Crime & Traffic

Learn the basics of criminal charges, pleas, and sentencing, including how the process works and what to expect.

Find out what to expect and what steps to take after being charged with a crime.

Answers to common questions about criminal charges, plea bargains, sentencing, and what happens after you are charged with a crime.

Illinois no longer uses cash bail. Instead, courts use a pretrial release system to decide whether someone stays in jail or is released before trial. Get answers to common questions about how pretrial release works.

Learn about guilty pleas, including what rights you give up, the consequences, and how to ask to withdraw your plea.

Learn about your right to a lawyer in a criminal case, what a public defender does, and when the court will appoint one.

These instructions explain how to ask for a public defender and how the judge decides if you qualify.

These FAQs provide information on public defenders, who qualifies, and how to request one.

Learn about Illinois’ new public defender law, also known as the FAIR Act. Read about the changes to how public defenders are organized and supported statewide, and what it means for you.

Learn more about new Illinois laws passed in 2025, including those going into effect on January 1, 2026.

Problem-solving courts help eligible defendants with drug, mental health, DUI, or veteran issues avoid jail through treatment programs and expungement.