Category Archives: General
Illinois Bicycle Accident Law: The 3-Foot Passing Rule and Your Right to Compensation
When a driver passes a bicyclist too closely and causes a crash, a violation of Illinois traffic law may become important evidence in a personal injury claim. Illinois law requires drivers to give bicyclists adequate space when passing. When a driver passes too closely and causes a bicycle accident, the driver’s violation of Illinois… Read More »
First Federal Execution in the United States since 2003
Federal capital cases involve exceptionally serious charges, complex constitutional issues, extensive investigation, and the possibility of a death sentence under federal law. Quick Take: The federal death penalty is different from Illinois’s state death penalty. Federal law continues to authorize capital punishment for certain offenses and under specific statutory requirements. A federal death-penalty… Read More »
April is Second Chance Month
Understanding how Illinois law addresses criminal records, second-chance probation, expungement, record sealing, and the barriers that can follow a criminal case. Quick Take: Completing probation or a sentence does not necessarily mean that the consequences of a criminal record disappear. Depending on the case, an arrest, charge, or conviction can continue to appear… Read More »
The National Trial Lawyers Announces Baku Patel As One Of Its Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers In Illinois
Baku N. Patel of Patel Law, PC was selected for membership in The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiff division in Illinois. Recognition: Baku N. Patel of Patel Law, PC was selected for inclusion in The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiff division in Illinois. The National Trial Lawyers describes… Read More »
Breaking News: The FDA Is Requesting Removal Of All Ranitidine Products (Zantac) From The Market
Zantac and other ranitidine products were withdrawn from the U.S. market after the FDA identified concerns about NDMA contamination and increasing levels of the impurity over time. Important Update: The FDA requested the withdrawal of all prescription and over-the-counter ranitidine products from the U.S. market on April 1, 2020, after testing showed… Read More »
Impact Of The Coronavirus To The Criminal Justice System
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted courts, jails, prisons, criminal proceedings, and the way criminal defense attorneys represented their clients. Historical Perspective: The COVID-19 pandemic created extraordinary challenges for the American criminal justice system beginning in 2020. Courts changed how proceedings were conducted, correctional facilities implemented infection-control measures, and attorneys sought alternatives to… Read More »
The Drug Report: A Review Of America’s Disparate Possession Penalties
Drug possession laws can carry serious consequences, while Illinois drug courts and other problem-solving courts provide treatment-focused alternatives in qualifying cases. Drug possession charges can have consequences that extend far beyond a criminal case. Depending on the substance, quantity, prior criminal history, and circumstances of the alleged offense, a drug possession charge can expose… Read More »
Unintended Consequences Of The “WAR ON DRUGS”
Federal and state drug laws have changed substantially over the past several decades, but drug possession and other controlled-substance offenses can still carry serious criminal consequences in Illinois. Beginning in the 1970s, the United States adopted increasingly aggressive policies aimed at combating the illegal drug trade. The period commonly described as the War on… Read More »
Maker Of Oxycontin Drug Negotiating Settlement Of Over 2000 Lawsuits For $12 Billion
Prescription opioids have played a major role in the nationwide opioid crisis, and litigation involving Purdue Pharma and other companies has resulted in billions of dollars being directed toward treatment, prevention, recovery, and other opioid-abatement efforts. The opioid crisis has affected communities throughout the United States, including families and communities throughout Central Illinois. Prescription… Read More »
Champaign And Vermillion County – Recent Outcome Of Criminal Defense And Auto Accidents Cases
Attorney Baku Patel and the Patel Law team achieved significant criminal defense and personal injury results for Illinois clients during July and August 2019. During July and August 2019, Attorney Baku Patel achieved several successful outcomes for clients facing serious criminal charges, including federal criminal charges and felony cases in Champaign County. During the… Read More »