McDonough County Public Defender’s Office

Public Defender: Stephanie Hilton
Assist. Public Defender: John P. Sheehan

130 South Lafayette Street      Phone: 309-837-2305
Suite 20                                  or       309-837-2306
Macomb, Illinois 61455            Fax:    309-837-1084

About us:
The McDonough County Public Defender’s Office represents individuals accused of crimes in McDonough County who face a possible jail or prison sentence and cannot afford to hire private counsel. In addition, when appointed, our office represents juveniles and family members in delinquency and abuse/neglect cases. We are appointed on a case by case basis by judges presiding in McDonough County. Once we are appointed, the case will be assigned to one of the three attorneys in our office. We are bound by all legal and ethical rules to represent our clients fully and diligently throughout all stages of the criminal court process.

The McDonough County Public Defender’s Office can only communicate with and provide information to our clients directly. We have a duty of confidentially to everyone that we represent.

Location:
We are located at 130 South Lafayette Street in Macomb. The street level business in the building is Advanced Rehab Service. When you enter this building, walk through the double doors on the right, and take the stairs or elevator to the basement level where you will find our office.

Office Hours:
Our office is open weekdays, excluding court holidays, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. We are closed for lunch between noon and 1:00 p.m. There is no one available to answer calls or take messages after hours.

Expungement Information:
In limited situations, an individual may be eligible for expungement or sealing of criminal records. Our office cannot assist directly in the expungement process. This is because the expungement process is beyond the scope of our representation pursuant to 55 ILCS 5/3-4006. Please use this link for additional information about expungement and feel free to contact private counsel: http://www.illinois.gov/osad/Expungement/Pages/default.aspx

DUI Information:
Every DUI case has two distinct parts: a criminal part and a civil part. The criminal part of the case is what the Public Defender’s Office is appointed to handle. A DUI case can be either a misdemeanor or felony, both of which carry the possibility of jail or prison.
The civil part of a DUI is between the driver and the Illinois Secretary of State. This civil case primarily involves the automatic suspension (Statutory Summary Suspension) of a driver’s license for a period of time between 6 months and 3 years. The Public Defender’s Office cannot represent our clients on the civil part of the case, as we are only permitted to handle criminal matters. Our clients are free to seek information and representation from a private counsel.
While this is not meant to constitute legal advice, please be aware that typically the Statutory Summary Suspension takes effect 46 days from the date of a DUI arrest. The Secretary of State will likely mail a notice of suspension and other paperwork to the driver at the last address that is on file. A driver can contest the suspension by filing a Petition to Rescind Statutory Summary Suspension within 90 days of the date of arrest. Please use this link for more information about the civil part of a DUI from the Illinois Secretary of State: https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/drivers/faq.html