IN CRIMINAL LAW,
EXPERIENCE GETS RESULTS
Former Prosecutor • Former Judge • Former State’s Attorney
IN CRIMINAL LAW,
EXPERIENCE GETS RESULTS
Former Prosecutor • Former Judge • Former State’s Attorney
Paulson & Vandersnick
FREE CONSULTATION
ILLINOIS (309) 558-0774 or IOWA (563) 265-5057
WE FIGHT FOR YOU!
Over 100 Years of Trial Experience
Serving Illinois & Iowa - Se Habla Español
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IN CRIMINAL, IMMIGRATION, ACCIDENT & PERSONAL INJURY LAW
EXPERIENCE GETS RESULTS
Former Prosecutor • Former Judge • Former State’s Attorney
Practice Areas
CRIMINAL
DEFENSE
DUI
DEFENSE
IMMIGRATION
LAW
PERSONAL INJURY
LAW
Criminal Defense, DUI, Immigration, Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
Rock Island | Bettendorf
If you or a loved one are facing criminal charges or have been accused or arrested in either Illinois or Iowa, it is crucial to consult with an experienced criminal defense lawyer as early in the process as possible. Every moment you remain unrepresented is a moment that could damage your case. Enlist our proven trial attorneys to ensure your rights are protected. Let the experience and knowledge of our lawyers work for you.
Criminal defense for you or your loved one is too serious of a matter to place in inexperienced hands. When your future and your freedom are on the line, you need an attorney who has been there before.
We can help you with ALL State and Federal misdemeanor and felony criminal law charges.
CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAW
DUI / OWI - DRUNK DRIVING DEFENSE
DRUG CRIMES / OFFENSES DEFENSE
EXPUNGEMENTS / RECORD CLEARING
We help people throughout Illinois & Iowa including Henry County, Whiteside County, Rock Island County, Mercer County in Illinois and Scott County, Muscatine County and Clinton County in Iowa. We serve the people of Geneseo, Glava, Bishop Hill, Woodhull, Andover, Kewanee, Colona, Atkinson, Alpha, Cambridge, Annawan, Osco, Hooppole, Cleveland, Rock Falls, Tampico, Fulton, Albany, Como, Sterling, Prophetstown, Coleta, Lyndon, Round Grove, Morrison, Deer Grove, Erie, Fenton, Union Grove, Rock Island, Milan, Hillsdale, Coyne Center, Moline, Carbon Cliff, Rapids City, Oak Grove, East Moline, Port Byron, Hampton, Edgington, Silvis, Andalusia, Cordova, Aledo, Keithsburg, Viola, Seaton, New Boston, Windsor, North Henderson, Millersburg, Sherard, Matherville, Joy, Davenport, Le Claire, Park View, Princeton, Riverdale, Bettendorf, Long Grove, Donahue, New Liberty, Panorama Park, Eldridge, McCausland, Buffalo, Maysville, Dixon, Muscatine, Atalissa, Fruitland, Stockton, West Liberty, Conesville, Nichols, Clinton, Calamus, Lost Nation, Wheatland, Welton, DeWitt, Low Moor, Andover, Charlotte, Toronto, Camanche, Goose Lake, Grand Mound, Delmar and the surrounding towns, areas and counties.
LATEST COURT VICTORIES
Do you want a criminal defense attorney that has proven themselves in court? Please read our latest victories. If you need legal advice you can count on us for help. If you have been charged with a serious crime you can’t settle for an inexperienced criminal defense lawyer.
ATTORNEY MATT PAULSON AS SEEN IN THE ISBA - ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION / ILLINOIS BAR JOURNAL
The Third District of the Illinois Appellate Court’s holding on automobile searches based on the scent of burnt cannabis alone.
The Third District of the Illinois Appellate Court’s recent ruling concerning searches based on the scent of burnt cannabis was welcomed by the criminal defense bar as part of the natural evolution of the law after the state legalized the substance in 2021.
In People v. Stribling, the Third District held that the smell of burnt cannabis alone, without additional “corroborating factors,” was not enough to justify a search of a vehicle during a routine traffic stop. Attorneys say this case may be a first step toward a wholesale change in police practice in conducting traffic stops.
“It is groundbreaking,” says Matt Paulson, a partner with Paulson & Vandersnick in Rock Island. “Before this, courts used to say that there is no precedent, so they were still bound by the precedent of cases decided before legalization.”
Illinois became the 11th state to legalize cannabis in 2020. Before legalization, it was well-settled law that the smell of cannabis alone provided probable cause for law enforcement personnel to conduct a search of a vehicle during a traffic stop. Practitioners say this made sense when cannabis was illegal under the Cannabis Control Act, but that everything changed when cannabis was legalized.
“The justification behind that is that an officer detecting an odor of cannabis was detecting the odor of contraband,” Paulson says. “The officer was detecting something that the legislature had determined was illegal to possess. Now the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act says that cannabis is legal. It is not just decriminalized, but legal to consume and possess. That is a huge change because the odor of cannabis is no longer the result of illegal activity.”
What Happens During An Average Traffic Stop
Matthew Paulson and Larry Vandersnick describe a drug interdiction traffic stop and analyze where it went wrong for the prosecution.
Immigration Attorneys - Rock Island | Bettendorf
We provide comprehensive immigration law services for all matters ranging from citizenship, adjustment of status, to aggressive defense of deportation and removal cases. If you’re attempting to immigrate from your home country to the United States, it is important to be aware of the challenges that you may be confronted with. The process is not an easy one - immigration law can be difficult to understand – we work hard to explain everything as simply as possible. We provide informed representation and we will keep you up to date about the progress of your case. We also work with you to set realistic expectations about the likely outcome of your case. We understand that families face many hurdles when dealing with immigration law legal issues. We will do whatever is possible to keep your family together and work hard to keep a criminal conviction from negatively impacting your future here in the United States. We have the knowledge and experience to help you. Contact us schedule a free confidential consultation.
Our immigration law practice areas (but not limited to):
CLEMENCY / PARDONS
CRIMINAL LAW & IMMIGRATION STATUS
DEPORTATION DEFENSE / BOND HEARINGS
GREEN CARDS / LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS
Paulson & Vandersnick
FREE CONSULTATION
WE FIGHT FOR YOU!
Over 100 Years of Trial Experience
Serving Illinois & Iowa
ILLINOIS (309) 558-0774
4709 44th St., Suite 1
Rock Island, IL 61201
IOWA (563) 265-5057
2550 Middle Road, Suite 300
Bettendorf, Iowa 52722