2025
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LicensingUser ReviewsMystery Shopping CallsOur goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Evanston criminal defense lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.
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Feldman Criminal Defense is a penal law firm serving the people of Evanston and the nearby areas. Founding attorney Steve Feldman has been practicing law for over 15 years, and his team has handled criminal cases involving drunk driving, theft and burglary, sexual and domestic violence, and juvenile crimes. It also helps those convicted of drunk driving get their drivers' licenses reinstated. Feldman has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star by Thomson Reuters.
Shambee Law Office Ltd. is a general litigation law firm serving the residents of Evanston. The firm provides legal representation and advice to those who have been charged with serious felonies and misdemeanors, such as drunk driving, fraud, counterfeiting, unlawful possession of a firearm, sexual assault, and white collar crimes. It advocates for its clients during the trial and possible appeals. Founder Juneitha Shambee has been honored in the National Black Lawyers' Top 40 Under 40 list.
The Law Offices of Paul Chatzky is a team of civil litigation and criminal justice attorneys near Evanston that has been serving the community for over 30 years. The firm offers representation to clients who have been indicted for sexual and domestic violence, white collar crimes, burglary, and drug manufacturing, possession, and sale. It also handles cases involving probation violations. Founder Paul Chatzky has been named a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.
The Law Offices of Matt Fakhoury LLC is a criminal defense law firm representing the people of Evanston. Founder Matt Fakhoury has over 15 years of experience as a licensed attorney, and his team provides legal counsel and representation to those accused of drunk driving, drug possession and distribution, and robbery. The team also offers post-conviction relief in the form of expungements and appeals. Thomson Reuters named Fakhoury a Super Lawyer in 2020.
With two offices in the country, Salvatore, Prescott, Porter, & Porter PLLC is a general litigation law firm serving the people of Evanston. One of the firm's primary areas of practice is criminal justice, and its team handles cases involving white collar and financial offenses, cybercrimes, sexual assault, public corruption, and organized crime. It advocates for its clients during indictment, trial, and sentencing. Partner Julie Porter is a Fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Raymond G. Bendig, Attorney at Law, is a criminal lawyer that has been serving the people of Evanston for over 30 years. The attorney advocates for his clients during criminal trials and appeals. He has experience with cases involving aggravated assault and battery, organized crime and gang activity, theft and robbery, drunk driving, and drug possession and use. Bendig also provides representation to teenagers who have been accused of juvenile crimes.
The Law Offices of Jonathan Minkus is a firm founded by a criminal defense attorney near Evanston. Founder Jonathan Minkus has been practicing law for more than 30 years, and his team provides representation to those who are being charged with armed robbery, assault and battery, sexual assault, and DUIs. The team also offers post-conviction relief, including expungements and appeals. Minkus has been named a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.
Disclaimer: Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
The non-emergency contact number for the Evanston Police Department is 847-866-5000.
You may get a copy of the police report for incidents related to your case at the Records Bureau, located at 2100 Ridge Avenue.
Following their arrest, criminal suspects in Evanston are either given a citation or brought to the precinct to be fingerprinted, photographed, and interviewed. These suspects must then attend their arraignment, where the charges brought against them will be read and a bond amount revealed. If the plea or diversion offer presented at the preliminary status hearings is rejected, a trial date will be set.
Common crimes in Evanston that get tried in federal rather than state court include drug trafficking and distribution, money laundering, fraud, identity theft, and arson. Meanwhile, crimes such as domestic violence, driving under the influence, burglary, and murder are prosecuted in state court. Federal crimes often carry harsher punishments than state ones.
In Evanston, recreational marijuana use is only permitted for adults aged 21 years and above. Individuals must also purchase marijuana from a state-licensed facility, as well as have no more than 30 grams on their person at a time. Additionally, driving while under the influence of marijuana and carrying the substance onto school grounds are considered criminal offenses.
First-time domestic battery offenses in Evanston are considered Class A misdemeanors and are punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of $2,500. However, individuals with repeat domestic battery offenses may be charged with a Class 4 felony, which is punishable by up to six years in jail and a maximum fine of $25,000. The same penalties apply to individuals who violate orders of protection.
Individuals in Evanston who are eligible for records sealing include those who have been convicted of non-violent misdemeanor or felony offenses, including minor traffic offenses, drug possession, and certain prostitution offenses. Meanwhile, criminal offenses that are not eligible for sealing include most violent or sexual offenses, DUIs, domestic battery, and animal cruelty.
This article explains illegally obtained evidence, its impact on trials, and what criminal defense attorneys can do to defend...
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