Is it out of line to think that a good defense should try to convince prosecution to drop charges before it goes to trial?

Should? A good defense attorney does not help a client by looking stupid. There are cases, especially less serious cases or cases in which the...

Does does "dismissal" mean?

Dismissal can mean very different things in different states and under different circumstances. It may or may not mean that the case against you...

What kind of sentence are we looking at? Would probation even be considered? He is willing to do double the time of probation.

A judge might consider much of that evidence as mitigating, but not necessarily so. Even if it were to be taken as mitigation it would not...

After the State Supreme Court, which court does my appeal go to next? The US Supreme Ct Certiorari or Federal Dist Ct Habeas?

Well, to be technical, your appeal is over. You cannot appeal to the United States Supreme Court, which no longer has any appellate jurisdiction,...

Where can I find an attorney who specialises in filing for commutation of sentence (clemency)?

A clemency is always a steep climb. When I am asked to represent a client seeking pardon or commutation I recommend that a "mitigation specialist"...

After expungement has been completed can i legally answer no criminal or arrest record for police or correctional job.

Not in Illinois. According to the 2016 edition of the handbook on Illinois Criminal Records published by the Illinois Institute of Continuing...

Can I file a Habeas Petition US District Court after losing in the State Supreme Court, even though I am not incarcerated now?

I have not looked that up for a long time. My recollection is that if you are still on parole, supervised release, or restraint of any kind, then...

Selected as the best answer

That varies from state to state. In Illinois, for example, defendants can see the discovery and review it with counsel, but they are not supposed...

Have I "exhausted" my state appeals / remedies to be able to habeas federally?

I won't try to answer your exhaustion question because the answer depends on Michigan state law, with which I am not familiar. Just remember that...

In Illinois a criminal charge is normally initiated by a charging document called a "complaint." The complaint is legally sufficient to get the...