Beckett & Webber, P.C., lawyers in Urbana, IL, Illinois

International Money Laundering and Undercover Money Laundering Transactions

International money laundering is a federal offense. The elements of this offense include: Monetary instruments that are transported internationally; Defendant acted with the intent to promote the carrying on of the illegal activity, concealed the original transaction, attempted to avoid tax liability, or attempted to avoid reporting requirements; Transfer was done with the intent to conceal the proceeds from an illegal activity; Defendant knew the monetary instrument represented the proceeds derived from illegal activity. More...

VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

A person commits the offense of voluntary manslaughter when he or she commits murder under the immediate influence of sudden passion that arises from an adequate cause. Sudden passion is also referred to as "heat of passion." More...

Prosecutions for State Insurance Fraud

Most states have statutes governing the issue of insurance fraud. One may be charged with insurance fraud if: The individual prepared or presented a false or fraudulent written statement; the individual aided, solicited, or conspired in presenting a fraudulent written statement; the individual had the specific intent to defraud the insurer. More...

Motions to Suppress Evidence

A defendant may file a motion to suppress evidence during the pretrial phase of her trial. A motion to suppress is filed when the defendant is seeking to exclude evidence on the basis that it was illegally obtained. The evidence may have been obtained in violation of the defendant's right against unreasonable searches and seizures as provided under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The evidence may have been tainted by other illegally obtained evidence, thereby supporting the defendant's assertion that it should be excluded. More...

REQUESTS FOR JURY INSTRUCTIONS

Both the prosecution and a defendant have a right to request that certain instructions be submitted to a jury when a trial court charges the jury. A request for the instructions must be made in writing and must be presented to the trial court prior to the trial court's charge to the jury. The request may also be dictated to a court reporter in the presence of the trial court and counsel for both parties.More...