Des Plaines Criminal Law Information Center

Des Plaines is a city in the northern part of Cook County that borders the City of Chicago and is located just north of O'Hare International Airport. Des Plaines is named after the Des Plaines River which runs through the City of Des Plaines. Des Plaines is an important suburb of Chicago that has a population of approximately 59,000 people.

The river valley that is now Des Plaines was originally inhabited by Indians. When the French arrived, they named the river valley the "River of the Plane Tree." The English translation of the French name given had the words "Des Plaines" in it. In the 1850s, the Illinois and Wisconsin Land Company purchased the land to build a railroad line between Chicago and Janesville Wisconsin. After the railroad was built, a mill was built which attracted many farmers to the area. A small business section grew up around the mill and railroad area and the name was officially changed to Des Plaines. Des Plaines was incorporated in 1869 but was reincorporated 5 years later after the name was officially changed to Des Plaines.

In 1825, the residents of the Village of Des Plaines changed the form of government to a city. Des Plaines annexed several smaller Villages and towns bordering Des Plaines and the size of Des Plaines began to grow. Residents started to move into Des Plaines after World War II and grew drastically after O'Hare International Airport was built.

Ray Kroc built the first McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines in 1955. In 1984 the original restaurant was taken down. Afterwards a replica was built but has since been taken down. In 1979, one of the worst air disasters in American history happened when American Airlines Flight 191 crashed in Des Plaines shortly after departing O'Hare Airport. The DC-10 lost an engine and crashed in a trailer park located just north of Touhy Avenue. 271 passengers on board the aircraft died as well as 2 workers who were killed while working at a local garage.

In 2008, Des Plaines was awarded the last gaming license in Illinois. A 140,000 square foot Casino was built along the northwest corner of Devon Avenue and River Road, adjacent to the Tri-State Tollway. The casino is known as the Rivers Casino. It opened in July of 2011.

The Des Plaines Police Department consist of 97 Sworn, full-time, Officers, 15 Auxiliary Officers, and 18 civilian employees. The Des Plaines Police Department is located at 1418 Miner Street in Des Plaines, Illinois.

All Des Plaines criminal cases are heard at the Old Orchard Courthouse in Skokie, Illinois. The Old Orchard Courthouse in Skokie is the 2nd Municipal District Courthouse in Cook County. The Old Orchard 2nd Municipal District Courthouse in Skokie is part of the Cook County Judicial Circuit, which is the largest Judicial Circuit in the State of Illinois and one of the largest unified court systems in the world.

All Des Plaines criminal cases are heard at the Old Orchard Courthouse in Skokie, Illinois. The Old Orchard courthouse in Skokie is part of the Cook County Judicial Circuit which is the largest Judicial Circuit in the State of Illinois and one of the largest unified court systems in the United States. The Old Orchard Courthouse in Skokie is the 2nd Municipal District Courthouse in Cook County. The 2nd Municipal District Courthouse in Skokie is where the criminal cases for all of the Villages and Towns in the northern part of Cook County have their criminal cases.

If you are arrested for a felony in Des Plaines, you will be taken to Bond Court in Room 105 at 1:30 p.m.  for your Bond Hearing. You will be released from the Old Orchard Courthouse in Skokie if you post Bond or if you are not required to post any bond. If a Bond is set, and you do not post the Bond in Skokie, The Cook County Sheriff will be taken to the Cook County Jail at 26th and California. You will be taken to Court in Skokie and brought back to Cook County Jail at 26th and California for every future Court date until your case is finished. If you are arrested on a weekend or on a holiday, the Des Plaines Police will take you to Central Bond Court in Room 100 at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 26th and California at 1:30 for a Bond Hearing. Even though your Bond Hearing will be in Central Bond Court on a weekend or a court holiday, all future court dates for a Des Plaines criminal case will be at the Old Orchard Courthouse in Skokie.

If you are charged with a Domestic Battery or an Aggravated Domestic Battery in Des Plaines, your case will be in Room 106 of the Old Orchard Courthouse in Skokie. Room 106 at the Skokie Courthouse is where all Domestic Battery cases are heard. Room 106 in Skokie is a dedicated Domestic Battery Courtroom that only hears Domestic Battery cases. The court personnel assigned to Room 106 have specific training in Domestic Battery and Domestic Violence cases.

If you are charged with a felony in Des Plaines, your first court appearance will be in Room 105 at the Skokie Courthouse. After Room 105, your case will be assigned to one of the many felony Courtrooms throughout the first and second floor of the Skokie Courthouse.

All Des Plaines misdemeanor cases, such as Des Plaines DUI cases, Des Plaines Retail Theft cases, Des Plaines Shoplifting cases, Des Plaines misdemeanor Drug cases, Des Plaines Theft cases, and Des Plaines Battery cases, are heard throughout the various misdemeanor Courtrooms on the first floor of the Old Orchard Courthouse in Skokie.

Des Plaines criminal defense attorney, James Dimeas, has over-27 years of experience handling criminal cases throughout Des Plaines, Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County. With his over-27 years of experience as a criminal defense attorney, James Dimeas understands what could happen to you if you have a criminal record. In today's highly competitive job environment, virtually every employer conducts thorough background searches prior to hiring an employee. James Dimeas understands that if a prospective employer were to find a criminal case on a background search, it is highly unlikely that you will get that job. James Dimeas has seen what the consequences of losing a criminal case could have for your future. James Dimeas understands that when it comes to a criminal case, winning is the only option!

James Dimeas is one of the most-respected and successful criminal defense attorneys in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. James Dimeas has established this outstanding reputation because he wins cases.  James Dimeas has focused his entire 27 years of law practice on only handling criminal cases. James Dimeas has learned how to handle criminal cases throughout the different Courthouses and Courtrooms throughout Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County. James Dimeas has established relationships with prosecutors and with judges. James Dimeas has a unique understanding of the criminal law in Illinois and knows what he has to do to get results. James Dimeas is well-respected by criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors and judges in the criminal defense field.

Des Plaines criminal defense lawyer, James Dimeas, is a nationally-recognized award-winning criminal defense attorney with over-27 years of handling criminal cases in Des Plaines, Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, and Lake County. Recently, James Dimeas was named a "Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer In the State of Illinois For the Year 2018, 2019, and 2020" by the American Society of Legal Advocates. James Dimeas was named a "Best DUI Attorney." Expertise named James Dimeas a "Best Criminal Defense Lawyer in Chicago." Attorney and Practice Magazine gave James Dimeas the "Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorney Award for Illinois." The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys gave James Dimeas the "Top 10 Attorney Award for the State of Illinois." The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys recognized James Dimeas as a "10 Best Attorney for Client Satisfaction." The National Trial Lawyers recognized James Dimeas as a "Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer." AVVO rates James Dimeas as "Superb", 10 out of 10, the highest rating possible for any criminal lawyer in the United States.

If you are under investigation or has been arrested and need to go to court for a Des Plaines criminal case, you can contact James Dimeas anytime for a free and confidential consultation. James Dimeas can meet you at his office or at a convenient location so that you can have a confidential consultation with an effective and experienced criminal defense attorney to begin protecting your rights and to take steps to protect your future. You can talk to James Dimeas personally at any time by calling him at 847-807-7405.