Cook County Circuit Court, District 2 Courthouse, Skokie, IL
Cybercrimes and identity theft is a rapidly growing area of criminal law, and one in which an experienced criminal defense lawyer is necessary. The use of electronic media or “cyberevidence” presents complex legal issues. It is essential to have an attorney who is well informed about changing technologies and their legal repercussions.
Many prosecutors use cybercrime or identity theft charges to force a defendant into pleading guilty to a lesser offense. In many cases if they proceeded to trial, the prosecutors could never prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt. A qualified attorney can help you decide when to call the prosecutor’s bluff.
See our posts: The Crime of Identity Theft in Illinois and New Cyberstalking Law in Illinois.
Child Pornography:
Another aspect of cybercrime is the increasingly common charges of possessing child pornography. In some case, a computer was accessed by multiple users. Sometimes charges are filed even when the computer’s owner may never have opened the files. Whatever the case, it is critical to obtain an attorney even before you have been charged with a crime. I have helped some clients avoid charges by intervening early. See our related blog posts: Can My Fantasties or Internet Searches Be Used Against Me in a Sexual Assault Case? and I Clicked on the Wrong Site: The Illinois Law on Child Cyberpornography.
Computer Hacker/Hacking :
Another cybercrime involves computer hacking. Sometimes the company, whose files were accessed, would rather work out a deal than press charges against an individual. I have helped clients negotiate such settlements. See our related post The Crime of Computer Fraud in Illinois.
