Domestic Violence

Highly Experienced Domestic Violence Lawyer-Providing Award Winning, Effective Defense to Domestic Violence Charges

James Dimeas is a highly experienced, award-winning Domestic Violence attorney who has spent over 29 years representing people who have been accused of, and charged with, Domestic Violence throughout Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County. Criminal defendants who are charged with Domestic Violence are often faced with a criminal justice system that is stacked against them. When the police arrive at the scene of a Domestic Violence call, they are conditioned to believe the accusations that are made against an individual that is accused of Domestic Violence. It’s as if a person accused of Domestic Violence is presumed guilty right off the bat. The presumption of guilt against people charged with Domestic Violence continues once they enter the court system.

Most Domestic Violence criminal cases are heard in dedicated courtrooms that only handle Domestic Violence cases. The Judges who preside over Domestic Violence cases are conditioned to believe that everyone appearing in their courtroom who is charged with Domestic Violence is guilty. The Prosecutors who work in the dedicated Domestic Violence courtrooms are also conditioned to believe that everyone that is being charged with a Domestic Violence case is guilty.

James Dimeas has been handling Domestic Violence cases in this environment for over 29 years. Throughout his over 29 years of handling Domestic Violence cases, James Dimeas has seen how the political climate and the societal changes have impacted the way Domestic Violence cases are treated by police officers, Judges and prosecutors in all the courthouses throughout the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Different Judges in different courthouses throughout Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County, approach Domestic Violence cases differently. James Dimeas is a Domestic Violence lawyer who has the knowledge and extensive experience in handling Domestic Violence cases to understand how to effectively and successfully handle Domestic Violence cases throughout all of the different counties and all of the different courthouses in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. James Dimeas is well-respected and admired by the Judges and Prosecutors that handle Domestic Violence cases throughout the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

What is Domestic Violence in Illinois?

The Illinois crime of Domestic Violence is set forth in 720 ILCS 5/12-3.2. You can be arrested and charged with Domestic Violence if you make physical contact or physically abused a member of your family. What’s considered a member of your family is more expansive than most people realize. A member of your family can be your current spouse, an ex-spouse, your boyfriend or girlfriend, your ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend, your children, and your step-child.

You don’t have to hurt the other person to be charged with Domestic Violence. The Illinois Domestic Violence law allows police and prosecutors to charge you with a Domestic Violence in two ways. The first way you can be charged with Domestic Violence is if you physically harm the other person. The second way you could be charged with a Domestic Violence is if you made contact with another person of an insulting or provoking nature. An example of the second way that you can be charged with Domestic Violence is if you spit on someone. The Illinois Domestic Violence statute considers both types of conduct to be Domestic Violence and the Illinois Domestic Violence statute punishes each type of Domestic Violence the same. Practically, prosecutors and Judges treat defendants charged with a Domestic Violence that causes physical harm more seriously than when the Domestic Violence charges involve a touching of an insulting or provoking nature.

What is Aggravated Domestic Violence in Illinois?

The Illinois crime of Aggravated Domestic Violence is set forth in 750 ILCS 5/12-3.3. There’s two ways that you can be charged with Aggravated Domestic Violence in Illinois. The first way that you can be charged with an Aggravated Domestic Violence is if the victim suffered great bodily harm or permanent disfigurement or permanent disability. The second way that you can be charged with an Aggravated Domestic Violence charge is if the victim was strangled. If you placed your hands around the victim’s neck and the victim was unable to breathe, even for a second, you can be charged with Aggravated Domestic Violence. Aggravated Domestic Violence is a very serious criminal charge in Illinois. If you are convicted of Aggravated Domestic Violence, your custody and visitation rights with your children may be affected. Many people charged with Aggravated Domestic Violence find themselves being prosecuted by special prosecutors who only handle Aggravated Domestic Violence charges.

What is the Sentence for Domestic Violence and Aggravated Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence is a Class A misdemeanor in Illinois. However, if you are convicted of Domestic Violence, unlike most misdemeanors in Illinois, you cannot receive Court Supervision. Court Supervision would allow you to avoid having a criminal conviction on your criminal record if you successfully completed your sentence. Since Court Supervision is not available for a Domestic Violence case in Illinois, the lowest sentence you can receive for a Domestic Violence in Illinois is Conditional Discharge. Conditional Discharge is basically a conviction that can never be removed from your record. That’s what makes a Domestic Violence criminal charge one of the most serious misdemeanor crimes in Illinois. The inability to receive Court Supervision and to avoid a criminal conviction on your record makes Domestic Violence a serious criminal offense in Illinois. The only ways to avoid a permanent criminal conviction for Domestic Violence is to win your case or to convince the Prosecutor to reduce the Domestic Violence to a Simple Battery. If the Domestic Violence charge is reduced to a Simple Battery, it is possible to receive Court Supervision and to avoid having a permanent criminal conviction placed on your record. If you are convicted of a Class A Misdemeanor, the maximum punishment is one year in county jail and a maximum fine of $2,500.

Aggravated Domestic Violence is a Class 2 Felony. Aggravated Domestic Violence carries a potential prison sentence of between 3 to 7 years. You can receive probation for an Aggravated Domestic Violence charge. However, you must serve at least 60-continuous days in jail if you are guilty of Aggravated Domestic Violence. The 60-continuous days in jail is mandatory under Illinois Law and cannot be waived by a Prosecutor or a Judge.

Award-Winning, Nationally-Recognized Domestic Violence Lawyer to Fight Domestic Violence Criminal Charges

James Dimeas has the experience and the qualifications that you need to effectively and successfully fight your Domestic Violence criminal charges. James Dimeas understands how to fight Domestic Violence cases and to come up with effective defense strategies that have been proven to be successful in defeating the false Domestic Violence allegations. James Dimeas understands the impact that a Domestic Violence charge can have on your future and on your ability to have contact with your children. James Dimeas understands how the current political climate can play a major role in your Domestic Violence case and will use his extensive experience to successfully fight your case. James Dimeas will review all of the evidence and will make sure that you keep your criminal record clean and keep your good name clean.

James Dimeas is a nationally-recognized, award-winning Domestic Violence lawyer. Attorney and Practice Magazine gave James Dimeas the “Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorney Award for Illinois,” and the “Top 10 DUI Defense Attorney” award. The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys gave James Dimeas the “Top 10 Attorney Award for the State of Illinois.” Recently, the American Society of Legal Advocates recognize James Dimeas as a “Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer in the State of Illinois for the year 2018 and 2019.” James Dimeas was named a “Best Criminal Defense Lawyer in Chicago” by Expertise and a “Best DUI Attorney.” The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys recognized James Dimeas as a “10 Best Attorney for Client Satisfaction.” The National Trial Lawyers named James Dimeas a “Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer.” James Dimeas is rated “Superb” by AVVO, the highest rating possible for any Domestic Violence attorney in the United States.

If you are being charged with Domestic Violence in Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, or Lake County, you can contact Domestic Violence lawyer, James Dimeas, anytime for a free and confidential consultation. James Dimeas is a Domestic Violence attorney that has the experience and the proven track record to help you win your Domestic Violence case and to clear your good name. You can always speak to James Dimeas personally by calling him at 847-807-7405.