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A Chicago suburb that’s just far enough away from the chaos of the city, Schaumburg is a Golden Corridor neighborhood that provides residents with the best of both worlds. It is a shopping mecca that boasts not only one of just two Ikea stores in the entire state, but also the 11th largest mall in the country. Additionally, with violent crime rates significantly below both Chicago and the national average, the area is also generally seen as peaceful and safe.
There is one category of crimes in Schaumburg that stands out like a black mark, though: thefts. It is the only criminal category where the area has a rate higher than the national average, and that’s bad for a couple of reasons. If you or someone you love has been charged with a theft crime in Schaumburg, you may already know this.
The first issue is simple. Local law enforcement officials want the area to be seen as safe and crime-free. With theft crimes the one real problem, officials often push for the harshest penalties possible to send a message to other would-be thieves. This is true even for smaller theft crimes.
Issue number two is that the high rate of thefts makes it an area of focus for local law enforcement. They want to crack down. They expect theft and are hyper-vigilant to uncover it. Because of this, officers sometimes become overzealous and may skip over steps in the process – playing fast and loose with your rights.
As someone who has been practicing criminal law in and around Cook County for years, Sami Azhari understands local players and attitudes and how to speak their language to ensure your rights are protected. Moreover, Mr. Azhari knows that law and has a passion for helping his clients get the best possible outcome in their situation.
Some lawyers dabble in several different areas of the law. Not Sami Azhari. He has dedicated his professional career solely to criminal law. Specifically, he has made it his mission to help clients through the complex ins and outs of both federal charges and state charges that go through the Illinois Criminal Justice System.
In Schaumburg the arresting officers can charge someone with a state crime or a local ordinance. If they are charged with a state crime the matter will be handled in the Rolling Meadows courthouse by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. If the matter is written as a local ordinance violation, then the matter will be prosecuted by the Village of Schaumburg.
Local ordinance violations are much different from state crimes. They do not involve jail time and are usually much easier to get dismissed through deferred prosecution or the completion of community service.
https://www.municode.com/library/il/schaumburg/codes/code_of_ordinances
For example, in the Schaumburg Municipal Code, Title 13 refers to General Offenses, and its subsections are broken up into various groups, such as offenses against the person, offenses against property etc. Assault and Battery has a penalty of a fine between $100 and $50,000. If it were charged as a class A misdemeanor, it would be punishable by up to 1 year in jail.
Practice areas include:
Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse and Assault
Criminal Sexual Abuse and Assault
Domestic Battery and Domestic Violence
Driver’s License Reinstatement
DUI Monitoring Device Driving Permit
Possession of Marijuana/Cannabis
Schaumburg residents can potentially be charged with any of these crimes, but the rate of theft crimes so comparatively high, it is important to pay special attention to certain crimes. Crimes such as retail theft/shoplifting, white collar crimes like fraud and – of course – general theft crimes.
The most important thing to know about all theft crimes in Illinois is that it only takes $500 worth of stolen property to warrant felony charges. In most states, it takes $1,000 worth of stolen property to make a theft crime a felony.
Even if you have been shoplifting in a mall, a handbag, a cell phone, or a few expensive t-shirts can add up to $500 in minutes. This matters because felonies come with significantly more serious consequences than misdemeanors.
With felony charges, you face multiple years in prison right off the bat. Fines can go up to $25,000 (in addition to any restitution you must pay to theft victims). Moreover, after serving your time, having a felony charge on your record will make it harder to get a steady job or qualify loans for higher education or living expenses.
Fighting against your charges is essentially investing in your future and that of your family. When you’re in that kind of fight, you want an attorney you trust.
Mr. Azhari has been helping his clients in Chicago and surrounding areas to get the best possible outcome in their cases since 2007. He is well-known for his stellar track record and his in-depth knowledge of the law, as well as the aggressive manner in which he attempts to get cases dropped before charges are even filed.
Due to his skill and knowledge, Mr. Azhari has received recognition from numerous respected organizations throughout his career, including:
Beyond excelling at his position as a criminal defense lawyer, Azhari is also an advocate for many communities in Cook County. He uses his skills as a lawyer to volunteer for indigent defendants facing Statutory Summary Suspension hearings in Chicago. Moreover, as a fluent Arabic speaker, he serves as an ally to the Arabic-speaking community throughout the greater Chicago area.
Sami Azhari’s passion to help comes from his belief that everyone deserves to have their rights respected, and to enjoy the freedoms inherent in living in the greatest country in the world. If you are facing criminal charges, you can be confident that he will use all his skill, knowledge, and experience to fight for you.
Being charged with a crime can be incredibly frightening and confusing. You may worry about losing your job. You may worry about what is going to happen to your family. You may worry about going to jail.
The key is to not allow these fears to leave you paralyzed into inaction. Sami Azhari is very good at getting his clients charges reduced or dropped by crafting a strong defense strategy. To do that, though, he needs time. The earlier you get in touch, the better your chances at receiving a positive outcome.
Once you set up a free consultation, you will be able to sit down with Mr. Azhari to discuss the details of your situation and go over any options available to you.
Start the process right now by filling out our online case evaluation form, emailing sazhari@azharillc.com, or calling one of our two convenient offices:
Chicago:
(312) 626-2871
Rolling Meadows:
(847) 255-2100
Sami takes the time to learn about the specific facts and circumstances surrounding each case. Then with meticulous preparation and years of experience a unique strategy is developed to obtain the best result.
– Michael S.Sami is an excellent advocate, and really fights for his clients. He is an absolute professional. I recommend Sami to anyone who finds themselves in need of a criminal defense attorney.
– David S.
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