Criminal Defense Attorneys in Dupage & Kane Counties

Donahue, Sowa & Magana

240 West River Drive St. Charles, Illinois 60174 USA

 (630) 762-1780
 (630) 513-0109

www.dui-criminal-lawyers.com
 Contact the Firm

Law Firm Overview Free Consultation

The law office of Donahue, Sowa & Magana is one of the oldest criminal defense firms in Illinois. We are committed to offering people accused of felonies and misdemeanors in northern Illinois—including the suburbs of Chicago--effective criminal defense. We work to get the best possible outcome for all of our clients.

The criminal defense attorneys at Donahue, Sowa & Magana value our reputation as professionals and hold ourselves to the highest levels of ethical and professional standards. If you look at the background of each of our attorneys, you will understand the power of experience:

John F. Donahue is a highly regarded trial and appellate lawyer, recognized by his peers with an AV® Peer Review Rating.

Glenn M. Sowa is a former Special Agent with the Illinois Bureau of Investigation and respected defense attorney.

Patricia Magana has experience in prosecution and is fluent in Spanish and French.

Our trial lawyers litigate more cases than most, if not all, other firms in this area. Because of our experience, we are able to try even the most complex cases. To litigate these cases, we have marshaled investigators, expert witnesses, forensic scientists, pathologists, and even entomologists to challenge or corroborate evidence.

Practice Areas

Additional Practice Areas: Solicitation to Commit Murder; Vehicular or Reckless Homicide; Shaken Baby Syndrome; Child Molestation; Online Solicitation of Sex with Minors; Sex Offender Registration Violations; Exhibitionism; Check Fraud; Accounting Fraud; Bank Fraud; Mortgage Fraud; Tax Evasion; Computer Fraud; Securities Fraud; Insider Trading; Driver's License Reinstatement; Police Investigations; Conspiracy.

Practice Areas Description

The law office of Donahue, Sowa & Magana provides legal representation and services in the following areas of practice:

- Traffic Violations

We defend people against all traffic violations, ranging from simple speeding tickets to more serious DUI charges. In addition to representing people during any criminal proceedings, we represent people who have had their driver's licenses suspended in driver's license reinstatement hearings.

- Drug Charges

The criminal defense attorneys are experienced in defending people accused of all Illinois drug felonies and misdemeanors--from possession of small amounts of marijuana (cannabis) to Super X felonies. We can defend you if you have been charged with:

• Possession of methamphetamine (crystal meth), cannabis, cocaine, heroin, LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, and prescription drugs, including Vicodin, Valium, Ritalin, and Oxycontin
• Conspiracy
• Sale
• Possession with Intent to Distribute
• Manufacture
• Firearms possession
• Trafficking

- Homicide and Manslaughter

If you have been accused of killing another person, you need legal representation that is prepared to handle complex cases, especially if it is for capital murder. You need criminal defense attorneys that have experience with multiple witnesses, independent investigations, and evaluating corroborative scientific evidence—including blood, DNA, and other crime scene forensic evidence. The criminal defense attorneys at Donahue, Sowa & Magana, one of the oldest law firms devoted to criminal defense in Illinois, have the experience and resources to handle first-degree murder and related charges.

- Domestic Violence

If you have been accused of domestic violence in Illinois, you know the stakes are high. Any time a domestic disturbance involves law enforcement assistance, it will likely result in the charge of domestic battery—a Class A misdemeanor—that can result in jail time and twenty-six weeks of counseling for a first offense. At Donahue, Sowa & Magana, we will defend you against all spousal abuse related charges. Our domestic violence attorneys will do everything we can to contest the charges and defeat the conviction. If you have been convicted of multiple domestic battery charges, it becomes a felony charge, not a misdemeanor. We employ a number of techniques to show the judge and prosecution that a prosecution is not necessary or desirable—including preemptive counseling.

- Sex Offenses

Donahue, Sowa & Magana is one of the oldest criminal law firms in Illinois. We defend people accused of all sorts of sex offenses. Our attorneys can litigate complex defense trials involving hundreds of witnesses or cases in which there is only one. We have successfully defended individuals wrongly accused of fondling, as well as others accused of a number of criminal sexual acts, including:

• Criminal sexual abuse
• Child molestation
• Sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault
• Obscenity and child pornography
• Online solicitation of sex with minors
• Prostitution
• Sex offender registration violations
• Exhibitionism

- White Collar Crimes / Theft

If you have been accused of any type of white collar crime, the advice and representation of a criminal defense lawyer who understands complex financial matters is likely to prove invaluable. Our attorneys have the ability to work effectively with forensic accountants and develop effective defense strategies based upon an in-depth financial investigation. In addition to defending individuals accused of white collar crime, we offer aggressive defense for people charged with other theft crimes in Illinois. Whether you have been accused of residential burglary, burglary to an automobile or commercial establishment, or shoplifting, theft is taken very seriously in Illinois. We will aggressively defend you. For first-time offenders, we often seek to avoid prosecution entirely.

- Juvenile Crimes

As one of the oldest firms in Illinois dedicated to criminal defense, Donahue, Sowa & Magana we have a long history of defending juveniles accused of criminal behavior. Our juvenile defense attorneys will defend your child no matter what the charge is. We have defended minors accused of all types of criminal acts, including: Shoplifting; Minors in possession (MIP); Underage drinking and DUI; Drug possession and trafficking; Criminal damage; and, Theft, burglary, and residential burglary.

- Expungement

In Illinois, if you are arrested and charged with a crime, you have a criminal record - even if the charges are dismissed or you are ultimately acquitted of the charges. This record may come up in criminal background checks performed by future employers, landlords, or other people who have control over important aspects of your life. In many circumstances though, you may be eligible for an expungement, sealing your arrest record so that it will not appear in future criminal background checks. At the law firm of Donahue, Sowa & Magana, our skilled criminal defense lawyers represent people in expungement proceedings.

- Child Pornography

If you are being investigated for any crime related to child pornography, come to the law firm of Donahue, Sowa & Magana immediately. The sooner you speak with an attorney, the sooner we can begin protecting your rights and interests. Frequently, child pornography cases center upon evidence available on computers. Deleting a computer file does not actually remove all record of the file from your computer - and cases related to child pornography often require experts trained in computer forensics to evaluate the evidence. Our attorneys have handled many child pornography cases and we understand the complexities involved with forensic analysis of computers. We can effectively work with forensic experts to construct your defense representation.

- Driver's License Reinstatement

If you have had your driving privileges suspended or revoked and you hope to eventually regain these privileges, come to the law firm of Donahue, Sowa & Magana. To regain your driving privileges following a license revocation, you will generally need to appear before an administrative law judge for a license reinstatement hearing. Our experienced attorneys have been representing clients in license reinstatement hearings for more than 30 years. We know how to effectively guide you through this process.

- Drunk Driving DUI/DWI

If you have been drinking, the best decision is not to drive. In Illinois, drinking and driving is a serious crime punished with severe criminal penalties. Driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher-roughly the equivalent of three drinks consumed in an hour for an average sized man-can result in a license suspension, fines, and a significant increase in your insurance rates. At the law offices of Donahue, Sowa & Magana, we understand the potential costs of a DUI conviction and work hard to protect your driving privileges.

- Police Investigations

Are you the subject of a police investigation? If police officers have contacted you to discuss any type of criminal matter, now is the time to contact an attorney. Even if you haven't done anything wrong or if you have not been formally charged with a crime, the police may be working to build a case against you. At the law firm of Donahue, Sowa & Magana, we represent people in northern Illinois who are involved with any criminal proceedings, from the earliest phases of a police investigation to final criminal appeals. Before you speak with a police officer who is investigating a crime, contact us to discuss your legal concerns. The sooner we become involved with your representation, the sooner we can begin working to defuse the current situation.

- Criminal Appeals

At Donahue, Sowa & Magana, we have done extensive criminal appeals work in Illinois. Our criminal appeals attorneys have appeared in the Illinois appellate courts and before the Illinois Supreme Court. Two of our appeals attorneys—Mr. Donahue and Mr. Sowa—are also certified by the Capital Litigation Bar to try death penalty cases.

More Information on Donahue, Sowa & Magana

Kane County Criminal Defense Attorneys
St. Charles, Illinois Drug Arrest Defense Lawyer
Manslaughter Defense Lawyer, St. Charles, IL
St. Charles, IL Domestic Violence Attorney
Sex Offense Attorneys in St. Charles, Illinois
St. Charles, IL White Collar Crimes Lawyer
St. Charles, IL Juvenile Crime Defense Law Firm
Expungement Attorneys in St. Charles, Illinois
Donahue, Sowa & Magana Blog
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