Skokie Criminal Defense Attorney | Kostopoulos Law Group

Have you been arrested for a crime in Skokie, Illinois? If so, do not hesitate to contact the Kostopoulos Law Group for a free consultation. The best way to way limit the negative consequences of criminal charges is by hiring an experienced Skokie criminal defense attorney to handle your case.

At the Kostopoulos Law Group, we have more than 30 years of combined experience handling criminal matters as both criminal defense and prosecuting attorneys. This experience allows us to provide our clients unparalleled legal representation when they face criminal charges. Contact our Skokie office today to learn about how we may be able to help you, too.

Skokie Office

Our Skokie office is conveniently located at 5250 Old Orchard Rd Suite 300A, Skokie, IL 60077.

Practice Areas

At Kostopoulos Law Group, we handle all criminal matters including:

Crime in Skokie, Illinois

Skokie is a small village outside of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. With a crime index of 30, Skokie is only considered to be safer than 30% of other cities in the country. Despite its small size, Skokie has its fair share of crime. The village averaged 148 crimes per square mile in 2013. This is far greater than the averages for both Illinois (33 crimes per square mile) and the United States (32.85 crimes per square mile).

Most of the crimes committed in Skokie are property crimes. In 2015, there were more than 1,490 crimes in Skokie. Of these crimes, 90 percent were property crimes. Burglary (331 incidents), theft (1,059 incidents), and motor vehicle theft (49 incidents) were the most commonly committed property crimes in Skokie that year. The chances of being a victim of a property crime in Skokie is approximately 1 in 48.

Ten percent of all of the crimes committed in Skokie in 2013 were violent crimes. Assault (110 incidents), robbery (29 incidents), rape (15 incidents), and arson (3 incidents) were the most commonly committed violent crimes that year. The chances of being a victim of a violent crime in Skokie is approximately 1 in 421.

Why Should I Hire a Skokie Criminal Lawyer?

You are probably not a legal expert. The prosecutor trying to prove that you are guilty of a crime will be a legal expert. The prosecutor will attempt to use your confusion and the stress of the situation against you. They may try to trick you into a false confession. They may try to make you believe they have an eyewitness or evidence that simply does not exist. They may even try to trick you into thinking the situation is much worse than it really is. The best way to prevent the prosecution from taking advantage of your lack of legal expertise is by hiring an expert to be on your side.

At Kostopoulos Law Group, our attorneys have experience handling a variety criminal cases and issues. Before dedicating his life to criminal defense, attorney Gus Kostopoulos gained valuable experience as an Assistant State’s Attorney. As an ASA, Mr. Kostopoulos handled thousands of cases and gained valuable insight into how the prosecutor’s office operates.

Mr. Kostopoulos and the Kostopoulos Law Group are now dedicated advocates for criminal defendants in the greater-Chicago area. When you hire us to represent you, we will tenaciously defend your rights and ensure that you are given the opportunity to defend yourself against any criminal accusations you may face. We will use our experiences, insight, and knowledge of complex Illinois law to help you achieve the best possible outcome.

What Will My Criminal Defense Attorney Do?

The prosecution will begin to investigate and build a case against you the moment you are arrested. It will be their job to prove that you are guilty of the crime(s) for which you have been charged. In order to do this successfully, the prosecution must prove each element of each criminal offense. Most crimes are made up of several elements. Gathering persuasive evidence to prove that you satisfied each element of a crime can be difficult.

When you hire an attorney to defend you, the prosecution’s job becomes much more complicated. As your attorneys, it is our responsibility to undermine the prosecution’s case and make it extremely difficult to build a case against you. At the Kostopoulos Law Group, we will use an aggressive and thorough pre-trial investigation as the basis for your defense. We will use the information and evidence we gather to (1) get charges against you reduced or dropped, (2) negotiate plea agreements, and/or (3) argue your case in front of a judge or jury.

The more information and evidence we gather, the more persuasive our argument will be. Our thorough investigation into the criminal charges against you may include:

Reviewing police reports, photographs of the scene of the crime, and witness statements;
Submitting evidence for independent analysis and evaluation;
Finding and interviewing witnesses;
Tracking down alibis;
Consulting with medical experts, forensic experts, ballistic experts, weather specialists, mental health professionals, real estate and property appraisers, and other experts;
Comparing the facts of your case to other similar cases;
Researching legal precedent; and
Any other steps that can help us to gather information that either (a) helps our argument or (b) hurts the prosecution’s argument.

Defending Criminal Charges

If you have been charged with a crime in Skokie you should not hesitate to contact a criminal defense attorney. As your Skokie criminal defense attorney, it is our job to raise every realistic defense that may exist in your case. In Illinois, there are many possible defenses to criminal acts. During our initial consultation, our attorneys will ask you to recount the incident that led to your arrest. We use this information to help us determine which defenses may be appropriate for your case. Possible defenses to crimes in Skokie include:

Lack of required intent;
Lack of required knowledge;
Lack of required motive;
Self-defense or defense of another person;
Force, duress, or fraud;
Illegal search and seizure;
Illegal arrest; or
Other Constitutional violation.

If your Constitutional rights were violated the evidence that is related to that violation may be inadmissible in court. Our attorneys will raise every possible defense to limit the negative consequences you may face. We will fight to ensure that your rights are protected and that you achieve the best possible outcome.

Contact Our Skokie Criminal Defense Attorneys Today

The consequences of a criminal record can have lifelong effects. Hiring an attorney to defend you is one of the most important steps you can take after an arrest. At the Kostopoulos Law Group, we have successfully defended clients against a variety of criminal charges including assault, battery, marijuana possession, identity theft, shoplifting, sex crimes, theft, weapons possession, white collar crime, and more. Contact our Skokie office today to schedule your free initial consultation. During this consultation, we will review your case, explain your legal rights, and answer any questions you may have.

Skokie Resources

Skokie Police Department