As the “war on drugs” rages on and the arrests continue, alleged drug offenders often find themselves between a rock and hard place. How would you react if you found yourself in handcuffs in the back of police car? Hopefully you would have the prudence to hire a Rockford criminal defense lawyer.
 

More DUI arrests occurred in Rockford last year than in any other town in Illinois, reports the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM). The AAIM report, which included every Illinois city except Chicago, indicated that 743 DUI arrests occurred in Rockford last year alone. Compared to other Illinois cities, Rockford statistics are telling. For example, Rockford is among only three cities that reported more than 500 DUI arrests in 2009.

Recently, laws aimed at protecting communities like Rockford from dangerous sex offenders have come under scrutiny. Some opponents of the laws claim that, although they are meant to protect children from dangerous sexual predators, they often brand non-violent, non-dangerous people as perverts. Many state sex offender laws, like the one in Illinois, do not distinguish between different sex crimes.
 

Last Wednesday at approximately 11:30 p.m., a shooting occurred in the Applebee’s parking lot located at 6845 E. State Street in Rockford, Illinois.
 
According to the Rockford Register Star, three men exited Applebee’s, and another man in an SUV fired several rounds at the three men with a high-powered assault rifle. One victim, a 31-year-old Rockford resident, was shot in the torso and remains in critical condition. Luckily, the other two men were unharmed.
 

Early this year, it became illegal to text while driving in Illinois due to safety issues. While the effectiveness of the ban is questionable, some local Illinois communities are willing to test the success of this recently passed law.
 

On March 18, Kristian Branch, Elgin resident, collapsed after a Cook County Judge set her bail at $3 million. Branch is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and attempted armed robbery. 
 
Branch and Mario Charles, Rockford residents, were allegedly involved in a Shaumburg shootout after a failed armed robbery attempt earlier this week.
 

Alan Beaman was sentenced to 50 years in prison for a murder that he did not commit. Jennifer Lockmiller was found dead in her apartment near Illinios State University in central Illinios. She had been stabbed with a pair of scissors and had an electrical chord tied around her neck.
 
The problem with the judgment, said a recent Illinios Supreme Court holding, was that evidence suggested Beaman was in Rockford at the time of the murder. The murder occurred about 120 miles south of Rockford in Bloomington.
 

Last month's American Bar Association Journal included an article explaining the position of Malcolm Young, who is a scholar at Northwestern School of Law. According to Young, more states should follow the lead of New York and take a more rehabilitative approach to solve prison system problems.

When Mark Barmore encountered Rockford Police, the result was tragic. Encountering a Police Officer often lets you breathe a sigh of relief, but in other circumstances you may be disappointed. If you have been accused of a crime, you need a lawyer.
Consult an attorney immediately to learn of your options. Call the Crosby Law Firm to schedule a free consultation at 815-397-2006.

This New Year, Illinois residents will have to get comfortable with a host of new laws that become effective on the first of January. Whether it is a change in tax policies or hunting policies, it seems the Illinois legislature has left no stone unturned.  New licensing restrictions will apply for professionals from lobbyists to community managers. 2010 has something in store for everyone.