If You or Your Loved One Has Been Charged with a Gun or Weapon Case in Springfield, Illinois, Contact the Criminal Defense Lawyers at the Noll Law Office Today For Help.
If you are facing weapons charges, hiring an experienced criminal defense lawyer is the best way to ensure a positive outcome and avoid harsh penalties. The State of Illinois and the Federal Government ask for harsh sentences when prosecuting gun and weapons cases. It takes aggressive defense strategies and effective advocacy to properly represent you in court.
The lawyers at the Noll Law Office have successfully defended Possession of a Weapon by a Felon charges, Aggravated Battery with a Firearm case, and Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapons cases in Springfield, Illinois, and throughout Central Illinois. No matter what weapons crime you are facing, have confidence that the attorneys at the Noll Law Office have the experience and skills required to handle to represent you.
The criminal defense attorneys at the Noll Law Office investigate all the facts and laws regarding your case. Their lawyers review every case to determine whether the police conduct an illegal search. If law enforcement conducted an unlawful search, the evidence from that search may be “suppressed” or barred from being presented at trial. In some cases, this may require that the case is dismissed.
If you have been charged with a gun crime or weapons offense in Springfield, Illinois, or the surrounding area, contact the lawyers at the Noll Law Office today for a free initial consultation at (217) 141-8889. Financing is available.
What Types of Weapons Charges Does the Noll Law Office Defend?
The Noll Law Office represents those accused of any weapons offense in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois, or the surrounding area. Below, you will find a partial list of the types of cases they handle. If you are facing one of the following charges, you need to contact their criminal defense lawyers immediately so that you understand your rights:
- Aggravated Battery with a Firearm – Aggravated Battery with a Firearm is a Class X offense. This means that there is a minimum 6-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections and a potential maximum penalty of 30 to 60 years in prison. Aggravated Battery with a Firearm involves the discharge of a gun that injures another.
- Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – This is a felony offense. Depending on how the case is charged, an individual may be non-probational and face mandatory prison time. The lawyers at the Noll Law Office are familiar with these types of charges and have been successful in obtaining reduced charges (including misdemeanors) for clients so they do not have to serve jail time. In addition, with the creation of the First Time Weapon Offender Program, eligible individuals may be able to avoid a felony conviction and have the case dismissed.
- Armed Robbery – An individual commits the offense of robbery when the individual takes property from another with force or the threat of imminent force. Armed robbery is a Class X offense with a minimum sentence of 6 years in the Illinois Department of corrections and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. If a firearm is used, there is a mandatory gun enhancement which adds 15 years for the presence of a firearm, 20 years if the weapon is discharged and 25 years if a person suffers great bodily harm.
- Armed Habitual Criminal – The charge of armed habitual criminal charges is essentially possession of a weapon by a felon with an enhanced sentence. A person commits the offense if he or she receives, sells, possesses, or transfers any firearm after having been convicted a total of two or more times of any combination of a forcible felony, firearms, and violent crimes as offenses as defined in 720 ILCS 5/24-1.7(a)(2) or any violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act or the Cannabis Control Act that is punishable as a Class 3 felony or higher. Being an armed habitual criminal is a Class X felony punishable between 6-30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections with 85% of the sentence having to be served.
- Possession of a Weapon by a Felon – Possession of a Weapon by a Felon charges are very serious. Individuals accused of Possession of a Weapon by a Felon can either be looking at 2-10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections or 3 to 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections depending on their prior criminal history.
- Possession of a Stolen Firearm is a felony offense in the State of Illinois. Depending on the number of weapons found and an accused’s criminal record, a person can face a mandatory prison term.
The Noll Law Office represents clients outside of Sangamon County and in federal court on weapons charges. If you are interested in hiring their criminal defense lawyers, contact them today and they can advise you what their fee would be.
What Defenses Are There to Weapons Cases in Illinois?
In their experience, the Noll Law Office has found the most common defense to a gun charge is reasonable doubt. In essence, reasonable doubt means that the prosecutor has insufficient evidence to prove a person guilty. Before you decide on your defense, you should always speak to your criminal defense lawyer and review the discovery on your case.
An example of reasonable doubt as a defense would be if a gun was found hidden in a room with multiple convicted felons. The prosecutor would need to prove that the individual they charged knowingly possessed that firearm. To do that, the easiest way would be for a suspect to admit they possessed the firearm. Excluding that, if there were no DNA or fingerprints found on the weapon, an experienced trial lawyer should be able to demonstrate to a jury that reasonable doubt exists and their client should be acquitted.
However, reasonable doubt may not be the only defense available. There may be a legal defense available to you as well. For example, did the police illegally search you, illegally search your vehicle, or illegally search your home? If they did, your lawyer should file a “Motion to Suppress Evidence” which requests the Court to suppress the evidence which was obtained during the illegal search. By suppressing evidence such as a firearm in a Possession of a Weapon by a Felon case, the State would have insufficient evidence to proceed forward and would likely dismiss the case.
Another area of attacking a firearms case is a constitutional challenge. The Second Amendment to the United Constitution provides, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The law surrounding the Second Amendment has been evolving and changing. The lawyers at the Noll Law Office are not scared to challenge the legality of firearms prohibitions in defense of their clients. Aggressively challenging the constitutionality of Illinois firearms prohibitions will be even more important in the wake of the Supreme Court rendering its opinion in New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n, Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. ____, 142 S. Ct. 2111, 213 L. Ed. 2d 387 (2022).
How do I find the best criminal defense lawyer for my gun case?
The criminal defense lawyers have represented clients throughout Central Illinois on weapons charges. Most commonly, the lawyers at the Noll Law Office will represent individuals accused of weapons crimes in:
- Central District of Illinois (Springfield, Peoria, and Urbana)
- Springfield, Sangamon County
- Jacksonville, Morgan County
- Hillsboro, Montgomery County
- Carlinville, Macoupin County
- Petersburg, Menard County
- Virginia, Cass County
- Lincoln, Logan County
- Taylorville, Christian County
If your case is outside of that geographical area, don’t fret. They still may be able to represent you. Call them today and they can let you know whether they’ll handle your case and what the fee would be.
How Can the Noll Law Office Help Me With My Weapons Charges?
The Noll Law Office brings a vast amount of experience and knowledge into the courtroom when they are retained. They utilize this experience, their trial skills, and their understanding of the law to skillfully represent clients in court. If they are retained, they will:
- Discuss your case with you in detail;
- Analyze the discovery for any factual and legal defenses which may exist;
- Look for any mitigating evidence which may be of benefit to you;
- Discuss any potential resolutions with the State which would conclude your case short of trial;
- File all necessary pretrial motions which may be applicable to your case; and
- Take the case to trial if needed.
If you or your loved one has been dealt weapons charges, contact the criminal defense lawyers at the Noll Law Office today for a free initial consultation and let the prosecutor know that you are serious about fighting for your freedom. They are available at (217) 414-8889. Ask about their financing options.