Jorie K. Johnson
Top rated Criminal Defense attorney in Aurora, Illinois
The Law Office of Jorie K. Johnson, LLC
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense; view more
Licensed in Illinois since: 2008
Education: The John Marshall Law School
Call today:
847-922-8683

The Law Office of Jorie K. Johnson, LLC
3015 East New York StreetSuite A2-178
Aurora, IL 60504 Visit website
Details
As founder of the Law Office of Jorie K. Johnson, Ms. Johnson is dedicated to serving clients in multiple counties within Illinois, including but not limited to Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Kendall, Winnebago, Ogle, Lee, Grundy, LaSalle and Will from her offices in Aurora, Lisle, and Chicago. She focuses her practice on restorative justice (i.e., criminal records law), post-conviction relief and general criminal defense. With regards to petitions to expunge, seal and for executive clemency, Ms. Johnson represents clients throughout the entire State of Illinois.
Over the course of her career, Ms. Johnson has represented clients in cases involving the following: pending criminal charges ranging from petty traffic offenses to misdemeanors to felonies, both violent and non-violent; expungement, sealing, pardons (including commutations of sentence petitions), and certificates of disability and good conduct, as well as motions to vacate and petitions for relief from judgment.  She has been quite successful in obtaining executive clemency with authorization to expunge (some including restoration of firearm ownership privileges) cases from present and past Illinois governors. Ms. Johnson also handles active criminal cases of all levels, including murder, sex offenses, possession of controlled substances and cannabis, theft and/or retail theft, assault, battery, domestic violence and more. Finally, Ms. Johnson assists individuals obtaining and reinstating both their FOID cards and concealed carry permits within Illinois.
Ms. Johnson graduated from the elite Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire in 1992. While working full time as a paralegal/contracts manager, Ms. Johnson graduated from Northwestern University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in psychology, and minoring in Business. She then went on to earn a Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School in 2008.
Ms. Johnson understands that, when they are facing criminal charges, her clients' futures are on the line. As such, she empathetically and analytically listens to her clients and helps them build a strong criminal defense. From the start of each case until its resolution, Ms. Johnson stands by her clients and strives to ensure their rights are upheld. In the case of her post-conviction clients, Ms. Johnson understands that people do make mistakes throughout their lives and she firmly believes that none of us should be judged solely on a moment or two of bad judgment.
A former volunteer with Cabrini Green Legal Aid and First Defense Legal Aid, where she provided pro bono representation to clients for multiple years, Ms. Johnson stays active in the legal community. She is a member of numerous professional associations, including the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, DuPage County Bar Association and the Women's Criminal Defense Bar Association. Ms. Johnson continues to provide pro bono representation when and where possible.
Practice areas
Criminal DefenseFocus areas
Arrest & Arraignment, Assault & Battery, Criminal Domestic Violence, Criminal Fraud, Criminal Law, Drug & Alcohol Violations, Expungement, Felony, Misdemeanor, Murder, Parole, Probation, Sex Offenses, Theft
- 100% Criminal Defense
First Admitted: 2008, Illinois
Professional Webpage: https://www.illinoisexpungementlawyerblog.com/attorney-profi...
- Phillips Exeter Academy, Liberal Arts Graduate, Exeter, NH, 1992
- Northwestern University, Bachelor of Science, Major: Psychology; Minor: Business, Evanston, IL, 2002
- In April 2020 Ms. Johnson was sworn into the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (general practice)., 2020
- In December 2018 Ms. Johnson was sworn into the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (general practice)., 2018
- Petition to Expunge and Seal a total of twenty-four (24) criminal cases (assortment of convictions and non-convictions, both felony and misdemeanor) granted after hearing in Cook County (1st District)., 2022
- Client with multiple arrests (total of eleven (11)), for various offenses, and convictions for residential burglary and aggravated battery with great bodily harm, granted sealing, over State's objections, on multiple cases in Lake County (Illinois), along with expungement of two (2) cases which did not result in convictions. Client now able to progress within his profession of choice and put these old cases behind him, once and for all., 2020
- Ms. Johnson and co-counsel secured a not-guilty verdict on a high-profile murder case in Chicago where client was charged with killing his four (4) month old son while the latter was in his care. The not-guilty verdict included all charges brought against the client and, after a long, arduous battle in court, the client was released from custody and eligible to expunge his record., 2013
- Ms. Johnson and co-counsel, after a four (4) day trial in Cook County, Illinois, received a not-guilty verdict on charges of first-degree murder on a high-profile case where her client was charged with killing a seventeen (17) year old girl. Her client was found guilty on a lesser-included charge of second-degree murder, thus resulting in a much shorter sentence which is currently being served at fifty percent (50%) instead of one hunderd percent (100%). The difference in sentencing, due to Ms. Johnson and her co-counsel's work, was literally decades., 2012
- Motion to Reconsider denial of Petition to Seal filed pro se by client granted in Kane County (underlying case was 2008 aggravated battery conviction)., 2022
- As of May 20, 2023, Ms. Johnson has gotten a total of thirteen (13) petitions for executive clemency with authorization to expunge, some with restoration of firearm ownership privileges restored, granted from past and current Illinois governors. She also assisted these clients in pursuing expungement of their respective records in the circuit court where the conviction(s) occurred. The pardoned offenses included originally non-expungeable misdemeanor and felony offenses, both violent and non-violent; Ms. Johnson sincerely hopes that her work has helped these deserving individuals move forward with their lives., 2023
- DuPage County. State filed "public policy" objection to client's Petition to Seal misdemeanor indecent exposure conviction (reduced from felony sex offense) filed but after court hearing was held and arguments presented, Judge sided with my client, granting his Petition to Seal., 2021
- Woman convicted in 2013 of one (1) count of violating 720 ILCS 5/12-3.05(d)(1) (she was originally charged with a total of eight (8) counts of aggravated battery to an elderly/handicapped individual but ultimately was only convicted of a single count of agg. batt. to an elderly person) sealed by Court so Petitioner can move forward with obtaining employment, something she has been struggling with since the conviction. State attempted to object but did not timely file its objection under the Illinois Criminal Identification Act; Judge agreed with my Response to State's objection and did not allow State to argue at hearing nor did she consider any of State's arguments in rendering her decision in my client's favor., 2021
- Ms. Johnson was able to seal a client's 2004 conviction for aggravated arson in DuPage County, Illinois, over the State's Attorney's Office's objection and after hearing, on September 2, 2020., 2020
- , Clients' Choice Award, Avvo, 2022
- , Forty-four (44) five (5) star reviews from clients since 2008, Avvo, 2023
- , Third consecutive year named Illinois Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2023
- Top Attorneys in Illinois, Chicago Lawyer magazine, 2022
- , Top Attorneys in Illinois, American Registry, 2022
- , Second consecutive year named Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, National Trial Lawyers, 2021
- , Biographical listee, Marquis Who's Who, 2021
- In 2018, Ms. Johnson was named an Illinois "Rising Star" attorney by Thomson Reuters., Illinois Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2018
- In 2017, Ms. Johnson was named an Illinois "Rising Star" attorney by Thomson Reuters., Illinois Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2017
- In 2016, Ms. Johnson was named an Illinois "Rising Star" attorney by Thomson Reuters., Illinois Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2016
- Volunteer Attorney at DuPage County Expungement Clinic on July 15, 2023., 2023
- Volunteer attorney at DuPage County Expungement Clinic on July 30th, 2022., 2022
- Volunteer attorney supervisor for Dorothy Brown, Cook County Clerk of Court's Annual Second Chance Summit in Chicago, Illinois., 2018
- First Defense Legal Aid in Chicago, Volunteer Attorney and Part-Time Staff Attorney, 2013
- Pro Bono Attorney for Cabrini Green Legal Aid in Chicago, 2012
- Ms. Johnson believes her skills inside the courtroom are best exhibited through the plea bargaining process, when a client has decided s/he does not want to take his or her case to trial. In such a scenario, Ms. Johnson spends multiple hours gathering as much favorable mitigation as possible from her clients, their families, friends, work supervisors and peers, and others; after preparing and submitting a thorough mitigation packet on a client's behalf, she is often able to get both misdemeanor and felony clients into deferred prosecution programs or other similar programs so that the client at issue can avoid a criminal conviction on his or her record. At times, Ms. Johnson has even negotiated outright dismissal of charges with the prosecution when circumstances allow. From the beginning of each criminal case she works on, Ms. Johnson is careful to focus on possible long term ramifications of any agreed-upon sentence and she ensures that each of her clients fully understand what impact a particular plea offer may have months, or even years, after the case is closed. Whenever possible. Ms. Johnson tries to get an offer that is expungeable, or at least sealable, in court after the requisite waiting periods have passed., 2023
- American Bar Association, 2023
- Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2023
- Illinois State Bar Association, 2023
- DuPage County Bar Association, 2020
- Women's Criminal Defense Bar Association, 2020
Office location for Jorie K. Johnson
3015 East New York Street
Suite A2-178
Aurora, IL 60504
Phone: 847-922-8683
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2023
- Rising Stars: 2016 - 2018
Additional sources of information about Jorie K. Johnson
See legal Q & A provided by Jorie K. Johnson
Q: How Can A Criminal Defense Attorney Help Expunge Or Seal My Record In Illinois?
A: In Illinois, having a criminal record can often lead to barriers in finding a job or house, and/or obtaining a professional license, among other … See all answers by Jorie Johnson