Police must follow specific protocols before attempting a search and seizure. Failure to adhere to federal and state laws will result in the suppression of any evidence obtained during the search. Fourth Amendment rights Illinois takes its approach to search and...
If you are not familiar with search and seizure laws, you are not alone. Many people are unfamiliar with the protections afforded to them when it comes to law enforcement’s legal right to search a person or property. Understand what could constitute an illegal search...
The Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides specific protections to individuals serving time for criminal convictions. While punishment for crimes is justifiable under the law, there is a reasonable expectation of safety while in custody. Cruel and unusual...
Those found guilty of breaking the law in Illinois are often sentenced to jail or prison. The amount of time they spend behind bars can be brief or for the rest of their life. Even those without a chance of ever being on the outside again retain specific legal rights....
When a police officer places you under arrest, it can feel like they are stripping away your civil liberties. And, in fact, they may be in some situations. As an American, you have certain inalienable civil rights that law enforcement must uphold even when you are in...
The Chicago Police Department has a policy against excessive use of force, but they also have a reputation for harming citizens throughout our community, especially those in racial and ethnic minority groups. Despite having a policy against using excessive force, the...
Weeks after the release of a detailed report finding that the Minneapolis police department engaged in a pattern of racism, we have to ask a similar question in Chicago? Do Chicago police also routinely engage in a pattern of racist conduct? In 2020, four Minneapolis...
The Constitution grants us all the fundamental right to a fair trial when we encounter the criminal justice system. However, sometimes police try to use techniques that violate the criminal defendant’s constitutional rights and encroach upon their opportunity to build...
Relentless bullying and the Chicago Public Schools system's failure to do anything about it has led to the death of a Chicago child, a lawsuit alleges. In February 2019, Jamari Dent, then age 11, wrapped a bedsheet around his neck and hung it from a coat hook in a...
It seems that not a day goes by without law enforcement forcibly arresting someone during a "routine" traffic stop. These stops are more frequently escalating into armed confrontations that end up with a citizen being seriously injured or killed. Critics argue that...
