127 West Jefferson Avenue • P.O. Box 507 • Effingham, Illinois 62401 • Telephone: (217) 342-8060 • Fax: (217) 342-8066

200 North Main Street • Altamont, Illinois 62411 • Telephone: (618) 483-6333

Criminal Defense

 

Ed Deters at McDevitt Osteen Chojnicki & Deters is here to assist you if you are facing felony or misdemeanor charges, including, but not limited to, DUI, reckless driving & traffic offenses, sex and drug offenses, gun and weapon charges, domestic violence offenses, assault and battery, license reinstatement, expungements, property offenses and all crimes against property and persons, including murder and homicide.  Ed Deters offers clear legal guidance and advice and will make sure you are informed of your rights and understand what is happening throughout your case.  Ed Deters was the Effingham County State’s Attorney for 12 years prior to entering private practice and he utilizes that prosecuting experience to defend his clients against a variety of felony and misdemeanor charges including DUI and other serious and minor traffic violations.

 

Expunging or Sealing Criminal Records

 

Are you someone who made a single mistake that led to an arrest or criminal conviction that keeps coming up when you least want it to, such as in a job interview, or when you seek a promotion or a certain kind of license?  Expunging or sealing your previous criminal records in many misdemeanors and some felonies is possible, in part thanks to some recent changes in Illinois law.  If at least a few years have passed since the incident in question, you may be eligible to ask the court to order law enforcement and the Circuit Clerk’s office involved to destroy or seal the record of your previous arrest or court disposition.

 

Illinois law in this area can be quite complex, requiring certain court filings and service of those filings on proper parties to the requested expungement or sealing.  After those procedures have been followed, a court hearing will be scheduled to decide whether the expungement or sealing should be granted.  Give us a call at (217) 342-8060 for a consultation to see if you might be able to clean up that unfortunate area of your past history.

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