Oak Lawn Criminal Law Information Center

The Village of Oak Lawn is a vibrant community located in the Southwest suburbs of Cook County. Oak Lawn has a population of approximately 57,000 people. Oak Lawn is surrounded by other suburbs in the South and Southwest part of Cook County and is very close to the City of Chicago.

In 1859, Worth Township paid to construct Black Oak Grove Road. Black Oak Grove Road is now known as 95th Street, the main thoroughfare that runs through Oak Lawn. The area that is now known as Oak Lawn was originally called Black Oak Grove. In 1882 a Post Office and Train Depot were built on Black Oak Grove Road. The surrounding community became known as Oak Lawn. In the next 20 years, homes and businesses were built and the area started to expand.

In 1909, Oak Lawn was incorporated. The local government services were established. A Village Hall and a Village Jail were built. In 1911, electric lights were brought to 95th Street. By 1930, 2,045 people lived in Oak Lawn. In 1936, the Oak Lawn Public Library opened. Oak Lawn's major population boom happened after World War II when veterans, taking advantage of the GI Bill, moved into Oak Lawn. In 1952, a major parade was held in Oak Lawn that was broadcast on WGN TV. In 1967, a major tornado struck Oak Lawn. The Oak Lawn Tornado of 1967 is known as one of the worst tornadoes to strike an urban area in the United States. 30 people were killed and over 900 buildings were leveled.

In the 1980's, an aging population led to a drop in Oak Lawn's population. Several schools were closed and the Village focused on bringing more businesses to 95th Street in order to attract more residents. 95th Street remains a major thoroughfare in Oak Lawn and the entire South suburbs.

The Oak Lawn Police Department has over 104 sworn police officers.

All Oak Lawn criminal cases are at the Bridgeview Courthouse. The Bridgeview Courthouse is part of the Cook County Judicial Circuit, the largest Judicial Circuit in Illinois and one of the largest unified court systems in the United States. 

The Bridgeview Courthouse is the Fifth Municipal District Courthouse in Cook County. It is located at 10220 South 76th Avenue, Bridgeview Illinois 60455. The following municipalities and townships are part of the jurisdiction of the Fifth Municipal District Courthouse in Bridgeview Illinois: Alsip, Bedford Park, Bridgeview, Burbank, Burr Ridge, Chicago Ridge, Crestwood, Countryside, Evergreen Park, Forest View, Hickory Hills, Hinsdale, Hodgkins, Hometown, Indian Head Park, Justice, LaGrange, Lemont, Lyons, McCook, Merrionette Park, Oak Forest, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Stickney, Summit, Tinley Park, Western Springs, Willow Springs, Woodridge, Worth, Lemont Township, Lyons Township, Orland Township, Palos Township, Stickney Township, and Worth Township.

Room 103 is the central clearinghouse Courtroom at the Bridgeview Courthouse where all felonies in Bridgeview begin. Room 103 is where all Preliminary Hearings are held. Misdemeanor Bond Hearings are at 10 a.m. while Felony Bond Hearings are at 1:30 pm. Bond Hearings on weekends and holidays are in Central Bond Court in Room 101 at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 26th and California. If you are taken to Bond Court on a weekend or a holiday, the Oak Lawn Police will take you to 26th and California where your Bond Hearing will be held. However, if you have an Oak Lawn criminal case, your case will be held at the Bridgeview Courthouse.

There are 6 felony Courtrooms at the Bridgeview Courthouse. Two of the felony Courtrooms in Bridgeview are for Chicago felony cases.  Room 108 is a Specialty Felony Courtroom that houses Drug Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Court.

All Oak Lawn Domestic Battery and Oak Lawn Aggravated Domestic Battery cases are heard in Room 204 of the Bridgeview Courthouse. Room 204 in Bridgeview is a dedicated Domestic Battery courtroom for all Oak Lawn and Bridgeview Courthouse Domestic Battery cases. The prosecutors and the courtroom staff in Room 204 are specially trained to handle Domestic Battery cases and to deal with Domestic Violence situations.

Oak Lawn misdemeanor cases, such as Oak Lawn DUI cases, Oak Lawn Retail Theft cases, Oak Lawn Shoplifting Cases, Oak Lawn Drug cases, Oak Lawn Theft cases, and Oak Lawn Battery cases, are heard on particular days of the month throughout the first and second floor of the Bridgeview Courthouse. Oak Lawn Traffic and Municipal Ordinance Violation cases are heard in Rooms 209 and 210 at the Bridgeview Courthouse.

Oak Lawn criminal defense lawyer, James Dimeas, understands the long-term implications of a conviction for your future. James Dimeas understands how a criminal case can severely and permanently impact your long-term future. In today's tight and highly competitive job market, virtually every employer performs thorough background searches. If a criminal case appears on your background search, you may not be able to get that job. Even your current employer may perform a periodic background search. You cannot take a chance that a criminal case will appear on a background search. You will lose your job. A bad background search may keep you from getting that apartment or from getting into that school that you want to go to.

If you are facing a criminal case at the Bridgeview Courthouse, or in Oak Lawn, it is critical that you hire the right lawyer. You want the right lawyer that knows what he has to do and how he has to handle your case to make sure that it does not appear on a background search.

James Dimeas is an Oak Lawn criminal defense attorney with over-27 years of experience handling criminal cases. James Dimeas is a very well-known and highly-respected criminal defense attorney that has built relationships and a reputation that allows him to walk into any courtroom with the respect and the credibility necessary to successfully handle a criminal case.

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

If you are facing criminal charges in Oak Lawn, or at the Bridgeview Courthouse, you can contact James Dimeas anytime for a free and confidential consultation. You can speak to James Dimeas personally by calling him at 847-807-7405.