Last year, after Governor Rauner ruled on his second batch of clemency petitions, in a June 2015 blog post, I wrote that there were few clues to explain why 7 people were granted clemency and 57 were denied clemency. Since that posting, Governor Rauner went on to grant an additional 30 petitions. All told, in 2015, 37 petitions were granted (3.6%) and 1001 petitions were denied. The governor’s office says it will review petitions for clemency on a regular basis. In 2015, petitions were granted in April, May, July, September, November, and December.
Read MoreI am always surprised to meet someone who still believes s/he is better off lying about their criminal record when applying for a job. With employer background checks a routine fact of life, the truth about your background comes out.
Read MoreBeginning in 2016, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County ("Court Clerk") will no longer be able to charge a 10% bond processing fee on a cash bond, regardless of the amount.
Currently, Illinois permits Court Clerks throughout the state to charge a bond processing fee equal to 10% of a criminal defendant's bond. On the recommendation of the Cook County Board, the Illinois General Assembly agreed to amend the law. The amendment caps bond processing fees at $100 in counties with 3 million or more residents.
Read MoreWhether a defendant is released on a cash bond, on his or her own recognizance ("I bond"), or not at all, is the first crucial decision a judge makes after someone is arrested. Despite the importance of this decision, in most U.S. courtrooms this ruling has been primarily a subjective one.
Read MoreBeginning in 2016, the rules to seal a criminal record will be eased. Of the six bills I’ve been tracking, Governor Rauner signed three bills into law earlier this month, sent two bills back for revisions, and one bill remains stalled in the House.
Read MoreEvery year unsuspecting U.S. visitors are turned away at Canada’s border based on criminal inadmissibility -- having a criminal record. Whether your criminal record will bar you from Canada depends on if the Canadian equivalent of the crime you committed is an indictable or hybrid offense. An indictable or a hybrid offense is defined as a crime subject to a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
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