Training
EXPERIENCE
Jason Helland attained his career goal when he was elected Grundy County State’s Attorney on November 6, 2012. Helland earned an Associates Degree in Applied Science in Law Enforcement from Joliet Junior College in 1996 and completed his undergraduate work at the University of St. Francis in 1999. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree graduating magna cum laude from the John Marshall Law School in 2003. Helland is a career prosecutor and is the only candidate qualified to serve as Grundy County State’s Attorney.
Following law school, Mr. Helland began his legal career serving as a dedicated public servant and Assistant State’s Attorney at the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office for 8 ½ years. While in Kankakee, Helland worked in the traffic, aggravated traffic, juvenile, mental health, domestic violence, misdemeanor, and felony divisions. Helland prosecuted 89 jury trials to verdict in Kankakee. In addition, Helland taught law enforcement, criminal justice, and political science for 7 ½ years at the University of St. Francis.
Helland is a member of the National District Attorney’s Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Will County Bar Association, and Grundy County Bar Association.
EDUCATION
Seneca High School (1994)
Joliet Junior College (1996)
University of St. Francis (1999)
The John Marshall Law School (2003)
STATE’S ATTORNEY SPECIFIC TRAINING
Advanced State’s Attorney’s Conference: Medical Marijuana—Coming to a Dispensary Near You, August 2013
Adult Redeploy Illinois All Sites Summit provided by the Illinois Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Justice, March 2015
Alcoholism: A Lawyer’s Personal Journey, August 2012
An Introduction to Tax Increment Financing in Illinois, May 2011
Aspects of Civil Law for Today’s Lawyers, January 2013
Asset Forfeiture provided by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, March 2015
Challenging the Breath Test, May 2011
Civil Law Conference, April 2014
Crawford and Bullcoming: Confronting Forensic Evidence, September 2012
Criminal Committee Seminar, February 2010
Criminal Committee Seminar, February 2011
Criminal Committee Seminar, February 2013
Criminal Defender Training: Expert Witnesses on a Budget, August 2012
Criminal Defense Ethics: What Will They Think of Next?, June 2011
Depression in the Legal Profession: What Every Attorney Needs to Know, August 2012
Distracted Driving: Science, Education, and the Law, June 2011
DUI Boot Camp, August 2012
DUI Law: A Practical Guide, July 2012
DUI, Traffic and Secretary of State Related Issues, March 2009
DUI, Traffic and Secretary of State Related Issues, May 2013
Eavesdropping and Wiretapping in Illinois, April 2013
Effectively Questioning Your Jury Panel: How to Best Use Voir Dire and Juror Questionnaires, June 2011
Ethics and Professionalism, August 2007
Ethics and the Allure of Social Media, July 2012
Ethical Issues Arising in Litigation, August 2012
Ethics Jeopardy, January 2012
Eyewitness Identification Evidence: Science, Practice, and Trends, August 2012
Factory Farm Cruelty Revealed: Advocacy on Behalf of Farm Animals, August 2012
False Confessions and Wrongful Convictions, October 2011
Felony Murder, Hunter S. Thompson, and the Last Gonzo Campaign, August 2012
Fighting the Prosecution’s Fantasy of Forensics: An In-Depth Review of the Casey Anthony Trial, August 2012
Financial Elder Abuse: Detection and Remedies, February 2012
Foreclosure: Step-by-Step Through the Procedures, May 2011
Forensic Accident and Scene Investigation, September 2012
Going Behind the Lab Report and Into the Forensics Law: What the Labs Don’t Want You to Know, June 2012
Going through the Criminal Motions, May 2011
Handling Drug Cases, August 2012
Holland & Knight 12th Biennial Seminar for Illinois Government Officials, August 2013
Holland & Knight 13th Biennial Seminar for Illinois Local Government Officials, May 2015
Home Protection & Concealed Carry provided by SAFER USA, January 2012
Hot Topics in Professional Responsibility, July 2012
Illinois Association of Problem Solving Courts Conference, September 2013
Illinois Association of Problem-Solving Courts Conference, October 2014
Illinois Department of Human Services Forensic Mental Health Training, February 2014
Illinois Department of Transportation: Illinois Ignition Interlock Symposium, October 2008
Illinois Department of Transportation: Practical DUI—Nuts & Bolts, October 2009
Illinois Department of Transportation: The State’s Attorney Advanced DUI Seminar, August 2009
Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Councils/21st Judicial Circuit: Responding to Domestic Violence Training, August 2009
Illinois New Rules of Professional Conduct: A Comprehensive Overview, February 2010
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s Basic Trial Advocacy Course, 2004
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s Advanced Trial Advocacy Course, September 2006
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association 2012 Winter Conference, December 2012
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association 2013 Winter Conference, December 2013
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association 2014 Summer Conference, July 2014
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association-2015 Summer Conference, June 2015
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association 2015-Winter Conference-December 2015
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Civil Law Conference, McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, November 2015
Illinois Traffic Court Conference, 43rd Annual Illinois Traffic Court Conference, June 2008
Illinois Traffic Court Conference, 44th Annual Illinois Traffic Court Conference, June 2009
Intro to Animal Law, July 2012
Justice for Vets: Veteran’s Treatment Court Conference, December 2013
Kablam! Real-Life Superheroes in the World of Criminal Law, August 2012
Legal Updates on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault & Stalking, October 2010
Legal Updates on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault & Stalking, February 2011
Lethal Weapon: DUI Homicide, April 2007
Lethal Weapon: Investigating and Prosecuting DUI Related Fatalites, June 2010
Making Sausage and Legislation in Illinois: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know, May 2011
Mental Health Injuries 101, August 2012
Murder at Starved Rock, May 2010
National Association of Attorneys General Cold Case Homicide Investigations: Methodology & Protocol, April 2015
National Association of Drug Court Professionals, NADCP 19th Annual Drug Court Training Conference, July 2013
National Association of Drug Court Professionals/Justice for Vets 20th Annual Training Conference, May 2014
National Association of Drug Court Professionals/Justice for Vets 21st Annual Training Conference, July 2015
Navigating a Real Estate Transaction: A Program for Law Students and New Attorneys provided by the Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, October 2006
Navigating a Residential Real Estate Transaction in 2011, August 2011
Navigating Complex DUI and Traffic Issues, November 2008
Newly Elected State’s Attorney’s Conference, January 2013
One Wild Pitch-One Great Save: The Defense of Former Major League Relief Pitcher Jeff Reardon, October 2011
Penn State and Beyond: Current Issues in Child Sex Abuse Litigation, September 2012
Plea Bargaining in Criminal Cases, August 2012
Preparing for Voir Dire, June 2012
Preventing and Defending Prosecutorial Misconduct, June 2011
Prosecuting Homicide Cases, February 2015
Prosecuting and Defending Homicide Cases, July 2012
Prosecuting Non-DUI Reckless Homicide Cases, July 2015
Prosecutorial Misconduct, November 2013
Restoring the Balance: The Legal Community’s Role in Restorative Justice, December 2006
Search and Seizure in 60 Minutes, June 2011
Selecting the Proper Court: A Guide to Third Party Issues in Guardianship, Domestic Relations, Mental Health or Probate Court, May 2011
Shaken Baby Syndrome Train the Trainer Workshop, March 2011
Social Media, Lawyer Blogging and the Profession: Ethical Implications, May 2011
Statutory Summary Suspension Hearing Practice and Procedure, March 2009
Strategies for Success at Trial, June 2011
Substance Abuse and Other Addictions in the Legal Profession, August 2012
Substance Abuse in the Legal Profession: Prevention-Detection-Treatment, August 2012
Successful Defense of DUI and Statutory Summary Suspension Cases, March 2006
The Basics of Foreclosure Defense, May 2011
The Importance of Ethics: Traditional Standards and New Rules, May 2011
The New Rules of Professional Conduct, May 2011
The People We Serve: The Dangerous, the Psychopathic, and the Commitment Process, May 2011
Traffic Law Update, March 2006
Traffic Law Update, October 2006
Traffic Law Update, March 2007
Traffic Law Update, March 2008
Trial Techniques: Terence MacCarthy on Cross Examination and Impeachment, January 2007
Whammo! What Superheroes and Comic Books Can Teach Us About Constitutional Law, August 2012
What You Always Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask the ARDC: A Discussion of Current Issues Facing the Legal Profession in Illinois, June 2008
Where the Wild Things Are: An Examination of Federal and State Laws Affecting the Care and Management of Wildlife and Exotics, March 2010
Where Mental Health Meets the Law: An Evolution in Practice at the Intersection of Mental Health and the Law, August 2012
Where Mental Health Meets the Law: Communicating Effectively with Mentally Disordered Clients
Where Mental Health Meets the Law: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, August 2012
Where Mental Health Meets the Law: Uncovering the Client’s Social History, August 2012
Will County Criminal Committee Seminar, February 2008
Will County Bar Association Criminal Law Committee Seminar: BAIID/MDDP Presentation, February 2009
Will County Bar Association Criminal Committee Seminar: Sentencing, February 2009
Will County Bar Association Ethics Seminar, May 2009
Understanding the Newly Enacted Illinois Rules of Evidence, May 2011
Jason Helland attained his career goal when he was elected Grundy County State’s Attorney on November 6, 2012. Helland earned an Associates Degree in Applied Science in Law Enforcement from Joliet Junior College in 1996 and completed his undergraduate work at the University of St. Francis in 1999. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree graduating magna cum laude from the John Marshall Law School in 2003. Helland is a career prosecutor and is the only candidate qualified to serve as Grundy County State’s Attorney.
Following law school, Mr. Helland began his legal career serving as a dedicated public servant and Assistant State’s Attorney at the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office for 8 ½ years. While in Kankakee, Helland worked in the traffic, aggravated traffic, juvenile, mental health, domestic violence, misdemeanor, and felony divisions. Helland prosecuted 89 jury trials to verdict in Kankakee. In addition, Helland taught law enforcement, criminal justice, and political science for 7 ½ years at the University of St. Francis.
Helland is a member of the National District Attorney’s Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Will County Bar Association, and Grundy County Bar Association.
EDUCATION
Seneca High School (1994)
Joliet Junior College (1996)
University of St. Francis (1999)
The John Marshall Law School (2003)
STATE’S ATTORNEY SPECIFIC TRAINING
Advanced State’s Attorney’s Conference: Medical Marijuana—Coming to a Dispensary Near You, August 2013
Adult Redeploy Illinois All Sites Summit provided by the Illinois Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Justice, March 2015
Alcoholism: A Lawyer’s Personal Journey, August 2012
An Introduction to Tax Increment Financing in Illinois, May 2011
Aspects of Civil Law for Today’s Lawyers, January 2013
Asset Forfeiture provided by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, March 2015
Challenging the Breath Test, May 2011
Civil Law Conference, April 2014
Crawford and Bullcoming: Confronting Forensic Evidence, September 2012
Criminal Committee Seminar, February 2010
Criminal Committee Seminar, February 2011
Criminal Committee Seminar, February 2013
Criminal Defender Training: Expert Witnesses on a Budget, August 2012
Criminal Defense Ethics: What Will They Think of Next?, June 2011
Depression in the Legal Profession: What Every Attorney Needs to Know, August 2012
Distracted Driving: Science, Education, and the Law, June 2011
DUI Boot Camp, August 2012
DUI Law: A Practical Guide, July 2012
DUI, Traffic and Secretary of State Related Issues, March 2009
DUI, Traffic and Secretary of State Related Issues, May 2013
Eavesdropping and Wiretapping in Illinois, April 2013
Effectively Questioning Your Jury Panel: How to Best Use Voir Dire and Juror Questionnaires, June 2011
Ethics and Professionalism, August 2007
Ethics and the Allure of Social Media, July 2012
Ethical Issues Arising in Litigation, August 2012
Ethics Jeopardy, January 2012
Eyewitness Identification Evidence: Science, Practice, and Trends, August 2012
Factory Farm Cruelty Revealed: Advocacy on Behalf of Farm Animals, August 2012
False Confessions and Wrongful Convictions, October 2011
Felony Murder, Hunter S. Thompson, and the Last Gonzo Campaign, August 2012
Fighting the Prosecution’s Fantasy of Forensics: An In-Depth Review of the Casey Anthony Trial, August 2012
Financial Elder Abuse: Detection and Remedies, February 2012
Foreclosure: Step-by-Step Through the Procedures, May 2011
Forensic Accident and Scene Investigation, September 2012
Going Behind the Lab Report and Into the Forensics Law: What the Labs Don’t Want You to Know, June 2012
Going through the Criminal Motions, May 2011
Handling Drug Cases, August 2012
Holland & Knight 12th Biennial Seminar for Illinois Government Officials, August 2013
Holland & Knight 13th Biennial Seminar for Illinois Local Government Officials, May 2015
Home Protection & Concealed Carry provided by SAFER USA, January 2012
Hot Topics in Professional Responsibility, July 2012
Illinois Association of Problem Solving Courts Conference, September 2013
Illinois Association of Problem-Solving Courts Conference, October 2014
Illinois Department of Human Services Forensic Mental Health Training, February 2014
Illinois Department of Transportation: Illinois Ignition Interlock Symposium, October 2008
Illinois Department of Transportation: Practical DUI—Nuts & Bolts, October 2009
Illinois Department of Transportation: The State’s Attorney Advanced DUI Seminar, August 2009
Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Councils/21st Judicial Circuit: Responding to Domestic Violence Training, August 2009
Illinois New Rules of Professional Conduct: A Comprehensive Overview, February 2010
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s Basic Trial Advocacy Course, 2004
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s Advanced Trial Advocacy Course, September 2006
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association 2012 Winter Conference, December 2012
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association 2013 Winter Conference, December 2013
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association 2014 Summer Conference, July 2014
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association-2015 Summer Conference, June 2015
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association 2015-Winter Conference-December 2015
Illinois State’s Attorney’s Civil Law Conference, McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, November 2015
Illinois Traffic Court Conference, 43rd Annual Illinois Traffic Court Conference, June 2008
Illinois Traffic Court Conference, 44th Annual Illinois Traffic Court Conference, June 2009
Intro to Animal Law, July 2012
Justice for Vets: Veteran’s Treatment Court Conference, December 2013
Kablam! Real-Life Superheroes in the World of Criminal Law, August 2012
Legal Updates on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault & Stalking, October 2010
Legal Updates on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault & Stalking, February 2011
Lethal Weapon: DUI Homicide, April 2007
Lethal Weapon: Investigating and Prosecuting DUI Related Fatalites, June 2010
Making Sausage and Legislation in Illinois: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know, May 2011
Mental Health Injuries 101, August 2012
Murder at Starved Rock, May 2010
National Association of Attorneys General Cold Case Homicide Investigations: Methodology & Protocol, April 2015
National Association of Drug Court Professionals, NADCP 19th Annual Drug Court Training Conference, July 2013
National Association of Drug Court Professionals/Justice for Vets 20th Annual Training Conference, May 2014
National Association of Drug Court Professionals/Justice for Vets 21st Annual Training Conference, July 2015
Navigating a Real Estate Transaction: A Program for Law Students and New Attorneys provided by the Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, October 2006
Navigating a Residential Real Estate Transaction in 2011, August 2011
Navigating Complex DUI and Traffic Issues, November 2008
Newly Elected State’s Attorney’s Conference, January 2013
One Wild Pitch-One Great Save: The Defense of Former Major League Relief Pitcher Jeff Reardon, October 2011
Penn State and Beyond: Current Issues in Child Sex Abuse Litigation, September 2012
Plea Bargaining in Criminal Cases, August 2012
Preparing for Voir Dire, June 2012
Preventing and Defending Prosecutorial Misconduct, June 2011
Prosecuting Homicide Cases, February 2015
Prosecuting and Defending Homicide Cases, July 2012
Prosecuting Non-DUI Reckless Homicide Cases, July 2015
Prosecutorial Misconduct, November 2013
Restoring the Balance: The Legal Community’s Role in Restorative Justice, December 2006
Search and Seizure in 60 Minutes, June 2011
Selecting the Proper Court: A Guide to Third Party Issues in Guardianship, Domestic Relations, Mental Health or Probate Court, May 2011
Shaken Baby Syndrome Train the Trainer Workshop, March 2011
Social Media, Lawyer Blogging and the Profession: Ethical Implications, May 2011
Statutory Summary Suspension Hearing Practice and Procedure, March 2009
Strategies for Success at Trial, June 2011
Substance Abuse and Other Addictions in the Legal Profession, August 2012
Substance Abuse in the Legal Profession: Prevention-Detection-Treatment, August 2012
Successful Defense of DUI and Statutory Summary Suspension Cases, March 2006
The Basics of Foreclosure Defense, May 2011
The Importance of Ethics: Traditional Standards and New Rules, May 2011
The New Rules of Professional Conduct, May 2011
The People We Serve: The Dangerous, the Psychopathic, and the Commitment Process, May 2011
Traffic Law Update, March 2006
Traffic Law Update, October 2006
Traffic Law Update, March 2007
Traffic Law Update, March 2008
Trial Techniques: Terence MacCarthy on Cross Examination and Impeachment, January 2007
Whammo! What Superheroes and Comic Books Can Teach Us About Constitutional Law, August 2012
What You Always Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask the ARDC: A Discussion of Current Issues Facing the Legal Profession in Illinois, June 2008
Where the Wild Things Are: An Examination of Federal and State Laws Affecting the Care and Management of Wildlife and Exotics, March 2010
Where Mental Health Meets the Law: An Evolution in Practice at the Intersection of Mental Health and the Law, August 2012
Where Mental Health Meets the Law: Communicating Effectively with Mentally Disordered Clients
Where Mental Health Meets the Law: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, August 2012
Where Mental Health Meets the Law: Uncovering the Client’s Social History, August 2012
Will County Criminal Committee Seminar, February 2008
Will County Bar Association Criminal Law Committee Seminar: BAIID/MDDP Presentation, February 2009
Will County Bar Association Criminal Committee Seminar: Sentencing, February 2009
Will County Bar Association Ethics Seminar, May 2009
Understanding the Newly Enacted Illinois Rules of Evidence, May 2011