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.
.
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: DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
WILL MY DUI BE DISMISSED IF THE OFFICER FAILS TO APPEAR IN COURT?
You are at your first court date for a DUI. You glance nervously about the room and are surprised not to see your arresting officer. Will your case be dismissed if the officer fails to appear? In Illinois, the answer … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, suspensions
Tagged court procedure
Comments Off on WILL MY DUI BE DISMISSED IF THE OFFICER FAILS TO APPEAR IN COURT?
WHAT IS DRUNK DRIVING IN ILLINOIS?
We all know that drunk driving is something you shouldn’t do. But legally speaking, what exactly is it? How does a court decide when you crossed the line and became too drunk to drive? Under 625 ILCS 5/11-501(a)(2), a person … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, DUI evidence
Tagged DUI defined, impairment
Comments Off on WHAT IS DRUNK DRIVING IN ILLINOIS?
CAN YOU GET AN ILLINOIS DUI REDUCED TO A RECKLESS DRIVING?
You have just been arrested for your first DUI. You are mortified and afraid that you may be fired or might have a hard time finding a new job. Can you get your DUI reduced to a reckless driving? Is … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Tagged reckless driving, reduced charges
Comments Off on CAN YOU GET AN ILLINOIS DUI REDUCED TO A RECKLESS DRIVING?
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS IN ILLINOIS
After the officer stopped you for a traffic violation, she searched your car and found illegal drugs. As a result, you were arrested for driving under the influence of drugs. Sure there were drugs in the car, but does that … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, DUI evidence
Tagged driving under the influence of drugs
Comments Off on DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS IN ILLINOIS
DO THE CHARGES AGAINST YOU COMPLY WITH ILLINOIS LAW?
In order to charge you with DUI or another offense, the prosecution must prepare written charges against you. Under Illinois law, the charges called the indictment, must contain certain elements. If the indictment is missing an important element, the charges … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Tagged charge, indictment
Comments Off on DO THE CHARGES AGAINST YOU COMPLY WITH ILLINOIS LAW?
MARIJUANA CAN STILL GET YOU IN TROUBLE
There is no doubt that laws regarding marijuana are liberalizing. A new law effective July 29, 2016 takes marijuana out of the trace law–the law that convicts you for DUI if you cause a serious accident whether or not you … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, DUI testing
Tagged cannabis, driving under the influence of marijuana, Marijuana, trace law
Comments Off on MARIJUANA CAN STILL GET YOU IN TROUBLE
DOG SNIFFS AND THE UNDULY PROLONGED TRAFFIC STOP
In 2005, the United States Supreme Court changed the law regarding police stops. Before Illinois v Caballes, police needed specific and articulable facts to change the nature of a stop. After 2005, an officer could change the nature of the … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, DUI evidence
Tagged arrest, canine sniff, dog sniff, drug evidence, drug stop, narcotic stop, search and seizure, seizure, stop
Comments Off on DOG SNIFFS AND THE UNDULY PROLONGED TRAFFIC STOP
NON-CITIZEN DEFENDANTS, BEWARE! COURTS NEED NOT WARN YOU ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR GUILTY PLEA
Decades ago, when a non-U.S. citizen was convicted on a charge such as DUI, their lawyer could tell them not to worry about their immigration status. It was highly unlikely that the government would bother to deport you. Those times … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Tagged conviction, deportation, guilty plea, immmigration
Comments Off on NON-CITIZEN DEFENDANTS, BEWARE! COURTS NEED NOT WARN YOU ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR GUILTY PLEA
I DROVE SOMEONE ELSE’S CAR: DRIVING WITHOUT A BAIID IN ILLINOIS
After you were charged with DUI, the court allowed you to drive with a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID). But you’d had a couple beers and you knew you’d get in trouble if you blew into the device. So … Continue reading
Posted in driving on a suspended license, DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, violation
Tagged BAIID, breath alcohol ignition interlock device, driving permit, MDDP, Monitored Device Driving Permit, violation
Comments Off on I DROVE SOMEONE ELSE’S CAR: DRIVING WITHOUT A BAIID IN ILLINOIS
DO I NEED A TRANSLATOR FOR DUI COURT IN ILLINOIS?
The answer to that question depends on how comfortable you are using the English language. If there is any doubt, it may be best to err on the side of caution and ask for an interpreter early in your case. … Continue reading
Posted in DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Tagged court appearances, court translator, translator
Comments Off on DO I NEED A TRANSLATOR FOR DUI COURT IN ILLINOIS?