Criminal law

Rick represents clients in Rockford, Loves Park and across Winnebago County from his office at 7111 N. Alpine Rd, Loves Park.

What Rick handles

• Felony charges, from the first appearance through the preliminary hearing or grand jury to trial
• Misdemeanor charges
• Hearings on pretrial release and detention
• Going through the State's evidence with you and deciding what to do with it
• Questions about a police stop, a search, or what you said to officers
• Jury trials, and trials before a judge
• A first call from a family member when someone has been charged

Before you call

Do not discuss the facts of the case with anyone except your lawyer. That includes friends, family and social media.

Write down what happened while you remember it: dates, times, places and the names of everyone involved. Keep every paper you were given, including the ticket, any release order and any court date notice.

If police want to talk, give your true name and address: a false one given to an officer who has lawfully detained or arrested you is a crime. Officers write down what you say. Beyond your name and address, you may decline to answer, said once and calmly. Questioned or arrested in Illinois: what to say

If police want to search, never block them or touch an officer: resisting or obstructing is a crime. If they ask for permission, you may decline, said once and calmly. When police want to search in Illinois

How a case moves in Winnebago County

Criminal cases from Rockford, Loves Park and the rest of Winnebago County are heard by the 17th Judicial Circuit in two buildings on West State Street in downtown Rockford: the Winnebago County Courthouse at 400 W. State St, and the Criminal Justice Center at 650 W. State St, where courtrooms A to D are. Your papers name the building and the courtroom. The 17th Circuit lists a temporary entrance to the courthouse at 403 Elm Street, one block south. Cases from Belvidere and the rest of Boone County go to the Boone County Courthouse, 601 N. Main St, Belvidere, in the same circuit.

A felony goes forward only on a grand jury indictment, or on an information after a preliminary hearing that finds probable cause, unless that hearing is waived (725 ILCS 5/111-2). Before any trial you are called into open court, told the charge and asked to plead (725 ILCS 5/113-1). Between that day and a trial, Rick reads the State's evidence with you, and the two of you decide what to do with it.

Questions and answers

After the arrest comes the court case. Charged with a crime in Illinois

• Is there a stop and identify law in Illinois?
• Do I have to answer police questions?
• Do I have to consent to a search?
• Is there still cash bail in Illinois?
• What happens at a first court date in Winnebago County?
• How long does the State have to bring me to trial?
• How much jail time is a misdemeanor in Illinois?
• Do I get a jury trial?

When someone in your family is charged

You can make the first call for them. Rick can explain how the process starts and what happens at the first court date. The details of the case are for Rick and the person charged to discuss.