Violent Crimes Lawyer Fairfield, IL — facing arrest or an investigation means you need answers and action right away. Our violent crimes lawyers in Fairfield, IL defend people accused of offenses involving the use or threat of force and works to protect your freedom, record, and future from day one. At Combs Waterkotte, our Fairfield, IL criminal defense team responds immediately and starts building your defense the moment you call.
At a Glance: Violent Crime Cases in Fairfield, IL
- How Illinois defines a violent crime
- Common violent crime charges we defend
- Penalties and sentencing ranges
- How prosecutors approach these cases
- Effective defense strategies for violent crime cases
- Steps to take if you’re facing arrest or investigation
- Why clients choose Combs Waterkotte
Free book
How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Protect Your Rights and Future
Combs Waterkotte has over 60 years of experience and over 10,000 cases handled. This ebook helps guide you through the criminal defense process and how an experienced, skilled defense attorney can keep your freedoms intact.
What Is Considered a Violent Crime in Illinois?
Illinois law (725 ILCS 120/3) provides the official definition of a violent crime as follows:
- any felony in which force or threat of force was used
- sex offenses involving exploitation, misconduct, or sexual penetration, including other related crimes listed in 720 ILCS 5
- crimes such as domestic battery or stalking
- violating an order of protection or a no-contact order
- misdemeanor offenses that cause death or great bodily harm
- DUI, reckless homicide, or other vehicle-related offenses that cause injury or death
The label “violent” can also attach when a weapon is used, if serious injury occurs or if the victim is a protected person such as a child or someone with a disability.
Prosecutors in Illinois treat violent crime cases as serious public-safety priorities. This often leads to aggressive bond terms, requests for long prison sentences, and enhancement filings whenever possible.
Before your case even reaches trial, you might be subject to protective orders, travel restrictions, and limitations that disrupt work or family life. The earlier a violent crimes lawyer in Fairfield, IL gets involved, the more opportunities there are to protect your rights and obtain the best possible outcome in your case.
Examples of Violent Crime Charges We Defend in Fairfield, IL
- Assault and Aggravated Assault: placing another person in immediate fear of being harmed. Becomes aggravated with a weapon, certain locations, or protected victims.
- Battery and Aggravated Battery: knowingly causing harm or offensive contact. It becomes aggravated when there’s serious injury, use of a weapon, or the victim is a protected person.
- Domestic Battery: harm or offensive contact involving a family or household member. These cases often trigger no-contact orders and quick court appearances.
- Robbery and Armed Robbery: using force or intimidation to take someone else’s property. The charge becomes armed robbery when a weapon or firearm is used.
- Burglary, Residential Burglary, and Home Invasion (violent variants): entering a place without authority with intent to commit a felony or theft; becomes especially serious when people are present or harmed.
- Sexual Assault / Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault: sexual acts by force or when a person can’t consent. Aggravated charges apply when weapons, injury, or multiple offenders are involved.
- Kidnapping / Aggravated Kidnapping: unlawfully taking or holding someone by force or deceit, with harsher penalties for ransom demands, injury, or weapons.
- Arson / Aggravated Arson: damaging property by fire or explosion; aggravated when people are present, injured, or first responders are harmed.
- Homicide (Murder / Manslaughter / Reckless Homicide): charges ranging from intentional killing to deaths caused by recklessness. Each carries specific elements the prosecution must prove and distinct possible defenses.
In every case, prosecutors must prove each element beyond a reasonable doubt. Our defense starts by forcing the prosecution to meet that burden on every element.
Penalties for Violent Crimes in Illinois
Violent crime convictions in Fairfield, IL can bring lengthy prison sentences, steep fines, and extended supervision. Sentences vary based on the offense class, aggravating factors, prior convictions, and any mandatory minimums.
Typical Sentencing Ranges
- First-Degree Murder: not classified by felony level; carries 20–60 years in prison, up to natural life for aggravating factors. No probation or early release.
- Class X Felony: punishable by 6–30 years in prison, with possible extended terms and limited probation eligibility.
- Class 1 Felony: typically 4–15 years in prison, though prior convictions or aggravation can raise the range.
- Class 2 Felony: commonly 3–7 years; may be probation-eligible in some circumstances.
- Class 3 and Class 4 Felonies: shorter ranges; eligibility for probation depends on the statute and record.
Collateral Consequences You Shouldn’t Ignore
- Employment and licensing: risk of failed background checks or license suspension.
- Housing and education: denials based on felony records or disciplinary findings.
- Firearm rights: prohibitions that can be permanent in violent cases.
- Immigration status: potential removal or inadmissibility for non-citizens.
- Protective orders and no-contact terms: restrictions on travel, communication, and contact with specific individuals.
A Fairfield, IL violent crimes lawyer can often impact sentencing exposure long before a trial date by challenging enhancements, negotiating charge reductions, or leveraging weaknesses in the State’s case.
How Prosecutors Approach Violent Crime Cases in Fairfield, IL
Prosecutors often file the highest plausible charge first, add counts based on a single incident, and stack enhancements (weapon, injury, protected status, location).
They often push for detention, fight against lower bond, and oppose diversion programs. In discovery, they lean on 911 audio, body-worn cameras, forensic reports, medical records, cell-site data, and social media. They often use hearsay exceptions before trial and file motions in limine to restrict defense evidence.
Knowing their playbook matters. Our Fairfield, IL violent crimes defense team includes two former prosecutors. That experience lets us predict the state’s tactics, attack weak or unreliable evidence, and focus the trial on what can actually be proved to a jury.
How a Violent Crimes Lawyer in Fairfield, IL Builds Your Defense
Our violent crime attorneys in Fairfield, IL start investigating immediately, challenge unlawful evidence, question faulty IDs, and build a credible alternate narrative based on facts and law. The goal is leverage: dismissal, reduction, or a trial-ready defense.
- Independent investigation: gather statements, collect surveillance footage, preserve evidence, and confirm timelines before memories fade.
- Identification challenges: question show-ups and lineups, lighting, distance, stress, cross-racial ID, and suggestiveness. Eyewitness certainty isn’t the same as accuracy.
- Forensic scrutiny: examine chain of custody, lab methods, contamination risk, and margin of error for DNA mixtures, gunshot residue, trajectory, or fire origin analysis.
- Fourth and Fifth Amendment issues: challenge illegal stops, warrantless searches, Miranda violations, or forced confessions.
- Intent and degree: demonstrate lack of planning or intent and argue for lesser charges where appropriate.
- Self-defense / defense of others: establish reasonable fear and proportionate response, using physical evidence and witnesses to refute the prosecution’s version.
- Alternative explanations: accident, third-party involvement, or circumstances inconsistent with the State’s theory.
- Negotiation strategy: once leverage exists, pursue charge reductions, sentencing caps, treatment-based outcomes, or dismissals.
Our violent crime lawyers in Fairfield, IL focus on achieving the best possible result in every case. The earlier we move, the more options you keep.
What To Do If You’re Arrested or Under Investigation for a Violent Crime in Fairfield, IL
- Don’t talk to police without a lawyer. Even “clearing things up” can be used against you later.
- Don’t consent to searches. Always ask to see a warrant; if there isn’t one, clearly state that you do not give consent to search.
- Preserve evidence. Save messages, call logs, photos, clothing, and contact info for potential witnesses.
- Write down details. Times, locations, who said what, badge numbers, and any cameras nearby.
- Call a violent crimes lawyer in Fairfield, IL immediately so they can protect your rights and direct your next moves.
Small choices early on can have big legal consequences. If you’re unsure what to do, stop and contact your lawyer before saying or signing anything.
Why Hire Combs Waterkotte for a Violent Crimes Case in Fairfield, IL
When your freedom, future, and rights are at stake, experience and urgency matter. Combs Waterkotte takes on complex, high-stakes cases and brings clarity and control when things feel chaotic. We succeed in cases other Fairfield, IL defense firms refuse to touch.
Our approach is simple: act fast, investigate deeply, and fight intelligently.
- Decades of defense experience handling serious felonies and violent crime cases across Illinois.
- Trial-ready preparation that builds leverage both in negotiations and in front of a jury.
- Strategic resources including investigators and forensic specialists when needed to strengthen your defense.
- Clear communication and client-first service so you always know the plan and next steps. We don’t charge by the hour – you’ll have the personal cell number of the attorney assigned to your case, and can call with any questions day or night.
- Relentless advocacy driven toward dismissals, reductions, and the strongest possible resolutions.
Free book
How to Choose a Criminal Defense Lawyer
Charged with a crime? The lawyer you hire matters. Combs Waterkotte, recognized for top-tier criminal defense in Missouri and Southern Illinois, created this guide to help you find the right attorney. Learn what to look for, key questions to ask, and red flags to avoid.
Contact a Violent Crimes Lawyer in Fairfield, IL
If you or a loved one are under investigation or charged with a violent crime in Fairfield, IL, don’t delay. The sooner you involve a violent crimes lawyer in Fairfield, IL, the more options you have to protect your freedom and your future.
Contact Combs Waterkotte online or reach us at (314) 900-HELP for a free, confidential consultation with a violent crimes lawyer in Fairfield, IL who’s ready to step in immediately. We’ll answer your questions, map your next steps, and start building your defense today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Violent Crime Charges
Can I claim self-defense in a violent crime case?
Yes, if the evidence supports it. Self-defense requires a reasonable belief that using force was necessary to stop immediate danger. Key details include who started the altercation, if a weapon was involved, and whether the level of force used was reasonable. A thorough investigation is key.
What if the alleged victim doesn’t want to press charges?
The decision isn’t up to the victim — prosecutors can still move forward. Prosecutors decide whether to proceed. Even without cooperation, the State can use 911 calls, reports, or medical records to build their case. Your attorney’s job is to confront the evidence head-on, not assume the case will simply disappear.
Will I go to prison for a first offense?
Not necessarily. It depends on your charge level, any aggravating factors, and your criminal history. Early intervention can open doors to reductions or alternatives, especially when leverage is built through motions and investigation.
Should I speak to detectives if I’m “not a suspect” yet?
Get counsel first. “Informal” conversations are still evidence. Anything you say can be misunderstood, misquoted, or taken out of context. Let your attorney handle communication so nothing you say gets turned into evidence.
Do I need a lawyer if I’m only a witness?
It’s wise. If you were present or connected to the event, your status can change quickly. A short consult protects you from self-incrimination risks and helps you respond appropriately to subpoenas or interviews.
