Criminal Defense Lawyers in Chicago | Chicago Office Information
Top-Rated Defense Attorneys Serving the Entire Chicago Area
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Chicago, Illinois, serving Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, Kane County, McHenry County, Kendall County, Kankakee County, and all of Northern Illinois. Combs Waterkotte provides aggressive criminal defense for sex crimes, violent crimes, DUI, weapons charges, and serious felony charges. If you’re under investigation or have been arrested, our Chicago criminal defense attorneys act fast to protect your rights, challenge evidence, and fight for reduced charges, dismissal, or acquittal. From consultation through trial, we deliver clear communication and relentless advocacy. Contact Combs Waterkotte today for a free, confidential case evaluation. Criminal Defense Attorney in Chicago, IL.
A criminal charge in Chicago can threaten everything you’ve worked for—your freedom, your career, your reputation, and your family. When the stakes are this high, you need more than a billboard-ad attorney or a quick plea. From our Chicago office, Combs Waterkotte delivers aggressive, trial-ready criminal defense backed by extensive experience handling complex and high-exposure cases. Our highly respected criminal defense attorneys bring that same disciplined, courtroom-focused approach to defending clients throughout Chicago and Cook County.
Our award-winning defense team represents individuals charged with serious offenses including DUI, major drug crimes, domestic violence charges, and highly sensitive sexual abuse allegations. These cases demand careful strategy, immediate action, and a defense team willing to challenge police conduct, forensic evidence, and prosecutorial assumptions from day one. Our skilled Chicago defense attorneys do not treat cases as paperwork—we treat them as battles that require preparation, precision, and leverage.
If you are facing serious felony charges in or around Chicago such as sexual assault, domestic battery, murder, or aggravated DUI, you are up against prosecutors who are already building their case around the harshest possible interpretation of the facts. Combs Waterkotte is built to push back—by utilizing a network of strong resources to attack weak evidence, filing aggressive pretrial motions, and preparing every case as if it will go to trial.
Our representation also extends to complex federal criminal cases, including federal sex crime allegations, federal conspiracy charges, and other high-stakes prosecutions brought by U.S. Attorneys. Federal cases in Chicago and across Illinois require a fundamentally different level of preparation, and our firm is equipped to handle the procedural, evidentiary, and sentencing challenges these cases present.
The prosecution has already started working against you. Waiting only gives them more time to strengthen their case. Early legal intervention in the Chicago area can preserve evidence, protect your rights, and create leverage that simply doesn’t exist later. Call (312) 500-HELP now or reach out online for a free, confidential consultation with an experienced Combs Waterkotte criminal defense lawyer. From our Chicago office, we proudly defend clients throughout Chicago, Cook County, and across Illinois.
Our Criminal Defense Practice Areas in Chicago, Illinois
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Chicago, IL
Criminal Defense lawyers in Chicago, Illinois serving Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, Kane County, McHenry County, Kendall County, and clients throughout the greater Chicago metro area. Combs Waterkotte’s criminal lawyers provide aggressive criminal defense for DUI, sex crimes, weapon charges, violent crimes, and serious federal offenses. If you’ve been arrested, are under investigation, or have been formally charged, our Chicago and Cook County criminal defense attorneys will act fast to challenge evidence, fight for reduced charges, and protect your rights every step of the way. From your initial consultation through to the conclusion of your case, we deliver tireless advocacy and clear communication. Contact Combs Waterkotte today for a free, confidential case evaluation. Criminal defense attorney in Chicago, IL.
Our Criminal Defense Practice Areas in Chicago, Illinois
Combs Waterkotte’s Chicago, Illinois criminal defense attorneys have saved our clients over 1 million days in jail. We have dedicated our legal careers to helping good people like you who have found themselves in bad situations.
We’ll make it our duty to find the best resolution possible in your Chicago criminal case, no matter the charge you’re facing. Common case types we handle in the Cook County area include:
Felonies Lawyer in Chicago, IL
A felony in Illinois is any crime that carries a potential prison term longer than one year. The felony prison terms under Illinois law are:
- Class X Felony — 6 to 30 years in prison
- Or 30 to 60 years in prison for an extended term sentence
- Class 1 Felony — 4 to 15 years in prison
- Or 15 to 30 years in prison for an extended term sentence
- Class 2 Felony — 3 to 7 years in prison
- Or 7 to 14 years in prison for an extended term sentence
- Class 3 Felony — 2 to 5 years in prison
- Or 5 to 10 years in prison for an extended term sentence
- Class 4 Felony — 1 to 3 years in prison
- Or 3 to 6 years in prison for an extended term sentence
Other collateral consequences of a felony conviction in Chicago include:
- Employment barriers
- Orders of protection
- Loss of firearm rights
- Driver’s license suspensions
- Child custody problems
- Immigation consequences
Common felony crimes charged in Chicago include:
- Sex Crimes — like rape, criminal sexual assault, and child pornography
- Violent Crimes — like murder, aggravated assault, and manslaughter
- Domestic Violence — like battery and child abuse
- Drug Crimes — like manufacturing, trafficking, and conspiracy
- Theft and Property Crimes — like robbery and burglary
- Weapons Crimes — like unlawful use of a weapon, reckless discharge, and armed violence
DUI Lawyer in Chicago, IL
A DUI in Chicago is a serious offense that can result in jail or prison time, thousands of dollars in fines, the loss of your driver’s license, breath alcohol ignition interlock device requirements, and a permanent mark on your record that cannot be expunged. Whether you’re facing your first DUI, your second DUI, or you’re a multi-time DUI offender, prosecutors in Cook County go after DUI convictions aggressively, which means early legal intervention is a must.
Combs Waterkotte’s Chicago DUI criminal defense lawyers take on DUI cases of all types, from hit-and-run DUIs to DUIs causing death. We’ll thoroughly examine the details of your traffic stop to ensure your constitutional rights weren’t violated. We’ll contest the results of field sobriety and breath and blood tests to ensure there weren’t any procedural errors. We’ll fight the whole way to keep you out of jail, and we can even represent you in an administrative hearing to protect your license. From the outset, our goal is to protect your freedom and future while keeping your driving privileges intact.
Sex Crimes Lawyer in Chicago, IL
Sex crime charges in Chicago carry some of the steepest penalties under Illinois law, with some offenses requiring life behind bars. Facing allegations like criminal sexual assault, rape, statutory rape, and child pornography may result in the loss of your freedom, mandatory sex offender registration requirements, and permanent damage to your reputation. Given the intense scrutiny these cases bring, hiring a criminal defense lawyer is essential.
Combs Waterkotte defends individuals accused of sex crimes in Chicago with meticulous, calculated defense strategies combined with absolute discretion. Our Chicago sex crimes attorneys will challenge DNA and forensic evidence, contest inconsistent witness statements, scrutinize law enforcement procedures, and question digital evidence against to undermine the prosecution’s case. We keep our clients’ constitutional rights at the forefront and fight hard to achieve charge reductions, dismissals, and acquittals to minimize the impact of sex crime allegations on our clients’ lives.
Domestic Violence Lawyers Chicago, IL
A domestic violence charge in Chicago or Cook County is serious. Individuals accused of offenses like domestic battery and child endangerment not only face the possibility of jail time, but also orders of protection, child custody issues, the loss of firearm rights, and more consequences under Illinois law. Given that Chicago area prosecutors tend to side with alleged domestic violence victims in these cases, it’s vital to have a criminal lawyer on your side to explain your version of events.
Combs Waterkotte defends clients accused of domestic violence by identifying inconsistencies in statements from witnesses and alleged victims, calling false or exaggerated allegations into question, and challenging forensic evidence and the way it was gathered and handled. Our Chicago domestic violence lawyers work to protect your rights both on the civil and criminal side of the case, fighting to keep you out of jail and contesting any protective orders the court may try to impose. We know these cases are sensitive and urgent, so we’ll act quickly to help protect your family and future.
Violent Crimes Lawyers Chicago, IL
A conviction for a violent crime in Chicago can result in some of the harshest penalties under Illinois law. Crimes like murder, armed robbery, armed violence, and aggravated assault are treated with the upmost seriousness by Cook County prosecutors and can result in years—if not decades—in prison. Hiring a criminal defense attorney can mean the difference between a conviction and an acquittal in a Chicago armed violence case.
Combs Waterkotte’s Chicago area violent crimes lawyers have seen it all. We defend clients against these alleged offenses by conducting witness interviews, analyzing forensic evidence, and carrying out an independent investigation of the alleged incident, all with the goal of securing reduced charges or a complete dismissal of the case. When your freedom is on the line after a violent crime accusation, Combs Waterkotte is here to fight for you.
Drug Charges Lawyer Chicago, IL
Under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, a drug crime conviction can bring life-altering penalties in Chicago, Illinois. Whether you’re facing allegations of manufacturing, trafficking, or conspiracy for drugs like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine, the best thing you can do for yourself is to hire an experienced drug crimes attorney who understands the nuances of Illinois’s drug crime laws and is ready to fight for your freedom.
Combs Waterkotte is equipped to take on Chicago and Cook County drug crimes of all kinds. We handle these cases by disputing alleged amounts and weight of controlled substances, thoroughly scrutinizing the investigative circumstances around each charge, and disputing allegations that arise from witness or undercover law enforcement testimony. Whether it comes to reducing your charges, getting your case dismissed, or fighting to secure a conviction at trial, you can count on our Chicago drug lawyers to take on the prosecution alongside you.
Weapons Offenses Lawyer Chicago, IL
The state of Illinois has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States. As a result, Chicago residents facing weapons charges need to seek legal intervention as early as possible. Offenses like aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, reckless discharge of a firearm, or unlawful use of a weapon can lead to high fines, years in prison, and the forfeiture of your legal right to bear arms.
At Combs Waterkotte, we take a calculated approach to defending Chicago clients against alleged weapon-related offenses. We dismantle the prosecution’s case by asserting self-defense claims, challenging forensic and gunshot residue evidence, and scrutinizing police investigations for violations of constitutional rights. We fight for charge reductions and dismissals in these cases where we can, but when necessary, we’re prepared to go to trial and argue aggressively for an acquittal.
Theft & Property Crimes Lawyer Chicago, IL
A conviction for a theft crime in the Chicago or Cook County area can mean high fines and long prison sentences. Robbery, burglary, carjacking, and related theft crimes are aggressively prosecuted in the Chicago area, and the higher the value of the alleged theft, the greater the penalties you’re likely to face. With the help of a good criminal defense attorney, though, you can avoid a conviction altogether.
At Combs Waterkotte, our Chicago and Cook County criminal defense lawyers can help you fight back against your theft and property crime charges. We’ll work to dispute the value of the property in question, bring eyewitness testimony into question, and assert a claim of right defense where it applies. We’ll fight tireless for a reduction, dismissal, or acquittal for your theft charges to ensure your freedom and future remain intact.
Federal Crimes Lawyer Chicago, IL
Facing a federal criminal charge in Chicago is highly stressful. Prosecuted in the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, federal criminal charges are investigated by agencies like the ATF, FBI, and DEA. Whether you’re facing a federal sex crime, a federal homicide charge, or a federal conspiracy offense, the penalties for a conviction in a federal crime are far more serious than a conviction for a state-level offense in Illinois.
At Combs Waterkotte, we work to defend clients facing federal charges by taking a detail-oriented and strategic approach from the onset of the investigation. Our expert attorneys are equipped to analyze federal indictments, challenge unlawful searches and seizures by federal agents, and examine complex digital or financial evidence. We can negotiate with federal prosecutors on your behalf as well if that’s the best strategy in your case. Throughout the investigation, we’ll remain prepared to go to trial and fight for a not-guilty verdict to protect your freedom and future.
Speak with a Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney Today
We know how stressful and overwhelming it can be to face criminal charges. That’s why we’re here to help. If you’ve been arrested or you’re under investigation for a criminal offense in Chicago, Cook County, or the surrounding counties, don’t wait to get the representation you need. Combs Waterkotte is ready to step in and act quickly to evaluate your legal options, protect your rights, and build a criminal defense strategy tailored to your needs. Contact our Chicago criminal defense lawyers online today or call (314) 900-HELP for a free, confidential consultation and start working to protect your reputation, your future, and your freedom.
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Cook County and Chicago, IL
Criminal defense lawyers in Chicago, Illinois serving Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin, Waukegan, Cicero, Schaumburg, Evanston, and the surrounding cities and towns. The experienced criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte provide meticulous criminal defense for DUI, violent crimes, felony charges, misdemeanor charges, drug charges, and weapons offenses. If you’ve been arrested or you’re under investigation, our Chicago, Illinois criminal defense lawyers will work tirelessly to challenge the prosecution’s evidence, protect your civil rights, and fight for acquittal, dismissal, or reduced charges. From your initial consultation all the way through to trial, we advocate for you relentlessly and offer timely and clear communication. For a free, confidential evaluation of your criminal case, contact Combs Waterkotte today.
DUI Lawyer in Cook County and Chicago, IL
A DUI in Chicago, Illinois can have lasting effects on your life, your record, and your future. Most first-time and even second-time DUI offenses in Chicago are charged as misdemeanors, but on your third and subsequent offenses, you start getting into felony territory. Multiple DUI convictions in Chicago can lead to prison time, the loss of your license, and big fines. DUIs can also cause problems in your personal and professional life.
At Combs Waterkotte, we’ve helped hundreds of clients handle their DUI charge in the Chicago area. Whether you’re on your first offense or your fifth, reach out to us online or call (314) 900-HELP. We’ll thoroughly examine all of the details of your case to ensure your rights weren’t violated and you weren’t pulled over illegally. We’ll scrutinize evidence and police procedures to get you the best possible outcome in your Chicago, Illinois DUI case.
