There are many consequences you can face after a DUI conviction. Depending on your specific circumstances, you could see hefty fines, jail time and a driver’s license suspension or revocation. If your license is suspended or revoked because of a DUI, you will be required to attend a hearing at the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office in order to apply for a monitoring device driving permit (MDDP), a restricted driving permit (RDP) or a full reinstatement of your driving privileges.

Administrative hearings come in two types: formal and informal. Just like the names sound, a formal hearing is more extensive than an informal hearing. It is important to understand the differences between the two types of hearings so you can be fully prepared when you attend yours with an experienced DUI attorney.

Like marriage, marijuana, sales tax, and countless other issues, each state has the ability to make its own laws concerning firearms. In Illinois, you are required to have a firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card, which legally states to police and others that you are allowed to own a firearm and ammunition. If you are caught by law enforcement with a firearm and do not have a FOID card or your card has been suspended or revoked, it can result in serious consequences. 

The Illinois State Police is the governing body that issues and controls all Illinois FOID cards and they maintain the right to suspend or revoke your card at any time based on criminal charges or convictions you might face.

Many people think driving is a right that everyone in the United States should have. In reality, driving is a privilege that can be taken away for a multitude of offenses. 

That is the case in Illinois, where some of the ways you can lose your license may surprise you. If you face a driver’s license suspension from any of these violations, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office will send you a written notice. 

In recent years, many cities and states have initiated the clearing of marijuana-related charges and convictions from the records of thousands of people. For example, San Francisco is currently in the process of clearing all misdemeanor marijuana convictions dating back to 1975 and will also wipe arrest records of all those arrested on related charges. 

Illinois may soon follow suit with a similar law that will clear low-level marijuana convictions with the permission of a judge.

According to the Illinois Secretary of State, there were 330 people killed in alcohol-related car crashes in Illinois last year. Those fatalities represented about 30 percent of the 1,090 people who were killed in all car crashes in the state in 2017. Because alcohol plays such a large role in traffic deaths, punishments are substantial.

Most who experience a DUI conviction have no idea just how much it costs, in addition to the loss of driving privileges. Here are eight hidden expenses that come with an Illinois DUI conviction: