Preteens and teenagers often act before thinking about the consequences. In recent years, young couples have gotten into the trend of “sexting,” the act of texting nude or semi-nude photos of themselves without realizing that in doing so, they are distributing child pornography.

This is a felony offense that is mostly associated with adult sex offenders. However, according to a study from the Illinois Bar Association, one in five juveniles have sent sexually provocative images or videos. As a result, the ones who are caught may face felony charges as well, and they may be required to register as a sex offender.

When people hear the term “domestic abuse” their thoughts immediately turn to physical injuries that are purposefully inflicted on someone by a partner or another member of the household. However, domestic violence can take a psychological form, and verbal or emotional abuse can turn to physical harm. Illinois law defines domestic violence as one member of a household choking, hitting, pinching, or causing injury to another member of the home purposefully. The action can happen out of rage or just to control the other person. It is important to understand what the law considers abuse and its consequences in the event you or someone you know is charged with domestic violence. 

Mental/Emotional Abuse

Psychological abuse may be seen as the early stages of behavior that can lead to physical violence. While these actions will not leave behind physical scars, the emotional toll they take can leave lasting wounds on a person’s mental health. Some of the following actions may be considered emotional abuse:

After being involved in a car accident, a driver may feel anxious and panic. Upon realizing he or she is not hurt and the vehicle is still drivable, the motorist might attempt to flee the scene to avoid trouble. However, fleeing or eluding can bring on its own punishment if the person is eventually stopped by the police. Even if an accident has not occurred, if a driver fails to stop when a police officer is attempting to pull him or her over, the driver can face significant penalties in Illinois.

What is Fleeing and Eluding?

According to Illinois law, a person is fleeing--or eluding--if he or she fails to stop after being given a visual and/or verbal signal from a police officer attempting a traffic stop. In cases of vehicle collisions, a person must stay on the scene until the authorities arrive to investigate the accident. If a driver leaves, he or she will face a Class A misdemeanor charge.

Most people think of alcohol when the topic of DUI comes up. However, the term DUI stands for “driving under the influence,” and a driver can be under the influence of many different substances in addition to alcohol. These substances can include illegal drugs and even legally prescribed medications. Taking medication may not necessarily affect a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle. However, if certain medicines do cause impairment, someone behind the wheel could face penalties for DUI with prescription medication. 

Commonly Prescribed Medications Leading to DUI

Not all prescribed medications are known for causing impaired driving. For example, taking birth control or a medication used to reduce cholesterol may not affect your ability to drive. However, many other medications are known to impair drivers, and it is important to understand how those prescribed medicines will affect you before you get behind the wheel of a car. These common types of medications usually have a warning label on the bottle, but if there is any question about how they might affect your driving ability, you should speak to your prescribing doctor or pharmacist. Some prescription medications that could cause impairment include:

Sometimes, a person can make a mistake, but it does not have to impact the rest of his or her life. In Illinois, there may be some arrests, convictions, offenses, or charges on someone's criminal record that may be eligible for expungement or sealing. By removing eligible reports from his or her police record, he or she may find it easier to obtain employment, housing, or higher education. The process of having a criminal record erased or hidden may take some time, but it can be worth it in the long run. If you have been charged or convicted of a crime, having an experienced expungement lawyer on your side is an important first step. 

Expunged Versus Sealed

The first step in cleaning up your criminal record is to understand the difference between having a recorded criminal event expunged or having it sealed. Expungement means that the crime is erased completely from your record as if it never occurred. A sealed offense is one that is still on your record, but it is hidden so no one can see it on a criminal background check. However, law enforcement and other criminal justice personnel will still have access to the details of that offense.