Step 1: Case evaluation
We sit down with you to understand the charge, the arrest, and what's at stake, whether that's your license, your record, or your freedom.
Criminal & traffic law
Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney and Traffic Lawyer
When your freedom or driving privileges are on the line, you need a fearless criminal defense attorney. Villalobos & Associates has defended Chicagoland clients for nearly 50 years.
Cook county criminal courts
Why You Need an Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer in Cook County
A criminal or traffic charge can affect your job, your driving privileges, your immigration status, and your reputation long after the case ends. Cook County's criminal courts, including the courthouse at 26th and California, move fast and can feel overwhelming if you don't have someone who knows the system standing beside you.
Founding attorney Raul Villalobos spent years as a Cook County prosecutor at that same courthouse before turning his focus to defense. As trial lawyers, our team prepares every case as though it is headed to a jury, because the strongest negotiating position is always the one backed by a willingness to go to trial.
Villalobos & Associates is a full-service law firm, so if your matter also touches on real estate or a family estate, our real estate lawyers and estate planning attorneys can step in under the same roof. Whatever the charge, you deserve legal representation from a firm that has seen the inside of nearly every criminal courtroom in Chicago.
What we handle
Criminal and Traffic Matters We Defend
We represent clients across the full range of criminal and traffic charges filed in Cook, DuPage, Will, and Lake counties. Our experience runs from routine traffic stops to complex felony trials with DNA, ballistics, and forensic evidence.
- Felony charges, including drug possession, weapons offenses, and violent crimes
- Misdemeanor charges such as battery, domestic battery, and violation of protective orders
- DUI and other drug or alcohol related driving offenses
- Traffic citations including suspended license, no valid insurance, and aggravated speeding
- Criminal sexual abuse and assault cases
- Attempt murder and murder charges
How we build your defense
From Consultation to Courtroom
Every case starts with a clear-eyed look at the evidence and ends with a strategy built around your goals, whether that means a dismissal, a negotiated resolution, or a jury verdict. Here is how we move a criminal or traffic matter forward.
Step 2: Evidence and investigation
We pull police reports, body camera footage, lab results, and witness statements, and we visit the scene ourselves when it matters.
Step 3: Strategy and negotiation
We identify weaknesses in the state's case, file the right motions, and negotiate with prosecutors from a position of strength.
Step 4: Trial, if that's what it takes
If a fair resolution isn't on the table, we take the case to trial and argue it in front of a judge or jury.
Why clients choose us
Big-Firm Results, Small-Firm Attention
Facing a criminal or traffic charge alone is one of the hardest things a person can go through. Here's why families across the Chicagoland area trust Villalobos & Associates with their defense.
Nearly 50 years in Cook County courtrooms
Raul Villalobos began his career as head felony prosecutor at 26th and California and has tried hundreds of cases on both sides of the courtroom since.
Felony and misdemeanor experience, side by side
Whether you're a felony defense lawyer's most serious case or a first-time misdemeanor charge, we prepare it with the same care and attention.
A firm that answers your calls
You'll work directly with Mark and Raul Villalobos, not a rotating cast of associates, from your first consultation through resolution.
Common questions
Criminal and Traffic Defense FAQs
Here are answers to some of the questions we hear most from clients facing a criminal charge or traffic citation in Cook, DuPage, Will, and Lake counties.
Answers
What should I do if I'm charged with a felony in Cook County?
Contact a felony defense lawyer before you speak with police or prosecutors. Anything you say can be used against you, and an early consultation gives us the best chance to gather evidence and build your defense from day one.
Can a traffic ticket attorney help me avoid a suspended license?
Yes. A suspended license lawyer can often negotiate reduced charges, request court supervision, or challenge the citation outright, all of which can keep points off your record and your license intact.
What's the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony charge in Illinois?
Misdemeanors carry lighter penalties, typically up to a year in jail, while felonies can carry years in prison and lasting consequences for your record. A misdemeanor defense lawyer and a felony defense lawyer both need trial experience, since either charge can escalate quickly without the right representation.
Will my DUI case go to trial?
Not always, but it can if that's what protects you best. A DUI lawyer at our firm reviews the arrest, the field sobriety tests, and any breathalyzer or blood evidence to decide whether a trial, a negotiated plea, or a motion to suppress gives you the strongest outcome.
Where we practice
Serving Clients Throughout Cook, DuPage, Will, and Lake Counties
From our office on 18th Street in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, we represent clients facing criminal and traffic charges throughout the surrounding counties and communities, including:
Talk to a Criminal Defense Attorney Before Your Next Court Date
Don't wait until your court date to get help. The sooner a criminal defense attorney reviews your case, the more options we have to protect your record, your license, and your future.
