Criminal Defense

Protecting Your Rights, Your Interests, and Your Future

At the Law Office of Pedersen & Irvin we work to protect the rights, interests, and futures of our clients.

The principal of our firm, Brittany Pedersen has worked as a lawyer for 15 years in the areas of criminal defense, family law, business law, and personal injury. The legal team she leads is dedicated to getting results and helping clients overcome difficult problems.

Criminal Defense

For a consultation with Pedersen & Irvin, Ltd., an experienced defense law firm, call (630) 906-5571
or email us.

Domestic Violence Defense & Orders of Protection

Conviction on a domestic violence charge, violation of order of protection or even having a restraining order filed against you can result in loss of child custody rights, loss of, or restricted child visitation privileges, and can have other negative consequences such as loss of gun ownership rights. Your name will be on police records and if you are pulled over or investigated for any reason, the officer may subject you to more intense scrutiny than would ordinarily be the case.

Domestic Violence Defense Attorney

If at all possible, you should try to avoid a domestic violence conviction. Failing that, you should seek an outcome which mitigates the consequences and limits the damage to you and your family.

Attorney Brittany Pedersen successfully defends clients accused of domestic violence. Her firm, the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin, has extensive experience in all types of criminal defense, as well as family law matters. In defending people accused of domestic violence or spousal abuse, we have three aims:

To protect the civil rights and the freedom of the client.
To prevent the event from ruining the life of the client.
If possible, to resolve the matter in such a way as to preserve the family unit or the client's relationship with other family members.

“He Said, She Said”

Quite frequently, in a domestic violence or Order of protection proceeding one party will attempt to gain an advantage by making a false claim of domestic battery against the other spouse. These can turn into "he said, she said" disputes. But even if there is not physical evidence, they can be difficult charges to defend against. We carefully investigate the chain of events which led up to such allegations, using third-party evidence and interviews if possible. We strongly believe that people should not be convicted on false evidence and we aggressively defend our clients.

In other cases, there may have been an event that comes close to or does constitute domestic violence or abuse. In these situations, we can sometimes avoid a conviction or mitigate the consequences by negotiating with the State's Attorney to obtain the client's placement in a treatment, counseling, or anger management program. Law Office Pedersen & Irvin works with counseling centers and service providers in Cook, Kane, DuPage, DeKalb and Kendall counties.

For a free consultation with the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin call (630) 906-5571 or email us.

Weapon Charges

Using a weapon when committing a crime can significantly increase the jail time sought by prosecutors. Upon conviction, the use of a gun during a crime will typically add 15 years to the sentence, while the use of a knife or other weapon will add 5-10 years.

At the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin, we aggressively defend clients accused of weapons charges, including:

Armed robbery
Assault with a deadly weapon or firearm
Possession and trafficking of illegal guns and automatic weapons
Home invasion
And others

A Strong and Effective Defense

Our goal in every weapons case is to defend our client’s rights and freedom by building a strong and effective defense. The principal of our firm, Brittany Pedersen, has extensive experience in all types of criminal defense efforts, including in crimes involving weapons and illegal firearm possession.

These cases can be tough to win, and no firm can make guarantees regarding the outcome. In addition, successful negotiation for a lesser charge or reduced sentence is less likely than in those cases which do not involve weapons. However, success is possible. One of the major goals of our defense effort in an armed robbery case is to find a way to separate the weapon from the accused, the crime scene, or the alleged crime. If that can be done, then we can focus on defense against the underlying criminal accusation itself, the alleged robbery.

During the entire legal process, we keep the client informed of all options. We will energetically work to achieve the best outcome possible; including dismissal, acquittal, or a negotiated plea if that can be obtained.

For a free consultation with the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin call (630) 906-5571 or email us.

Assault & Murder

As a criminal defense attorney, Brittany Pedersen has defended hundreds of people accused of violent crimes. She understands the grave and serious nature of such charges. The Law Office Pedersen & Irvin is committed to providing the strongest defense possible in these cases.

Our firm defends clients accused of all types of violent crimes, including:

Battery
Assault & aggravated assault
Attempted murder
Homicide
Involuntary manslaughter
Vehicular/reckless homicide
Sexual assault
Domestic violence, and others

Over the course of her career, Brittany Pedersen has defended clients charged of first degree murder and Attempted murder charges, as well as countless other violent crime cases. Though the potential penalty may be higher in some cases than in others, we defend every case as aggressively as possible. Whether it involves an allegation of assault and battery, homicide, or aggravated battery, we put the same intensity into the defense effort.

We know that for you, the criminal charge you face is your greatest concern, and we act accordingly.

In defending against violent crime charges, no one approach works in every situation. If we go to work for you, we will carefully review all the facts and develop a unique legal strategy to meet the needs of your case, the strategy that we think will obtain the best results for you. If needed, we can call upon highly skilled private investigators who can uncover new evidence or disprove or undermine the prosecution's allegations. Even disproving a single element of the case, if it is important to the prosecution, may be enough to obtain a dismissal or acquittal of the charge.

Throughout the entire process, we keep the client informed of the legal options available through negotiated plea arrangements or alternative sentencing programs.

For a free consultation with the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin call (630) 906-5571 or email us.

Drug Crimes

Law Office of Pedersen & Irvin defend clients accused of all types of felony and misdemeanor drug charges, including:

Possession of illegal substances
Possession with intent to distribute
Distribution and trafficking of drugs
Prescription drug fraud
Manufacture of drugs
Drug possession by juveniles, and others

We practice in all Illinois courts, State and Federal, and pursue appeals through both appellate systems.

As a criminal defense attorney, Brittany Pedersen understands how to develop strong and effective drug crime defense efforts. Fairly often, drug charges can be overcome on search and seizure grounds because the police or undercover detectives made critical errors during the operation and arrest. We look for every opportunity to obtain a dismissal or acquittal when this is possible.

Our approach differs according to the specific circumstance of the case. In those involving federal drug charges, for example, the prosecution's case is often very strong. Depending on the client's wishes, we may focus on examining the sentencing guidelines to obtain a reduced sentence or negotiate with the prosecution for a lesser charge.

Alternative Sentencing Programs

In many State drug cases, especially those involving simple possession, we can often obtain a mitigation of the charge and penalty. In addition to being a skilled negotiator in criminal cases, attorney Brittany Pedersen understands all of the available alternative sentencing programs in Illinois, including Section 410 probation, Section 710 probation, Treatment Alternatives for Street Crimes (TASC), and the Second Chance Programs and county drug courts. Attorney Pedersen was a member of the Kane County Juvenile Drug Court Program, while employed with Kane County Public Defender’s Office.

Brittany Pedersen understands all of these options, and how and when to approach the prosecutor to obtain an alternative to conviction and punishment under these programs.

For a free consultation with the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin call (630) 906-5571 or email us.

Financial & Internet Crimes

In this every changing society where the internet is the key to all access accusations of internet crimes continue to rise. While the alleged crimes are similar to or the same as crimes committed through conventional means, defense of such crimes requires additional legal and technical skills.

Law Office of Pedersen & Irvin, have defended people accused of fraud, theft, and sexual offenses for years. At her law firm, she uses this knowledge and experience, and leading computer and technical experts, in the defense of people accused of internet crimes, including:

Internet fraud
Identity theft
Phishing scams
Hacking
Internet sex crimes
Possession of child pornography
Solicitation of a minor over the internet, and others

We approach a computer crime case like every criminal defense problem, by identifying the elements the prosecution is trying to prove and then challenging them. Through careful research, investigation, and analysis of the facts, we can then attempt to undermine or disprove them, either in total or one by one. The goal is to put the client in the strongest position, for a dismissal or acquittal if possible. If not we than zealously negotiate an agreement from a position of strength.

Whether your case involves alleged internet sex crimes, fraudulent sale of merchandise over the internet, or other types of internet crimes, the Law Office of Brittany M. Pedersen & Associates, will work to protect your rights, preserve your freedom, and obtain the best outcome possible.

For a free consultation with the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin call (630) 906-5571 or email us.

Sex Crimes

Chicago, Cook County, Kane, County, DeKalb County & DuPage County Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer

For years, attorney Brittany Pedersen has defended people accused of criminal sexual assault and sexual misconduct offenses, including:

Sexual assault
Rape
Sexual abuse
Statutory rape
Sex offender registration crimes
Internet solicitation of a minor
Child pornography, and others

In sex crimes defense, no single approach can guarantee results. Successful defense of such charges depends on a careful analysis of the facts, hard work, and determination on the part of the defense attorney. Examination of the evidence on a fact by fact basis can reveal weaknesses in the prosecution's case, or mitigating factors in favor of the defense. Developing a strong defense requires the cooperation and the frank and complete honesty of the accused.

When Brittany Pedersen takes a sexual offense case, she works closely with the client to uncover all relevant facts and information. Using her knowledge and experience, and that of skilled investigators, Brittany Pedersen works to build the strongest case possible. Our defense team will look for inconsistencies in the accuser's story and in the testimony of police detectives. We have extensive experience in the use and analysis of DNA evidence, and can call upon expert witnesses who can challenge such evidence, when this may help the client.

Throughout the entire legal process, we work to protect the rights and preserve the freedom of our clients.

For a free consultation with the Law Office of Pedersen & Irvin, call (630) 906-5571 or contact us online.

Child Pornography Defense Lawyer

An arrest for possession of child pornography can have devastating consequences. Even if you avoid conviction, the stigma of a child pornography arrest can follow you for the rest of your life. It can damage your career and harm your family and personal relationships.

A child pornography arrest need not be the end of the world. Depending on the circumstances, there may be effective defense strategies available.

Attorney Brittany Pedersen has extensive experience defending clients facing charges of child pornography, internet sex offenses, sexual assault, and other serious felonies. Her firm, the Law Office of Pedersen & Irvin, aggressively defends the rights and freedom of clients accused of violations of child pornography laws, including charges of:

Possession of child pornography

Production or distribution of child pornography

Internet solicitation of a minor, and others

Building an Effective Defense

When our firm undertakes the defense of a person accused of child pornography crimes, we look at every possible aspect of the case. We work with some of the nation's leading computer forensic experts to determine how the image or images came to be found on our client's computer, and what they truly are. Sometimes the conscious action of the accused brings the images to the computer, but other times this can happen inadvertently or they can even be placed there by malevolent spyware. We examine the image itself, is it a photo that depicts a real event or is it a virtual image? Are the people depicted truly minors or could they be adults?

Brittany Pedersen and her defense team will examine every aspect of the situation and build a strong case, with the aim of mitigation of punishment, dismissal of charges, or acquittal at trial. An effective defense to child pornography charges is possible.

For a free consultation with the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin call (630) 906-5571 or email us.

Theft

The Law Office of Pedersen & Irvin aggressively defends people accused of all types of property crimes. The principal of our firm, Brittany Pedersen, has many years of experience as a criminal defense attorney. She believes that every person deserves the strongest defense possible.

Our firm defends people accused of felony and misdemeanor property crimes, including:

Theft
Residential burglary
Armed robbery
Car theft
Possession of stolen property
Employee theft
White collar crime and fraud
Internet fraud and theft
Retail theft/shoplifting, and others

Protecting Your Rights, Your Freedom, and Your Future

Our firm works to protect the rights, the freedom, and the futures of our clients. When we go to work for a client, we will carefully examine all aspects of the events that led to the client's arrest. When possible, we will analyze the facts and collect evidence to obtain a dismissal or acquittal of the charges. When the facts do not allow this, and only after consultation with the client, we will negotiate with the State's Attorney to obtain a reduction of charges or punishment.

Much of our criminal defense practice involves the defense of juveniles accused of property crimes, drug crimes, and other criminal acts. We believe that an isolated residential burglary or retail theft charge charge should not be allowed to ruin the future of a young person. We understand the various alternative sentencing programs, including the various county’s Second Chance and Diversion Programs, Deferred Prosecution Programs, Alternative Treatment Courts and Alternative Probation options for non-violent crimes. The programs and courts enable the accused to obtain a dismissal of charges in exchange for restitution, community service or other terms.

In every case, our goal is to obtain the best outcome possible, while protecting the rights and freedom of the client.

For a free consultation with the Law Office Pedersen & Irvin call (630) 906-5571 or email us.