ABOUT ME
Matt Keenan
Se habla español.
A criminal and school law attorney with over 24 years of experience, I have successfully represented clients all over the Chicago area. My practice includes DUI, felony, criminal, misdemeanor, homicide, internet crime, retail theft, traffic offenses, cyberstalking, drug crimes, weapons violations, domestic battery and juvenile crime. I also represent families involving school cases. My clients come from all over the Chicago area including Skokie, Wilmette, Niles, Northbrook, Glenview, Evanston, Winnetka, Highland park, Northfield, Park Ridge, Des Plaines and Mount Prospect. I am a member of the ACLU, Illinois State Bar Association.
We wrote the chapters on DEFENSES and ARRESTS AND INVESTIGATORY STOPS.
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Illinois Jurisprudence: Criminal Law and Procedure. Vol. 1. (LexisNexis 2014).We wrote the chapters on SEARCH and SEIZURE, MOTIONS AND DISCOVERY, and EVIDENTIARY MATTERS GENERALLY.
Illinois Jurisprudence: Criminal Law and Procedure. Vol. 1. (LexisNexis 2014).
Category Archives: traffic offenses
“BUT HE CUT ME OFF!”: THE ILLINOIS LAW ON ROAD RAGE
You just saw red. When the other driver cut you off, you got so mad you rammed his car. Now, for that few seconds of road rage, you are charged with reckless driving. In Illinois, a person commits reckless driving … Continue reading
Posted in traffic offenses
Tagged aggravated reckless driving, reckless driving, road rage
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“CAN THEY REALLY STOP ME FOR THAT?” OBSTRUCTED WINDSHIELDS, IMPROPER LICENSE PLATE DISPLAY, AND OTHER MINOR OFFENSES
UPDATED July 25, 2023: As of January 1, 2024, police will no longer be able to stop you for something hanging from your front windshield. While you may not drive a motor vehicle with any objects suspended between you and … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, moving violations, probable cause, speeding, traffic offenses, violation
Tagged improper license plate display, obstructed mirror, probable cause, traffic stop, traffic tickets, violation
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CAN THEY SEARCH MY CAR AFTER A TRAFFIC STOP IN ILLINOIS?
You got pulled over for a traffic violation. The cop thought he smelled alcohol, and after some tests, you were charged with DUI. After they put you in the police car, the officers began searching the passenger compartment of your … Continue reading
Posted in search of vehicle, traffic offenses
Tagged driving on a suspended, search incident to arrest, search warrant, speeding, traffic offense, traffic violation
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IMPROPER LANE USAGE IN ILLINOIS: A PATH TO DUI
After a few drinks at a party, you were driving home listening to your favorite CD, when you heard the siren behind you. The police pulled you over because you had crossed momentarily into the adjoining lane. Once stopped, the … Continue reading
Posted in moving violations, traffic offenses, violation
Tagged crossing center line, crossing traffic lane, improper lane usage, probable cause
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PUT AWAY THAT PHONE!: NEW ILLINOIS TRAFFIC LAWS ON TEXTING AND PHONING
While Illinois has not completely banned cell phones while driving, new laws are limiting when and where you can use them. The new laws target hand-held devices. As of January 1, 2013, you may not use a hand-held device within … Continue reading
Posted in moving violations, traffic offenses
Tagged cell phone, commercial drivers license, hand-held device, petty offense, texting, traffic ticket
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BE CAREFUL WHAT PEOPLE CAN SEE IN YOUR CAR! THE PLAIN VIEW EXCEPTION TO POLICE SEARCHES IN ILLINOIS
You ran a red light when the police officer pulled you over. After making the stop, the officer noticed some spoons and straws sticking out of your visor. The officer opened the visor. As it turns out, you stashed a … Continue reading
Posted in moving violations, search of vehicle, speeding, traffic offenses
Tagged plain view exception, police searches, probable cause, warrantless searches
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NEW ILLINOIS LAW CRACKS DOWN ON SPEEDERS ONCE AGAIN
A new Illinois law has dropped the threshold for when your routine speeding ticket becomes a criminal offense. Speeding first became criminalized as a misdemeanor in 2011. Driving more than 31 miles over the limit was upgraded to a Class … Continue reading
Posted in moving violations, speeding, traffic offenses, Uncategorized
Tagged class a misdemeanor, class b misdemeanor, excessive speeding, moving violation, speeding
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I HAVE A TRAFFIC TICKET: DO I NEED TO COME TO COURT?
You were driving home from work when you got nailed for speeding. Or maybe you simply blew a stop sign or failed to signal. You wish to contest the ticket, but the court date is set for a time when … Continue reading
Posted in moving violations, speeding, traffic offenses
Tagged court appearance, failure to signal, moving violations, no insurance, red light, speeding, stop sign, traffic ticket
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YOUR LICENSE MAY BE TATTLING ON YOU!: LICENSE READING CAMERAS IN ILLINOIS
What might have started as a casual trip to the mall could end as a trip to jail in at least one Illinois community. In October, the Belleville, Illinois police department began catching criminals by using an automated camera to … Continue reading
Posted in traffic offenses, violation
Tagged automated license reader, moving violations, probable cause, traffic stops
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SPEEDING IN ILLINOIS: A PASSAGEWAY TO BIG TROUBLE
Legally, a police officer cannot pull over your car without some reason. This can come in the form of community caretaking, such as when the officer sees you sleeping in your car and checks to see if you are … Continue reading
Posted in moving violations, speeding
Tagged driving under the influence, drunk driving, DUI, excessive speeding, moving violation, probable cause, speeding, speeding misdemeanors, traffic offenses, traffic stops, traffic tickets
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