Although none of us like to think about it, domestic violence is a rapidly growing issue in our society. Legally, any individual who abuses, harasses, or interferes with the personal liberty of another family or household member has broken the domestic violence law here in Illinois. According to the Illinois State Police, a “family or household member” can include any of the following: Spouses and former spouses Parents, children, and stepchildren Those who previously shared the same home People who dated or were engaged, regardless of gender Those who allegedly have a child in …

Embezzlement tends not to be an everyday word that people hear often. It is most often spoken in action movies in which the characters create fake identifications and get high-paying jobs, which they use to embezzle money from the company to become rich before retiring to a far-away, tropical island. The word “embezzlement,” though, was defined in Moore v. United States in 1895 by the Supreme Court. “Embezzlement is the fraudulent appropriation of property by a person to whom such property has been entrusted, or into whose hands it has lawfully come.” What this means is that, for …

Cannabis sativa is the plant that the drug marijuana is derived from. The plant’s leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds are all dried and shredded to create the drug with the psychoactive chemical, THC, that is inside. An annual survey recently found that more teenagers are actually smoking marijuana, or weed, more often than cigarettes, most likely due to the decreasing negative opinion of the drug. Although it has found to have medical benefits and very few permanent negative effects, marijuana does still alter the mind for a length of time when it is consumed and it can be dangerous. The …

A federal investigation on child pornography has ended with convictions for multiple individuals, including three Illinois residents. A task force comprised of local law enforcement agencies and federal agencies carried out the investigation known as “Operation Blue Monday”.  Those charged with child pornography should hire a criminal defense attorney to manage their case. Defendants who have already been through the sentencing process got prison terms from between 3 ½ years up to 11 years. A jury convicted Tuscola’s Parrish Kappes of distribution and possession of child …