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Recent Blog Posts
Driver’s License Reinstatements in Illinois
If you have lost driving privileges as part of a criminal charge in Illinois, you need to speak with an attorney about the process of getting your license reinstated. Don’t attempt to drive when your license is suspended, because the consequences go beyond typical traffic violations.
At the bare minimum, being caught driving under a suspended license is a Class A misdemeanor with a possible fine of $2,500 and as many as 364 days spent in jail. Depending on your record, the penalties can get stiffer: you can spend up to seven years in prison with fines of up to $25,000.
You might be eligible to receive a restricted driving permit or reinstatement. You can only get your driving privileges reinstated on or after your eligibility date. If you haven’t reached your eligibility date yet, you could get a restricted driving permit. You would need to provide evidence of "undue hardship" as a result of lost driving privileges. Examples of undue hardship include medical care or daycare for children or elderly individuals, or court ordered community service or employment. You’d need to contact a hearing officer in order to start the ball rolling on this process.
Average Cost of a DUI in Illinois
Receiving a DUI conviction in Illinois can wreak havoc on your personal finances. According to CyberDrive Illinois, drivers who are convicted of driving under the influence can expect to pay more than $16,000 on average, with additional costs possible if an accident occurs and people are injured, or if a jury trial is required.
When you are arrested on a DUI charge, your vehicle will be towed and stored at a law enforcement facility. This can cost drivers as much as $250. Furthermore, drivers who are convicted can be charged a fine of up to $2,500, court costs of up to $750, and a required contribution to the trauma center fund of $100. That’s up to $3,600 in court costs alone, not including legal fees. An uncontested plea in court and a hardship driving permit will cost drivers an additional $2,000. Drivers who are required to have a BAIID device installed will pay another $100 for installation and $120 per month in rental and monitoring charges.
Chicago Ambulance Driver Charged With Drunk Driving
John Lara, 31, of LaGrange, was driving a private ambulance when he crashed into another vehicle on the North Side of Chicago in mid-December, according to CBS News Chicago. His lights and sirens were blaring when he hit a pickup truck at the corner of Clark and Montrose, and police immediately noticed the strong smell of alcohol on him, according to CBS. They also noticed, "Lara’s eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred."
Though his lights were on and the sirens blasting, "he was the only one in the ambulance, and was headed to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center to pick up a patient," according to CBS. When police tested him, Lara’s blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit, they told CBS. "He has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence, disobeying a stop signal, negligent driving, failing to carry a driver’s license, and other offenses," reports CBS. Both Lara and the man in the pickup truck he slammed into suffered minor injuries, according to DNA Info.
Lower BAC Threshold for DUI Charges On High Risk Weekends?
The holiday season is a great time to spend with family and friends at parties, dinners, and other festive events. For some, the celebrations also include the imbibing of drinks--beer, wine, hot toddies, and more. Of course, this presents the risk that, when it is time to go home, one may get behind the wheel while under the influence. This is never a smart move, often leading to serious accidents, DUI charges, or both.
The prevalence of drinking and driving around certain holidays is well-known. It usually results in law enforcement officers stepping up their enforcement efforts around these times. In fact, some are even proposing changes the laws related to DUIs around certain high-risk holidays in order to further deter drunk driving.
Holiday DUIs
Bill to Toughen Gun Penalties is Holstered
The amount of crime in the city of Chicago has created national news recently. The FBI has released statistics that there were 500 murders in Chicago last year up from 431 in 2011. That is over 80 more than New York City although the Big Apple boasts three times the population of Chicago. It is not the most dangerous city as the city of Flint in Michigan receives that distinction.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to change the amount of violent crime in the city by making tougher laws. He has proposed an increase to the minimum sentence for people convicted of illegally possessing a gun. Each time that there are violent crimes in the city, both Mayor Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy have championed this revision at every turn. Emanuel went so far to say, "In fact, I would like to ... note that the same minimum penalty we have for a gun law is what we have for shoplifting."
Illinois Man Held on $250K After DUI Charge
A Kenosha man is being held on $250,000 bond after he was charged with driving under the influence. The man allegedly crashed an SUV into a north suburban townhouse early in the morning on October 25. Driving under the influence in Illinois can carry strict penalties.
A Lake County judge charged Adam R. Bileck, 32, with aggravated driving under the influence, driving with a revoked driver’s license, driving without a valid driver’s license, and leaving the scene of the accident, according to the Chicago Tribune. His SUV reportedly veered off the road the morning of October 25, striking the house at 450 Patriot Drive in Hainsville before bursting into flames. The fire spread through the house.
New Illinois Law Aims to Cut Down on Wrongful Convictions
When you have been caught and accused of a crime, the legal procedure that should follow can quickly take a turn for the worse if the investigators pursue coercive interrogation. A great example of the horror that might unfold is the story of Juan Rivera, who spent 19 years in prison for a rape/murder that he never committed. His story is just one example of the many stories coming out of the term of Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge, who is accused of promoting torturous techniques to force people to confess.
A new law in Illinois is aimed to reduce the number of wrongful convictions that have led to high numbers of exonerations across the state. Known as Illinois SB1006, recordings of interrogations in violent crime cases will help to protect accused individuals. The interrogations in Rivera’s case were not recorded and in his case it was simply his word versus the police officers he was accusing.
Illinois Lawmakers Consider Stricter Penalties for Boating DUI Offenses
Illinois lawmakers are considering three bills that are aimed at making the state’s waterways safer for recreational boaters. These bills amend boating safety laws that are already in place, and one of the bills under consideration would enforce stricter penalties for boating while under the influence than those currently listed under Illinois criminal law.
Under SB1477, anyone who is convicted of operating a watercraft while under the influence of drugs or alcohol would have their driver’s license suspended for three months. The bill is sponsored by state Senator Julie Morrison, whose 10-year-old nephew was killed after falling of a tube on Petite Lake in northern Illinois. Anthony Borcia was struck by a boat whose operator plead guilty to aggravated driving under the influence after a blood test found alcohol and cocaine in his system.
Illinois Misdemeanor Charges
Most people are aware that being charged with a misdemeanor is a bad thing, but not everyone is aware of what sorts of offenses fall under the category of a misdemeanor, or what the different types of misdemeanors are. In order to be fully aware of your rights and avoid facing legal trouble throughout your life, it is very important that you are informed as to what the different classifications of Illinois misdemeanors are and what kind of consequences they can lead to.
"Class A" Misdemeanor
Offenses under this category are generally referred to as the most serious types of misdemeanors. If you are charged with one of these, you could face up to 364 days in jail as well as a fine of up to $2500. It is also true, depending on the offense, that your sentence could include the requirement of things like probation, substance-abuse treatment, or community service work.
Dangers of Drinking and Driving Underage in Illinois
Illinois has a zero tolerance policy that requires underage drinking and driving to be taken seriously across the state. The zero tolerance policy states that any driver under the age of 21 pulled over with any trace of alcohol in their system will lose driving privileges. Those individuals charged with drinking and driving should get legal advice from a qualified Arlington Heights DUI attorney.
This includes situations where an officer makes an otherwise routine traffic stop to issue a citation and has probable cause to believe that an individual younger than 21 has alcohol in their system. Officers can administer chemical tests to confirm levels of alcohol. If the test outcome determines alcohol in the driver’s system, the police officer or trooper simply submits a sworn statement to the Illinois Secretary of State to have the driver’s license suspended.
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Client accused of burglary was acquitted due to our skillful cross examination of eye witness identification.
Client accused of causing the death of another while driving under the influence - Acquitted.
Client accused of first degree murder - Acquitted.
Client accused of embezzlement - Charges never filed.
Hundreds of Secretary of State hearings for Drivers License Reinstatement - Won.
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