Misdemeanors
Representation for all misdemeanor offenses in Illinois
CLASS A Misdemeanor
Up to 364 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $2500.
CLASS B Misdemeanor
Up to 180 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $1500.
CLASS C Misdemeanor
Up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $1500.
Illinois Misdemeanor Offenses
Class A Misdemeanors
| Crime | ILCS |
|---|---|
| Sale of Liquor to Minor, Intoxicated Persons | 235-5/6-16 |
| Illegal Possession of Alcohol by Minor | 235-5/6-20(a) |
| Flee or Attempt to Elude Peace Officer | 625-5/11-204 |
| Leaving the Scene Property Damage Accident | 625-5/11-402 |
| Driving Under the Influence – Alcohol | 625-5/11-501(a)2 |
| Driving Under the Influence – Intoxicating Compound | 625-5/11-501(a)3 |
| Driving Under the Influence - Drugs | 625-5/11-501(a)4 |
| Possession of medical cannabis in a motor vehicle | 625-5/11-502.1 |
| Reckless Driving | 625-5/11-503 |
| Street Racing | 625-5/11-506 |
| Theft of Motor Vehicle Parts or Accessories | 625-5/4-102 |
| Offenses relating to possession of titles and registration | 625-5/4-104 (4-5)(a) |
| Offenses relating to deletion or falsification of information on title document | 625-5/4-105.1 |
| No Driver’s License | 625-5/6-101 |
| Unlawful Use of Driver’s License | 625-5/6-301 |
| Fictitious or unlawfully altered driver’s license or permit | 625-5/6-301.1 |
| Suspended or Revoked Driver’s License | 625-5/6-303 |
| Permitting a driver under the influence to operate a motor vehicle | 625-5/6-304.1 |
| Unlawful subleasing of a motor vehicle | 625-5/6-305.1 |
| Insurance Fraud below $300 | 720-5/1-10.5(a) |
| Harboring a Runaway | 720-5/10-6 |
| Unlawful sending of a public conveyance travel ticket to a mino | 720-5/10-8.1 |
| Criminal Sexual Abuse | 720-5/11-1.50 (b) |
| Criminal Sexual Abuse | 720-5/11-1.50 (c) |
| Prostitution | 720-5/11-14 |
| Solicitation of a Sexual Act | 720-5/11-14.1 |
| Obscenity | 720-5/11-20 |
| Public Indecency | 720-5/11-30 |
| Adultery | 720-5/11-35 |
| Marrying a Bigamist | 720-5/11-45(a-5) |
| Solicitation to Meet a Child | 720-5/11-6.6 |
| Sexual Exploitation of a Child | 720-5/11-9.1 |
| Failure to Report Sexual Abuse of a Child | 720-5/11-9.1(b) |
| Sexual Predator/Child Sex Offender-Public Parks | 720-5/11-9.4.1 |
| Aggravated Assault | 720-5/12-2 |
| Battery | 720-5/12-3 |
| Battery of an Unborn Child | 720-5/12-3.1 |
| Domestic Battery | 720-5/12-3.2 |
| Violation of Order of Protection | 720-5/12-3.4 |
| Interfering With the Reporting of Domestic Violence | 720-5/12-3.5 |
| Disclosure of Domestic Violence Victim Location | 720-5/12-3.6 |
| Reckless Conduct | 720-5/12-5 |
| Criminal housing management | 720-5/12-5.1 |
| Cross burning | 720-5/12-7.6 |
| Tongue splitting | 720-5/12-10.2 |
| Sale of body parts | 720-5/12-20 |
| Parent or guardian leaving custody or control of child with child sex offender | 720-5/12-21.6-5 |
| Possession of unsterilized or vicious dogs by felons prohibited. | 720-5/12-36 |
| Abandonment of a school bus containing children | 720-5/12C-20 |
| Contributing to the Dependency & Neglect of a Minor | 720-5/12C-25 |
| Contributing to Criminal Delinquency of a Juvenile | 720-5/12C-30 |
| Tattooing the body of a minor | 720-5/12C-35 |
| Piercing the body of a minor | 720-5/12C-40 |
| Drug induced infliction of harm to a child athlete | 720-5/12C-45 |
| Endangering the Life or Health of a Child | 720-5/12C-5 |
| Hazing | 720-5/12C-50 |
| Unlawful transfer of a telecommunications device to a minor | 720-5/12C-65 |
| Theft – Not exceeding $500 in value | 720-5/16-1 |
| Possession of Stolen Property | 720-5/16-1(a)(4), 625-5/4-103, |
| Tampering/Theft of Communication Services | 720-5/16-18 |
| Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property – the value exceeds $500 but does not exceed $10,000 | 720-5/16-2 |
| Retail Theft | 720-5/16-25 |
| Theft of Labor or Services | 720-5/16-3 |
| Theft-related devices (key, device, scanner) | 720-5/16-6 |
| Deceptive Practices | 720-5/17-1 |
| Criminal Trespass to Residence | 720-5/19-4 |
| Criminal Defacement of Property | 720-5/21-1.3 |
| Criminal Trespass to Vehicle | 720-5/21-2 |
| Jackrocks violation | 720-5/21-4 |
| Criminal Trespass to State Supported Land | 720-5/21-5 |
| Unauthorized Possession or Storage of Weapons | 720-5/21-6 |
| Criminal Trespass to Airport | 720-5/21-7 |
| Unlawful Use of Weapons | 720-5/24-1 |
| Unlawful possession of firearms, other than handguns, and firearm ammunition | 720-5/24-3.1 |
| Unlawful possession of nitrous oxide with intent to breathe, inhale | 720-5/24.5-5 |
| Unlawful contact with streetgang members | 720-5/25-5 |
| Peeping Tom | 720-5/26-1(a)(11) |
| Unauthorized Videotaping & Live Video Transmission | 720-5/26-4 |
| Disorderly conduct with a laser or laser pointer | 720-5/26-7 |
| Gambling | 720-5/28-1 |
| Offering a bribe | 720-5/29-1 (b) |
| Offering a bribe | 720-5/29-1 (c) |
| Failure to Report Offer of Bribe | 720-5/29-3 |
| Resisting or obstructing a peace officer, firefighter, or correctional institution employee | 720-5/31-1 |
| Obstructing Identification | 720-5/31-4.5 |
| Obstructing an emergency management worker | 720-5/31-9 |
| Unlawful clouding of title | 720-5/32-13 |
| Payment of jurors by parties prohibited | 720-5/32-4d |
| Retaliating against a Judge by false claim, slander of title, or malicious recording of fictitious lien | 720-5/32-4f |
| Tampering with a certification by a public official | 720-5/32-8.1 |
| Failure to report a bribe | 720-5/33-2 |
| Solicitation misconduct (State government) | 720-5/33-3.1 |
| Solicitation misconduct (local government) | 720-5/33-3.2 |
| unlawful use of body armor | 720-5/33F-3 |
| Possession of Cannabis over 30gm to 100gm (misdemeanor) | 720-550/4 (c) |
| Delivery/manufacture cannabis over 2.5gm to 10gm | 720-550/5 (b) |
| Cannabis Plant(s) – Not more than 5 plants | 720-550/8 (a) |
| Possession of Drug Paraphernalia | 720-600/3.5 |
| Sale or Possession of Hypodermic Syringes or Needles | 720-635/1 & 2 |
| Permitting Sexual Abuse of a Child | 720-5/11-9.1A |
| Obstructing Emergency Management Worker | 720-5/31-9 |
| Resist, Obstruct, Disarm an Officer | 720-5/31-1 |
Class B Misdemeanors
| Crime | ILCS |
|---|---|
| Driving 26 miles per hour or more in excess of applicable limit | 625-5/11-601.5 |
| Fornication | 720-5/11-40 |
| Failure to report Hazing | 720-5/12C-50.1 |
| Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property – the value does not exceed $500 | 720-5/16-2 |
| Delivery Container Theft | 720-5/16-28 |
| Theft From Coin-Operated Machine or Device | 720-5/16-5 |
| Computer Tampering | 720-5/17-51 |
| Criminal Damage to Property | 720-5/21-1 |
| Criminal Trespass to Real Property | 720-5/21-3 |
| Register of Sales by Dealer | 720-5/24-4 |
| Interference with Emergency Communication | 720-5/26-2 |
| Harassment by telephone | 720-5/26.5-1 |
| Transmission of Obscene Messages | 720-5/26.5-1 |
| Harassment through Electronic Communications | 720-5/26.5-3 |
| Evidence inference | 720-5/26.5-4 |
| Obstructing Service of Process | 720-5/31-3 |
| Witnesses; prohibition on accepting payments before judgment or verdict | 720-5/32-4c |
| Simulating legal process | 720-5/32-7 |
| Possession of Cannabis over 10gm to 30gm (misdemeanor) | 720-550/4 (b) |
| Delivery/manufacture cannabis 2.5gm or less | 720-550/5 (a) |
Class C Misdemeanors
| Crime | ILCS |
|---|---|
| Improper Use of Registration | 625-5/3-703 |
| Unlawful sale of a public conveyance travel ticket to a minor | 720-5/10-8 |
| Assault | 720-5/12-1 |
| Educational Intimidation | 720-5/12-7.2 |
| False representation to a tattoo or body piercing business as the parent or legal guardian of a minor | 720-5/12-10.3 |
| Firearms; Child Protection | 720-5/24-9 |
| Handgun safety devices | 720-5/24-9.5 |
| All Other Disorderly Conduct | 720-5/26-1 |
| Disorderly conduct at a funeral or memorial service | 720-5/26-6 |
| Use, Sale or Delivery of Intoxicating Compounds | 720-690/1 |
| Use, Sale or Delivery of Intoxicating Compounds | 720-6902 |
Questions about Misdemeanor Crimes in Illinois
What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?
A misdemeanor and a felony are both classifications of crimes, but they differ primarily in their severity and the potential penalties associated with them. Here’s a breakdown:
- Severity:
- Misdemeanor: These are less severe than felonies. Examples might include petty theft, simple assault, or first-time possession of small amounts of certain drugs.
- Felony: These are more serious crimes. Examples include murder, rape, kidnapping, grand theft, and serious drug trafficking.
- Penalties:
- Misdemeanor: Convictions typically result in fines, probation, community service, and/or short jail terms (usually less than one year in a local or county jail).
- Felony: Convictions generally carry heavier penalties, including substantial fines and prison sentences longer than a year (usually served in state or federal prisons).
- Collateral Consequences:
- Misdemeanor: The long-term consequences of a misdemeanor conviction are generally less severe. However, they can still affect certain aspects of a person’s life, such as job prospects or eligibility for certain licenses.
- Felony: A felony conviction can lead to more significant life-long repercussions. Felons might lose certain rights, such as the right to vote, own firearms, or hold public office. They also face challenges in finding employment, housing, and securing certain professional licenses.
It’s important to note that the specific definition and consequences of misdemeanors and felonies can vary by jurisdiction. Always consult local laws or legal professionals to understand the specifics in a particular region.
Is it possible for a misdemeanor to be dismissed in Illinois?
Yes, it is! In Illinois, if a judge determines there’s insufficient evidence to proceed with the case, a misdemeanor can be dismissed. Cases might be thrown out due to mistakes by the State or if evidence was incorrectly gathered by police. Given the complexities of Illinois law, it’s advisable to consult with a seasoned trial lawyer who can guide you through the intricacies of the legal process.
How long does a misdemeanor remain on your record in Illinois?
Regrettably, a misdemeanor lingers on your Illinois record indefinitely. Many believe that over time, misdemeanor convictions in Illinois will disappear, but this isn’t the case. Such convictions remain with you lifelong. While there are limited circumstances in Illinois where expungement of a criminal conviction might be an option, they’re rare.
In Illinois, do I need to inform my employer about a misdemeanor conviction?
No. Illinois law doesn’t mandate that you notify your employer about a misdemeanor conviction. Moreover, thanks to the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act (JOQAA) established on July 19, 2014 by Governor Pat Quinn, employers are prohibited from inquiring about your criminal history until they’ve determined you’re suitable for the position and have either set up an interview or given a conditional job offer.
In Illinois, is it possible to own a firearm with a misdemeanor?
In Illinois, having a misdemeanor charge or conviction doesn’t automatically prevent you from purchasing a firearm, unless the misdemeanor is related to domestic violence or assault/battery involving a deadly weapon. However, to legally acquire a gun or ammunition in Illinois, you must have a Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID).
