Legal Resources and Glossary

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Illinois Legal Resources


Please find below various resources for criminal defense, misdemeanors, tickets and other violations. For mroe information, call Drummond Law at 800-842-0426 or contact us online for a free and confidential consultation.

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Understanding Illinois Legal Terminology

Illinois Legal Glossary


4th Amendment Rights: The constitutionally guaranteed right against search and seizure without a warrant and/or probable cause.

5th Amendment Rights: The constitutionally guaranteed right to due process, to a jury trial, against being prosecuted for substantially the same crime twice (double jeopardy) and against a person being obligated to testify against themselves (self-incrimination), either in interrogations or trial.

6th Amendment Rights: The constitutionally guaranteed right to a public trial without unnecessary delays, to an attorney, to an impartial jury, to know who your accusers are and to know the nature of the charges and evidence brought against you.

Accomplice: A voluntary participant in a crime.

Appeal: A request to a higher court to formally review a lower court’s decision and alter it.

Arrest: A law enforcement officer takes someone into custody because they either have a warrant for the arrest or because the officer has reasonable grounds to believe the person has committed or is committing a crime.

Attorney: A person who is licensed and authorized to provide legal representation and advice in regard to specific legal matters.

Bail: Money or property put up by the defendant in order to secure their release before trial.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: The burden of proof the state and prosecution have to convict someone of a criminal charge. It means convincing the jury or court, through evidence, that the defendant’s guilt is the only reasonable explanation for the events that occurred.

Charge: The state believes they have sufficient evidence to convict a person and formally accuses that person of a crime.

Conditional Discharge: A person convicted of a crime is allowed to avoid imprisonment on the basis that they fulfill specific conditions set out by the court.

Conviction: A person is considered guilty either through a guilty plea or by being found guilty by a jury or court.

Jury: A body of persons of the general public sworn to give a verdict in a legal case based on the evidence submitted to them.

Notice to Appear: A notification issued by a police officer that a complaint or charge has been filed against you, and an order to appear before the court on a specific time and day.

Probation: A period of time wherein a person who has been convicted of a crime is under the supervision of a probation officer, and must meet certain conditions to retain their freedom and/or not face further discipline.

Sentence: The formal punishment for a crime, which could be prison time, jail time, probation, conditional discharge, restitution, community or fines, or some combination thereof.

Summons: A notification issued by a court that a complaint or charge has been filed against you, and an order to appear before the court on a specific time and day.

Trial: The process, in a court of law, by which a defendant and the prosecution, according to the rules of evidence, submit evidence before the court for a final determination of guilty or not guilty.

Call Drummond Law at 800-842-0426 or contact us online for more information about the legal process and to understand how to best proceed with your case.

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