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: probable cause
CAN A DOG SNIFF YOUR CAR FOR DRUGS IN A PUBLIC PLACE?
You parked your car at the mall and went shopping. When you returned a couple hours later, an officer was waiting with a trained drug detection dog. The dog had alerted to something in your car. After a search, the … Continue reading
Posted in probable cause, search of vehicle
Tagged dog sniff, narcotics dog
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WHEN DOES A TRAFFIC STOP BECOME AN ARREST?
If you are stopped for a traffic offense or DUI, an arrest occurs the moment you are no longer free to leave. This moment matters because an officer must have probable cause to arrest you. If not, an attorney may … Continue reading
Posted in probable cause
Tagged arrest, probable cause, reasonable articulable suspicion, Terry stop
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CAN AN OFFICER STOP ME BASED ON ANOTHER OFFICER’S INFORMATION?
The answer may be yes, based on “the doctrine of collective knowledge.” For example, in People v. Whiles, an Illinois officer received a call about a possible drunk driver. A Michigan officer happened to be in the area. Having seen the … Continue reading
Posted in probable cause
Tagged doctrine of collective knowledge
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DID THE OFFICER’S REASON FOR STOPPING YOU DISAPPEAR?
You were driving down the road when you thought you saw an animal so you slammed on your brakes. Then you noticed a police car behind you. After a few blocks, the officer stopped you, even though your driving was … Continue reading
Posted in DUI evidence, probable cause
Tagged reasonable articulable suspicion, traffic stop
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CAN I BE STOPPED BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HANGING FROM MY MIRROR IN ILLINOIS?
The answer is yes, but only until January 1, 2024. As of that date, Illinois has changed its law. After January 1, you cannot be stopped solely because of that air freshener hanging from your rearview mirror. However, Illinois law … Continue reading
Posted in probable cause, Uncategorized
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CAN AN OFFICER SEARCH YOUR CAR BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT IS IN PLAIN VIEW?
You were driving to a friend’s one night when police pulled you over for a broken headlight. Noticing a bag of white powder on the floor, the officer suspected you had illegal narcotics. She searched your car, taking the baggie. … Continue reading
Posted in probable cause
Tagged plain view
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CAN FAILURE TO USE A TURN SIGNAL BE PROBABLE CAUSE FOR A POLICE STOP?
The answer is yes, if a turn signal was legally required. Under Illinois law, you must use your turn signal whenever you make a turn, change lanes, encroach onto the other side of the road or leave the roadway. Failure … Continue reading
Posted in probable cause
Tagged turn signal
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CAN I BE ARRESTED IF DRUGS ARE FOUND IN A CAR AND I AM A PASSENGER?
You were riding around late one night with a friend who was driving. An officer pulled you the car over. Smelling alcohol on your friend, the officer had you both leave the car before spotting narcotics under the driver seat. … Continue reading
Posted in DUI evidence, probable cause
Tagged actual possession, constructive possession, possession
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CAN I BE STOPPED FOR PARKING IN A LOT LATE AT NIGHT?
You like driving late at night. It’s quiet, and it lets you think. One night, you pulled over to eat in a store’s parking lot. The store had been closed for several hours, and the area was deserted. An officer … Continue reading
Posted in probable cause
Tagged parking lot
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CAN POLICE CHANGE THE REASON THEY STOP ME?
An officer can stop you for one reason then investigate you for another as long as the stop is not unduly prolonged. Whether a stop was unduly prolonged, and thus illegal, is a very fact-intensive question, which different judges may … Continue reading
Posted in probable cause, search of vehicle
Tagged narcotics dog, traffic stop, unduly prolonged
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