome.
I'll analyze the facts and circumstances of your case, consider your past driving record, and develop effective strategies for resolving your charges. I will stand by you.
As an attorney who has spent his entire legal career in Lake County traffic and criminal court, I'm dedicated to helping you keep your driving record as clean as possible and to keeping you on the road.
I've worked in the Lake County traffic court system more than two decades.
My goal in defending your Lake County speeding ticket is not just to hope for, but to actually create effective resolutions and positive results.
I have the knowledge, experience and commitment to excellence necessary to achieve great outcomes. I'm ready to defend your case.
What is Speeding?
What is Speeding?
Driving a Vehicle on a Highway
In the State of Illinois
At a Speed Above the Applicable Speed Limit
Unlike most results of court supervision, convictions for multiple moving violations can lead to the suspension of your Illinois driver's license.
A speeding violation is but one of dozens of different kinds of moving violations listed in the Illinois Vehicle Code.
Examples of other common moving violations, in addition to the violation of speeding, include improper lane use, disregarding a red light or stop sign, improper passing, failure to yield the right of way, and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
How can a simple speeding ticket lead to the suspension of your driver's license?
Because a speeding ticket alleges a moving violation, what happens with your speeding ticket can serve as a basis to suspend your driver's license.
In fact, one of the most basic and frequently-imposed Illinois driver's license suspensions affects drivers who've accumulated too many convictions for moving violations in too short a period of time.
The circumstances when a moving-violation-based suspension will be imposed differ, depending on whether you're over or under 21 years of age.
If you're 21 years of age or older, and you're convicted of three moving violations committed within a single 12 month period, the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State will suspend your Illinois driver's license.
If you're under 21, and you're convicted of only two moving violations committed within a single 24 month period, the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State will suspend your Illinois driver's license.
Drivers Age 21 or Over
Drivers 21 years of age and over are subject to suspension if they accumulate three convictions for moving violations charged against them in a single one-year period.
Drivers Under Age 21
Drivers under 21 years of age are subject to suspension if they accumulate two convictions for moving violations charged against them in a single two-year period.
What will happen if you beat your speeding ticket in court?
If you're neither placed on court supervision for nor convicted of your speeding ticket, but instead your speeding ticket simply is dismissed, then no record of your ticket will be reported to the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State and no entry of that ticket ever will appear on your driving record.
I understand the risks of license suspension you might face based on your new speeding ticket.
I take my protection of your driving privileges very seriously. If you choose me as your lawyer in Lake County traffic court, I'll do all I can to protect your driver's license, to keep your record as clean as possible, and to keep you on the road.
If you're facing a potential driver's license suspension due to multiple speeding tickets or other moving violations, or if your driver's license already is suspended because of multiple convictions, I can help.
Why Choose HoffmanLaw to Defend Your Lake County Illinois Speeding Ticket?
Why Choose HoffmanLaw to Defend Your Lake County Illinois Speeding Ticket?
Analysis.
The HoffmanLaw Office always is focused on the presumption of innocence. Building on this presumption, the HoffmanLaw Office performs a systematic and searching ANALYSIS of the facts alleged in your Lake County speeding ticket case. This intensive analysis exposes weakness in the prosecution's evidence and develops powerful defense arguments and strategies.
Preparation.
The HoffmanLaw Office strives to know completely the facts and law of your case. In traffic court, good results do not often emerge by chance. They come through intense PREPARATION that lays the groundwork for success. When you select the HoffmanLaw Office as your legal advocate, you team yourself with a philosophy of extreme preparation.
Results.
The HoffmanLaw Office views every time it appears in court with you as an opportunity to achieve RESULTS. Whether it is negotiating during a pretrial conference, cross-examining a witness, or delivering a closing argument at trial, the HoffmanLaw Office strives to be your best advocate at all times.
Prior to 2000, under Section 5/11-601(b) of the Illinois Vehicle Code, all speeding tickets in the State of Illinois were petty offenses. Petty offenses are non-jailable and do not carry the same potential penalties as criminal charges. Then, on January 1, 2000, Illinois established a new type of speeding ticket- the misdemeanor speeding ticket.
Under Section 5/11-601.5, suddenly it became a Class A misdemeanor offense to speed 40 miles or more over the speed limit. Unlike petty offenses, which carry no jail time, Class A misdemeanors are criminal in nature and are punishable by up to a $2500 fine and up to 364 days in jail.1
So began Illinois' journey into criminalizing certain speeding violations.
After the Class A misdemeanor law took effect, for the next eleven years there remained only two types of basic speeding tickets in the Illinois Vehicle Code: petty offenses and Class A misdemeanors. During this entire period of time, drivers remained eligible to receive court supervision for either class of offense. A driver could receive court supervision even for driving 40 or more miles per hour over the speed limit.
Then, on January 1, 2011, Illinois added another class of speeding ticket to the books- the Class B misdemeanor speeding ticket. Like Class A misdemeanors, Class B misdemeanors are punishable as crimes. Class B misdemeanor speeding tickets carry fines of up to $1500 and up to 180 days in jail.
Specifically, as enacted on January 1, 2011, Section 5/11-601.5(a) of the Illinois Vehicle Code made it a Class B misdemeanor offense to drive 30 miles an hour or more but less than 40 miles per hour over the speed limit. The Class A misdemeanor offense of speeding 40 or more miles per hour over the speed limit was relisted in Section 5/11-601.5(b).2
On January 1, 2011, not only did Illinois create the Class B misdemeanor speeding ticket, but it also took away the possibility of anyone found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor speeding ticket receiving court supervision for the offense.3 Class A misdemeanor speeding tickets thereby became non-supervisionable. Anyone found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor speeding ticket faced a mandatory conviction as a result.
On January 27, 2011, less than one month later, the legislature redefined Class B misdemeanor speeding tickets as speeding 31 (as opposed to 30) miles per hour or more but less than 40 miles per hour in excess of the speed limit.4
Having removed any possibility of court supervision from Class A misdemeanor speeding offenses, the Illinois legislature then followed suit with Class B misdemeanor speeding tickets.
This particular legislative maneuver occurred on July 1, 2013. From that date onward, anyone found guilty of a Class B misdemeanor speeding ticket no longer was allowed to receive court supervision for the offense.5
As a result, anyone found guilty of either a Class B or Class A misdemeanor speeding ticket could not receive court supervision and faced a mandatory conviction. Also on July 1, 2013, Illinois added a law prohibiting court supervision for anyone charged with speeding in excess of 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit in an "urban district."6
Having first established misdemeanor-level speeding tickets, and then made them mandatory conviction offenses, Illinois continued to expand the scope of what constituted serious speeding in this State.
On January 1, 2014, Illinois lowered the speeds at which drivers could be charged with Class B and Class A misdemeanor speeding offenses. The range for Class B misdemeanor speeding offenses was lowered from between 31 and 39 miles per hour to between 26 and 34 miles per hour over the speed limit. The range for Class A misdemeanor speeding violations was lowered from 40 to 35 or more miles per hour over the speed limit.7 Now, anyone accused of speeding more than 25 miles per hour over the speed limit may be charged with a misdemeanor offense.
In a major shift, effective January 1, 2016, Illinois altered its policy and made court supervision permissible for many misdemeanor speeding offenses.8 At that time, Illinois banished the outright prohibition on court supervision for all misdemeanor speeding tickets, and changed the law to allow court supervision for such offenses as long as the person charged has not previously been convicted of or placed on court supervision for a misdemeanor speeding offense, and as long as the new offense did not occur in a "urban district."
1. Public Act 91-469, eff. 1-1-00. 2. Public Act 96-1002, eff. 1-1-11. 3. Public Act 96-1002, eff. 1-1-11. 4. Public Act 96-1507, eff. 1-27-11. 5. Public Act 97-831, eff. 7-1-13. 6. Public Act 97-831, eff. 7-1-13. 7. Public Act 98-511, eff. 1-1-14. 8. Public Act 99-212, eff. 1-1-16.
On January 1, 2000, Illinois established a new type of speeding ticket- the misdemeanor speeding ticket . . . So began Illinois' journey into criminalizing certain speeding violations.
~Attorney Matt Hoffman, the HoffmanLaw Office
HoffmanLaw
Misdemeanor Speeding on Interstate I-94
Mundelein Branch Court
The HoffmanLaw Office frequently defends clients charged with misdemeanor aggravated speeding at the Mundelein branch courthouse in Lake County. I have many years of experience defending serious misdemeanor speeding tickets issued to my clients on interstate I-94 by the Illinois State Police. In these cases, I seek to reach creative and effective outcomes that both protect my clients' driving records and keep my clients on the road.
Cases Handled
Clients Helped
Tickets Dismissed
Years Experience
Facing a Lake County Illinois Speeding Ticket?
HoffmanLaw offers over two decades of Lake County Illinois traffic court experience.
HoffmanLawHere to Defend You Every Step of the Way
Bond Court
In Lake County misdemeanor and felony cases, if you are arrested you might be brought before a judge for a bond hearing. At your bond hearing, the judge will consider the charges, the alleged facts, your criminal history, and other factors. Then the judge will set the conditions of your bond. You might be released on your signature or have to post money before you get out of jail. Your bond hearing can be the first time you appear in front of a judge in your case. The HoffmanLaw Office has more than two decades of Lake County bond court experience in misdemeanor and felony cases. If you have been or are going to be arrested, the HoffmanLaw Office is ready to get to work quickly as your advocate at this early and important step in your case.
Preliminary Hearing
In a Lake County felony case, you have the right to a preliminary hearing or indictment. At your preliminary hearing, the prosecution will call witnesses to try to prove to a judge that there is probable cause that you committed a felony offense. If the judge finds probable cause, your case will be scheduled for arraignment. If the judge finds no probable cause, your charges will be dismissed. If no preliminary hearing is held, your case can be presented to the Grand Jury for indictment. The HoffmanLaw Office has more than two decades of experience with preliminary hearing and Grand Jury issues in Lake County felony cases. The HoffmanLaw Office knows how to assert your rights during this often technical part of your case.
Arraignment
In Lake County misdemeanor and felony cases, at your arraignment the judge formally will advise you of the charges you are facing and tell you their maximum possible penalties. The judge will order the prosecution and defense to comply with discovery rules. These rules will require the prosecution to turn over copies of police reports and other written evidence. At your arraignment, you will be asked to enter a plea. Almost all criminal court arraignments include a plea of "not-guilty." The HoffmanLaw Office has represented clients in many hundreds of Lake County arraignments. This Office knows how to defend and assert your Constitutional rights at this significant step in the court proceedings.
Pretrial Conference
A pretrial conference is a court appearance after arraignment in a Lake County misdemeanor or felony case. Pretrial conferences also may be held in petty offense matters. At a pretrial conference, the prosecution and defense can work toward reaching an agreed resolution of your charges. The HoffmanLaw Office views pretrial conferences, and every other court appearance in your case, as opportunities to advocate on your behalf. There can be multiple pretrial conferences as your case moves forward. During any pretrial conference, the HoffmanLaw Office is focused on the fact that you are presumed innocent. With this presumption always in mind, this Office has many years of experience in negotiating for positive outcomes in Lake County criminal and traffic court.
Motion Practice
The HoffmanLaw Office uses pretrial motions to try to favorably alter the outcome of your criminal case. A carefully written and successfully argued pretrial motion can have a profoundly positive effect on the outcome of your case. This is especially so when, for example, the court rules your confession was involuntary, or rules you were the victim of an unlawful search and seizure, or rules you were inappropriately identified in a police lineup, or even rules your charges are so problematic they must be dismissed. The HoffmanLaw Office works hard to analyze the facts and law of your case in exploring the use of effective pretrial motions.
Trial
At its core, the HoffmanLaw Office is a trial law firm. It is built on more than two decades of Lake County criminal court trial experience. If your charges do not resolve during the pretrial process, your case will go to trial. As your legal advocate, the HoffmanLaw Office will bring many years of Lake County criminal court trial experience to your defense. Attacking the prosecution's evidence, questioning the opinions of prosecution experts and police, and aggressively cross-examining prosecution witnesses are proven ways of raising reasonable doubt in the rigorous pursuit of a not-guilty verdict. The HoffmanLaw Office never waivers from its pursuit of your success.
