- #1 law firm in wheaton
Ready To Solve Your Problem
When you are faced with a difficult legal matter, you need an attorney who will put you first, no matter how complex your case may be.
Criminal Defense Lawyer Lombard, IL
Experienced Lombard Criminal Law Attorneys Fighting All Types of Charges Throughout DuPage County, IL
An arrest, a call from a detective, or a summons in the mail can leave you feeling as though your future is suddenly out of your hands. Criminal charges threaten your freedom, your reputation, and your livelihood. You need legal help from someone who understands how the criminal justice system works from the inside.
Anderson Attorneys & Advisors is a DuPage County criminal defense firm representing people facing misdemeanor and felony charges in Lombard and surrounding communities. Our law offices are located in Wheaton, near the DuPage County courthouse, where many Lombard cases are heard.
Our firm is led by attorney Audriana Anderson, a former DuPage County prosecutor who previously served as Supervisor of the Major Crimes and Narcotics Unit for the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. Her years in that office gave her deep experience with criminal investigations, constitutional issues, and serious criminal prosecutions. Today, she provides aggressive representation for people accused of crimes.
To schedule an initial consultation, call (630) 877-5800 or visit our online contact page.
What Happens After Criminal Charges Are Filed?
Every case is different, but most Illinois criminal cases move through a similar series of stages:
- Arrest or Summons. A case begins when you are arrested or receive a summons or notice to appear in court.
- Initial Appearance. After an arrest, you appear before a judge, who reviews the charges and advises you of your rights.
- Pretrial Release. Illinois no longer uses cash bail. Instead, the judge decides whether you will be released and under what conditions, or whether the state can justify detaining you before trial.
- Arraignment. You are formally informed of the charges and enter a plea, typically not guilty.
- Discovery. The prosecution must turn over its evidence, such as police reports, video, lab results, and witness statements.
- Pretrial Motions. Your attorney may file motions to suppress illegally obtained evidence, dismiss charges, or address other legal issues.
- Negotiations. Many cases are resolved through discussions with prosecutors that may lead to reduced charges or an alternative disposition.
- Trial. If the case isn’t resolved, it proceeds to a bench trial before a judge or a jury trial.
- Sentencing. If there is a conviction, the court determines the sentence after hearing from both sides.
Criminal Cases the Team at Anderson Attorneys & Advisors Handles
Our practice covers the full range of criminal charges, from DUI and traffic violations to drug offenses, theft, violent crimes, weapons charges, computer crimes, and sex offenses. We are prepared to mount an aggressive defense at every stage of a criminal case. We also handle related practice areas that often arise alongside criminal allegations, including civil matters involving orders of protection, DCFS investigations, and asset seizure and forfeiture.
Criminal Defense Attorney for Lombard Investigations and Arrests
Representation doesn’t have to wait until formal charges are filed. In fact, some of the most important decisions in a case happen during the investigation. You may need a lawyer if police have asked you for an interview, a detective has been calling you, or officers have executed a search warrant at your home. The same is true if police have seized your cellphone, vehicle, cash, or other property, or if you have received a summons or notice to appear. And of course, you need counsel if you have been arrested or already face pending misdemeanor or felony charges.
If police contact you, you have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. Politely decline to answer questions and don’t try to explain your side on your own behalf. Even well-intentioned statements, phone calls, and text messages can be used against you. Contacting counsel early allows us to communicate with investigators for you, protect your rights, and sometimes influence whether charges are filed at all.
Lombard Criminal Attorney for Misdemeanor and Felony Charges
Illinois divides most crimes into misdemeanors and felonies. Misdemeanors are punishable by less than one year in county jail, with the most serious, Class A misdemeanors, carrying up to 364 days. Felonies are punishable by a year or more in the Illinois Department of Corrections, and the most serious offenses, such as murder, can carry decades or life in prison. A person’s criminal history can also increase the penalties for a new offense.
The consequences of criminal convictions extend well beyond jail time. Depending on the charge, you could face prison, probation, court supervision, and fines. A conviction can also create employment concerns and professional licensing problems, affect your driving privileges, restrict your right to own firearms, and leave you with a lasting criminal record. As misdemeanor and felony defense attorneys in Lombard, IL, we work to protect you from those consequences wherever possible.
DUI and Serious Traffic Criminal Cases in Lombard
A DUI is not just a traffic ticket. In Illinois, a DUI arrest typically triggers both a criminal case and a statutory summary license suspension through the Secretary of State. A conviction can bring fines, possible jail time, mandatory alcohol or drug evaluation and treatment, an ignition interlock device, and the loss of your driving privileges.
Our DUI defense lawyers in Lombard cover first-time and repeat DUI charges, as well as felony (aggravated) DUI. We represent drivers accused of alcohol-related DUI, drug-related DUI, and prescription medication DUI, along with underage DUI and DUI involving an accident. As DuPage County traffic attorneys, we also defend serious traffic offenses that go far beyond ordinary traffic tickets. These include reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and excessive speeding, which Illinois can charge as a criminal misdemeanor. We examine the traffic stop, field sobriety and chemical tests, and police procedures for errors that could lead to a dismissal, a reduced charge, or the return of your license.
Drug Possession and Distribution Charge Defense
Illinois drug laws carry penalties that range from probation to lengthy prison sentences, depending on the substance, the amount, and the circumstances of the arrest. We defend clients accused of possessing controlled substances or unauthorized prescription medications, as well as possession with intent to deliver, drug distribution, drug trafficking, manufacturing, and drug paraphernalia offenses.
Attorney Audriana Anderson is the only private practice attorney in DuPage and Kane County defending drug crime cases who previously served as Supervisor of the Major Crimes and Narcotics Unit for the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. In that role, she trained prosecutors and law enforcement officers on drug investigations, search and seizure laws, and other criminal enforcement matters. That experience gave her firsthand knowledge of how drug cases are built and prosecuted. As a Lombard drug crime defense attorney, she uses it to examine every warrant, traffic stop, and lab report for weaknesses.
Theft, Retail Theft, and Burglary Charges in Lombard
With Yorktown Center and busy retail corridors along Roosevelt Road and Butterfield Road, Lombard sees its share of shoplifting and retail theft arrests. But theft charges cover much more than that. Our theft crime defense attorneys represent clients accused of shoplifting, retail theft, and both misdemeanor and felony theft. We also defend charges of burglary, residential burglary, robbery, armed robbery, possession of stolen property, motor vehicle theft, criminal trespass, and identity theft.
The value of the property, the location, and whether force or a weapon was allegedly involved can turn a misdemeanor into a serious felony. Residential burglary, for example, is treated far more harshly than entering a commercial building. As an Illinois burglary defense lawyer, Audriana Anderson examines whether the state can prove each element of the charge, including intent, and looks for problems with identification, surveillance footage, and how evidence was gathered.
Assault, Battery, and Violent Crime Defense
Violent crime allegations often arise from chaotic, fast-moving situations where the facts are disputed. We defend clients accused of assault, battery, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery, as well as robbery, armed robbery, stalking, harassment, and intimidation.
As Lombard assault and battery lawyers, we look closely at what really happened. Potential defenses may include self-defense or defense of others, mistaken identity, conflicting witness accounts, and weaknesses in the State’s evidence. Video footage, phone records, and independent witnesses can sometimes tell a very different story than the police report.
Domestic Violence Defense in Lombard
“Domestic violence” is a broad term, but Illinois prosecutions involve specific offenses, most commonly domestic battery and aggravated domestic battery. Aggravated domestic battery, which can involve great bodily harm or strangulation, is a felony. These charges can apply to spouses, former partners, dating partners, family members, and people who share a household.
Evidence in these cases may include 911 recordings, photographs, body-camera footage, medical records, text messages, witness accounts, and statements from both parties. As skilled domestic battery defense lawyers in DuPage County, we handle domestic battery and aggravated domestic battery charges, as well as allegations involving threats or disputed accusations. We review every piece of evidence for inconsistencies and context that the initial police report may have missed.
Lombard, IL Orders of Protection Attorneys
A domestic battery allegation can create two legal matters at once: a criminal case and a separate order of protection proceeding. An order of protection can limit your contact with another person, bar you from your own residence, and affect parenting arrangements. It can also require you to surrender firearms and create problems at work and with family relationships.
We provide DuPage County order of protection defense at every stage. That includes emergency orders, which can be entered without notice to you, plenary hearings, where a longer-term order may be issued, and no-contact conditions tied to a criminal case. We also defend clients accused of violating an order. Because what you say at an order of protection hearing can affect your criminal case, it’s important to have counsel guiding both proceedings.
Guns, Weapons, and Firearms Charges
Illinois firearm laws are complex and strictly enforced. We defend clients accused of unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful firearm possession, possession by a prohibited person, and carrying without the required FOID card or concealed carry license. We also handle charges of improper firearm transportation, possession of a defaced firearm, discharge of a firearm, and weapons connected to another alleged offense.
Beyond the immediate penalties, a weapons conviction can affect your future firearm rights and FOID eligibility. As Illinois gun crime attorneys, we look closely at how the weapon was found, whether the search was lawful, and whether the state can prove possession.
Computer Crime Defense in Lombard
More and more criminal allegations involve computers, electronic devices, online accounts, or digital communications. As Lombard computer crime defense attorneys, we represent clients accused of unauthorized computer access, online fraud, credit card fraud, bank fraud, and other identity-related offenses. We also handle electronic theft and cases where digital evidence is connected to another criminal allegation.
These cases often depend heavily on technical evidence. Prosecutors must show who actually used an account or device, and that is not always as clear as it seems. Account attribution, device ownership, IP information, metadata, and forensic analysis can all be challenged. Shared devices, compromised accounts, and flawed forensic methods can create reasonable doubt about who was really responsible.
Sex Crime Defense in Lombard
An accusation of a sex offense can damage your reputation and relationships long before a case is resolved. A conviction can bring prison time and years, or a lifetime, of sex offender registration. Our sex crime lawyers in Lombard provide discreet representation in cases involving criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor, and online solicitation. We also defend allegations involving child sexual abuse material, sometimes referred to as child pornography, along with failure to register and other internet-based sex offenses.
Early action is critical in these cases. We work to preserve digital evidence, location data, surveillance footage, and witness testimony that may support your defense before it is lost or overwritten. We also examine how police conducted interviews and collected evidence. If you learn you are under investigation, don’t speak with police before talking to a lawyer.
Juvenile and Student Criminal Cases
When a young person gets in trouble, the case may unfold in two places at once: juvenile court and the school’s disciplinary process. A suspension or expulsion can follow a student just as surely as a court record. As juvenile and student defense attorneys in DuPage County, we represent minors accused of underage drinking, drug possession, theft, assault or battery, property damage, disorderly conduct, weapons offenses, school threats, and local ordinance violations.
Audriana Anderson is the only private practice juvenile defense attorney in DuPage and Kane County who previously served as Supervisor of the Juvenile and Family Justice Unit for the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. In that role, she oversaw matters involving juvenile offenders, family-related legal issues, and child welfare concerns. Her experience provides valuable insight into how juvenile cases are evaluated and prosecuted. She uses it to build strong defenses aimed at protecting a young person’s future, education, and opportunities.
DuPage County Child Abuse Allegations and DCFS Investigations
An accusation of child abuse or neglect can threaten your family, your career, and your freedom all at once. As a DuPage County DCFS law firm, we represent parents, caregivers, and professionals facing child abuse accusations and neglect allegations. We guide clients through DCFS interviews and safety plans, challenge indicated findings, and handle DCFS appeals. When a DCFS matter overlaps with related criminal charges, we coordinate the defense in both proceedings, since statements made in one can affect the other.
Attorney Audriana Anderson is the only DCFS attorney in private practice who was formerly the supervisor of the Juvenile and Family Justice Unit for the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. She is also one of only four Guardians ad Litem (GALs) in DuPage County appointed to represent children who are wards of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). As a Lombard child abuse defense attorney, she understands these cases from every side: the investigator’s, the prosecutor’s, and the child’s.
Asset Seizure and Forfeiture Defense
During an investigation, law enforcement may seize property they believe is connected to a crime, including cash, vehicles, bank funds, firearms, electronics, and business property. Forfeiture proceedings often move on a different timeline from the criminal case and come with their own filing requirements and deadlines. Missing one of those deadlines can mean losing your property permanently, even if the criminal charges are later reduced or dismissed.
Our Illinois asset forfeiture lawyers act quickly to protect your property. We challenge the basis for the seizure, contest the government’s claim that the property is connected to criminal activity, and assert the rights of innocent owners, such as family members or business partners.
Lombard Criminal Record Lawyer for Expungement and Sealing
An arrest or criminal case can continue to appear on background checks even when the case ended without a conviction. That record can make it harder to find a job, rent an apartment, or obtain a professional license. Illinois law allows many people to expunge or seal their records, but eligibility depends on the offense and how the case was resolved. Dismissals, acquittals, and successfully completed court supervision often qualify. Many convictions may be eligible for sealing after a waiting period, though some offenses are excluded.
Our firm handles both expungement and record sealing. As a Lombard record expungement lawyer, Audriana Anderson can review your full criminal history, determine which records qualify, and guide you through the petition process.
Preparing for a Court Date in a Lombard Criminal Case
The purpose of each court date depends on the stage of the case. Some appearances are brief status hearings, while others involve contested motions or evidentiary hearings. Before each date, we review the pending charge with you, make sure you understand your release conditions, and go over the discovery received so far. We also identify upcoming deadlines, discuss any motions or negotiations, and prepare you for what to expect at the hearing.
Many lawyers and overburdened public defenders handle large caseloads that leave little time for this kind of preparation. At Anderson Attorneys & Advisors, we make sure our clients walk into every court appearance informed and prepared.
Lombard Criminal Law Attorneys That Aren’t Afraid to Take the Case To Trial
Some cases need to be tried. When that happens, you need DuPage County criminal defense attorneys who are ready for the courtroom. Our trial preparation includes developing a jury selection strategy and preparing cross-examination of police officers and other witnesses. It also involves analyzing physical and digital evidence, identifying and preparing defense witnesses, and building a clear, persuasive closing argument.
Thorough trial preparation matters even in cases that never reach a jury. Knowing exactly how a case would play out at trial helps us evaluate whether a proposed plea offer is truly fair, and it shows prosecutors that we are prepared to go the distance. That leverage often leads to a better outcome at the negotiating table.
Possible Outcomes in Illinois Criminal Cases
No attorney can promise a particular result. Depending on the facts and circumstances of your case, possible outcomes may include:
- Dismissal of the charges
- Reduced charges
- Diversion, where available
- A negotiated disposition
- Court supervision, which can avoid a conviction if completed successfully
- Probation
- Acquittal at trial
- Sentencing after conviction, where we advocate for the most lenient sentence possible
Our goal in every case is to understand your priorities and pursue the best possible outcome for your situation.
Why Work With a Criminal Defense Attorney With Former Prosecutor Experience?
Attorney Audriana Anderson spent approximately 20 years with the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she served as Supervisor of the Major Crimes and Narcotics Unit. Few criminal defense lawyers in the area bring that depth of experience from the prosecution side of DuPage County cases.
That background shapes how she reviews the prosecution’s evidence and spots weaknesses in the state’s case. It informs how she evaluates search-and-seizure issues that may lead to suppressed evidence, and how she assesses the credibility and reliability of witnesses. She understands how charging decisions are made and how to challenge them. She also has a realistic sense of how prosecutors approach negotiations, and she prepares for trial with a clear picture of how the state is likely to present its case.
At some larger firms, a case may be passed from partners to associates. At Anderson Attorneys & Advisors, you work directly with an attorney who knows the DuPage County system from the inside. While no attorney’s background can guarantee a particular outcome, that perspective gives our clients an informed, strategic advocate dedicated to protecting their freedom and their future.
Criminal Defense Success Stories
A criminal charge calls for prompt action and a carefully planned defense. Anderson Attorneys & Advisors has represented clients across Lombard, IL in cases ranging from misdemeanors to felonies and other serious accusations. Below are examples of results we have obtained for clients in the Lombard area:
A college-aged man charged with DUI was worried about the suspension of his driver's license...
A young man was charged with multiple felonies with a mandatory minimum prison sentence...
A man served with an emergency order of protection was worried about how it would affect his job and his family…
A teenager was arrested and charged with domestic battery after an argument with her mother, potentially impacting the rest of her life…
A military veteran had her gun taken from her house and obtained an emergency Firearms Restraining Order against her without any prior notice due to mental health concerns…
A man with multiple serious traffic tickets was facing jail time…
Contact a Lombard Criminal Attorney at Anderson Attorneys & Advisors for a Free Consultation Today
Whether you are under investigation or already facing charges, the sooner you have an advocate on your side, the more options you may have. Anderson Attorneys & Advisors represents clients facing DUI, drug charges, theft, burglary, weapons cases, domestic violence, computer crimes, sex offenses, juvenile matters, DCFS allegations, asset forfeiture, and other criminal cases.
Based in DuPage County, we proudly represent clients throughout Lombard and the surrounding communities. Call (630) 877-5800 or reach out through our online contact page to schedule a free consultation with a criminal defense attorney today.