A 9-year old boy in Chicago was killed by a driver in front of his school during drop off. Mike Adler spoke to BlockClub Chicago on this fatal crash. Our job is to make our communities safer and help people get justice economically, criminally, or both. Below is a link to the article.
Adler & Adler practices in civil court where the judge can only award money damage for negligent conduct. But in many cases, this negligent conduct is also criminal conduct. Only the State can bring criminal charges. We cannot directly bring criminal charges, but we can act as a liaison between our clients and the States Attorney so you know what is going on in the criminal case and make sure you have a voice at the table when charges and pleas are being negotiated. If the case is not being investigated or no charges have been brought, we can push investigators to look at aspects of the case that may have been overlooked.
Criminal charges play an interesting role in civil lawsuits. Your civil lawsuit may be put on pause, called a stay, while the criminal case is pending to preserve the defendant’s 5th Amendment rights against self incrimination. A criminal guilty plea or guilty verdict can make proving negligence in the civil case much simpler. But criminal and civil cases have different burden’s of proof, so a not guilty finding in a criminal case may not get the defendant off the hook in the civil case. OJ Simpson was found not guilty criminally, but lost the same case in civil court brought by the family.
(Photo) A memorial vigil was held for Anakin in front of the school on September 18. Credit: Provided and Michael Liptrot/Block Club Chicago.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/29/family-of-west-side-boy-9-killed-by-driver-outside-his-school-demand-criminal-charges-in-case/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPu5G9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe0rV2t_jnvYGH2MPsNBJK5sA0dmTp_YLtUwDRFfoDhPvQ5w19n0fDO8_OOZ8_aem_WoaEqwCEE6zo4jfYNrw31g