Expunge or Seal your Criminal Record before 2016!

Name: Hanna and Ruud, LLC Attorneys at Law
Price range: $$

Posted on September 11, 2015September 11, 2015 by Hanna & Ruud, LLC

Hanna & Ruud, LLC Attorneys at Law are now excepting new clients who wish to have their Illinois criminal record sealed or expunged. This process can take a few months, so we urge you to act now so that you can start 2016 off with a fresh start! A criminal charge can affect your job opportunities, where you live, and even your eligibility for student loans.

Not everyone will qualify to have their records sealed or expunged, however, Attorney Steve Hanna and Jonathan Ruud have been successful in having charges Amended to an offense that does qualify to be sealed or expunged. While our office cannot guarantee we will be able to have past charges amended, we will fight aggressively and explore all possible avenues to clear your Illinois Criminal record.

Our office has been successful in expunging and sealing a variety of arrests and cases such as:

Misdemeanors
Felonies
Drug Charges
Guns and Weapons Charges
Criminal Damage to Property Crimes
Theft and Retail Theft
Violent Crimes

The Law Offices of Hanna & Ruud, LLC will work diligently to clear your criminal record. Our Firm knows the ins-and-outs of the complex expungement and sealing laws that could be delaying your chances of a job, a home, and the future you deserve!

“I was denied a promotion because of a misdemeanor possession charge from fifteen years ago. Hanna & Ruud, LLC was able to have the have the charge expunged without me ever having to appear in court!’

Disclaimer: Prior results to not guarantee a similar outcome.

But I Blew less than a 0.08 BAC, why am I being charged with a DUI?

Posted on September 8, 2015September 9, 2015 by Hanna & Ruud, LLC

In Iowa, Law Enforcement and Elected Officials have determined that any time a driver’s blood-alcohol content (BAC) is at or above .08, that driver is legally intoxicated. If a driver is found to have a BAC of .150 or higher, they face stricter punishments, including mandatory fines, court costs, license suspension, and jail time. Law Enforcement is also able to arrest a person whom they believe to be intoxicated, even if their BAC is less than .08. This is called a “general impairment” OWI.
Sound Complicated?

In many cases, law enforcement has the authority to cite motorists’ carte blanche for an OWI (in Iowa) or DUI (in Illinois). Our office has seen many cases where a person passes all standard field sobriety tests, and blows less than a 0.08 BAC. And the Officer still cites them for Operating or Driving a Vehicle Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol.
In cases like these, the only options are to:
• Plead Guilty and take a severe hit on your driving record and hefty fines,
• Fight the Charge on your own, or
• Hire an Attorney who has experience in fighting these types of cases, and who may be able to get the charge dropped or reduced to a lesser charge.
If you have been charged with a DUI or OWI in Illinois or Iowa, it is recommended that you hire a qualified Attorney who can examine your case in detail, and who works with scientific forensic experts in the field of DUI and OWI Defense. The costs of a qualified DUI or OWI defense attorney can be expensive, but the costs of not hiring an attorney can be even greater!
Call 309.797.9000 for a free case evaluation

They sure seem to know which cars to stop in Henry County IL – July 15, 2015

Posted on July 15, 2015August 10, 2015 by Hanna & Ruud, LLC

“They sure seem to know which cars to stop in Henry County, IL” – July 15, 2015

It should not take an extended amount time for a Police officer to conduct a routine traffic stop – that is unless the traffic stop is an excuse to initiate a full blown narcotics investigation. Vehicles that meet certain characteristics are routinely stopped in Henry County along Interstate 80 (I-80) for minor traffic infractions, i.e. going slightly over the speed limit, following too close to another vehicle, ect. In the May 12, 2014 Rock Island Dispatch • Argus article ‘Interstate whispers’ boost I-80 busts in Henry County Attorney Steve Hanna states “They sure seem to know what cars to stop (referring to the number of traffic stops that result in drug investigations along Interstate 80 in Henry County).” During the decades Attorneys Steve Hanna and Jonathan Ruud have been handling drug related cases in Henry County, they have seen law enforcement use routine traffic stops to go on a fishing expedition to determine if the vehicle is being used to traffic narcotics or drugs. Hanna & Ruud, LLC has argued many times in Henry County, IL that a routine traffic stop does not give law enforcement ‘probable cause’ to initiate a narcotics investigation – and in many cases have successfully had evidence which was illegitimately obtained by law enforcement suppressed from being entered into evidence.

While law enforcement has been able to get away with these tactics in the past, the tide may be turning. Earlier this year, April 2015, the United States Supreme Court Ruled that law enforcement cannot extend a traffic stop to initiate a narcotics investigation without justification in the case Rodriguez v. United States. In this case Mr. Rodriguez was pulled over for veering onto the shoulder of a highway in Nebraska and the officer prolonged the stop after issuing Rodriguez a warning until a K-9 unit could arrive on scene to search the vehicle for the presence of drugs. In the majority decision Justice Ginsburg explained, “Because addressing the infraction is the purpose of the stop, it may ‘last no longer than is necessary to effectuate that purpose.’ Authority for the seizure thus ends when tasks tied to the traffic infraction are—or reasonably should have been—completed.”

While this ruling helps protect individuals’ civil liberties, and safeguards against law enforcement agents who disregard the Constitutional Rights afforded by the Fourth Amendment, it does not set a specific time limit for a traffic stop – thus leaving the determination of “how long is too long” for a traffic stop up to the presiding Judge in these types of cases.

This blog entry, nor is any other information for on this website, is not intended as legal advise. Please view our Disclaimer. At Hanna & Ruud, LLC we understand that choosing an Attorney is an important decision and such a decision should not be made solely on the contents of this website.

By: Hanna & Ruud, LLC Attorneys at Law

Hanna and Ruud, LLC Attorneys at Law

1528 6th Avenue

Moline, Illinois 61265

United States (US)

Phone: (309) 797-9000
Fax: 309-736-9122

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No you may not Search my Vehicle Officer – July 14, 2015

Posted on July 14, 2015August 21, 2015 by Hanna & Ruud, LLC

No you may not Search my Vehicle Officer – July 14, 2015

If you are detained and searched by law enforcement, whether it be for a DUI, Drug related charge, or routine traffic stop, you do have the right to refuse the search. It is important to clearly state to the arresting or investigating officer that you do not consent to the search, however, you should only verbally refuse the search and never physically resist. Merely touching an officer can result in you getting beaten or worse. A physical altercation with a police officer could also result in a felony charge for assaulting a police officer – so please, no touching.

During a traffic stop police are allowed to order the driver and any accompanying passengers out of a vehicle. If the law enforcement officer has reasonable suspicion to detain you, they may search your person for weapons – only if the suspect you are concealing a weapon.

Typically, law enforcement will ask you a series of seemingly harmless questions, such as, “You don’t mind if I have a look in your car?” This question is one of the tactics used by law enforcement officers to gain consent to search you and your vehicle/property – when most people hear these types of questions they think it is a command, however, in most cases the judicial system views this as a request. Some officers may try and make an individual feel as if they need to prove their innocence, and ask such questions as “if you don’t have anything on you, why can’t I search your vehicle?” This is a trick by law enforcement – if necessary, repeat your refusal and remain calm.

The 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution affords you the right refuse such search requests, however, this right does not require law enforcement to inform you of your right to refuse. It is important to understand that consenting to searches automatically makes them legal in the eyes of the Court. Despite what law enforcement might say, in general, you always have the right to refuse searches in a calm and peaceful manner.

Refusing a police officer’s request to search you or your property is not an admission of guilt and does not give the officer the legal right to search or detain you. In a large number of cases the police have no probable cause to search an individual or their property, however, many individuals consent to searches by law enforcement because the police use tactics that are designed to trick or intimidate individuals into consenting to search requests.

If you do not consent or refuse to a police search, and law enforcement finds illegal items on your person or property, a skilled criminal defense lawyer can file a Motion to Suppress (move to have said evidence not allowed to be entered in the case against you). If the Judge finds the officer’s search violated the 4th Amendment, and does not meet the probable cause requirements, the Motion may be granted. If the Prosecuting Attorney does have any other evidence against you, your charges will most likely be dismissed.

For these reasons, it is important to have an experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer defending your Constitutional Rights. At Hanna & Ruud, LLC, our attorneys practice almost exclusively in criminal law, and have nearly 60 years in combined experience in Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, and Scott Counties. Located in downtown Moline, Illinois and serving the Quad Cities. If your freedom is in jeopardy, “Results Count, and Experience is Priceless”