Federal Criminal Defense in the Southern District of Illinois

I have become a leader in the federal defense bar for the Southern District of Illinois as witnessed by my being a part of the panel to retain and appoint Magistrate Cohn. I also have served on the retention committee for Federal Public Defenders Phil Kavanaugh in the Southern District of Illinois.  I have been an attorney for nearly 25 years and for over a decade have enjoyed an AV rating which is the highest rating given by Martindale Hubbell. I am a lifelong resident of Alton, Illinois, which is located across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. My Dad is a legendary Madison County trial lawyer and my brother Steve is a Madison County Judge. I cemented my family legacy as an Edwardsville attorney by being elected President of the Madison County Bar Association in 2010.

I Fight to Win

I don’t believe in a “volume” law practice.  I average only 15-20 open files at a time. This allows me to give personal attention to a particular client’s case, and to personally see a case through to the end. I don’t believe in being hired by a client and then passing the case off to an associate to handle. If a client hires me, I do all of the work.

I am proud to consider myself a trial lawyer, like my Dad, and average between one and two federal jury trials a year. In the very first jury trial, I was appointed to, U.S.A. v. Martinez, 92-CR-40088-JLF I acted as co-counsel and my client was acquitted. I am equally as proud of an acquittal in U.S.A. v. Solares 94-CR-30064-WDS where the Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting the case was my former trial advocacy teacher at St. Louis University.

In part due to being a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panels, I have represented in excess of 800 criminal Defendants in federal courts in the Southern District of Illinois and Eastern District of Missouri. In recent years, my practice has evolved from representing clients charged with federal drug or gun crimes to white-collar cases.

What is the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois?

When we say the Southern District of Illinois we’re actually referring to the United States District Court.  It is a trial-level federal district court with locations in East St. Louis, IL, Benton, IL, and Cairo IL with jurisdiction over 38 counties in the southern portion of Illinois.

The Southern District of Illinois has been active since 1855 and has undergone several reorganizations over the years.  It currently has four judges assigned to hear cases.

On October 1, 2014, the Honorable Michael J. Reagan was designated as Chief Judge for the Southern District of Illinois.

The chief law enforcement official in the district is Donald S. Boyce.  He was appointed as the interim United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois by Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch on July 9, 2016.

His office is responsible for representing the federal government in almost all litigation involving the United States in this region.  It covers federal criminal prosecution, civil lawsuits, and actions to collect judgments and restitution for victims and taxpayers.

Do I fall into the jurisdiction of the Southern District of Illinois?

If you are charged with a federal crime that falls into one of these counties you may be dealing with the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Review the counties below or see a jurisdiction map here.

What do I do if charged with a federal crime in the Southern District of Illinois?

If you are charged with a federal crime in the Southern District of Illinois please contact us to schedule an appointment for a confidential discussion about your case.