When you are pulled over because a police officer suspects that you are driving under the influence (DUI), you will probably be asked to take a breathalyzer test to determine your blood alcohol content (BAC). In Illinois, you are legally considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol if your BAC is 0.08 percent or above. What you may not know, however, is that you can still actually be arrested and charged with DUI even if your BAC is below the legal limit. The best way to avoid a DUI arrest and conviction is to understand your rights as a citizen of Illinois and avoid putting yourself into risky situations. If you have been arrested for DUI, a skilled criminal defense lawyer can be an invaluable asset.

Alcohol Use Under the Legal Limit

The legal limit anywhere in the United States to be considered intoxicated is 0.08 percent, but that does not mean that you cannot be charged with DUI if your BAC is below that. Illinois law states that a person may not drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle if his or her BAC is 0.08 or more OR if he or she is under the influence of alcohol. This open-ended law allows police officers to use their judgment and determine whether a person is incapable of safely operating a vehicle, regardless of his or her actual BAC.

Last May, the state of Illinois became the 11th state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The new law went into effect on January 1, 2020. According to dispensaries across the state, there has been more than $5.5 million worth of recreational marijuana sold since it has been legal. Even though recreational cannabis has been legalized in Illinois, there are still certain laws that apply to marijuana usage. If these laws are broken -- even unintentionally -- you could face legal consequences. Here are a few things you should keep in mind about recreational marijuana usage in Illinois:

1. You Can Only Possess Certain Amounts of Pot at Any Given Time

As long as you are over the age of 21, you can legally purchase and possess certain amounts of marijuana and cannabis-infused products. At any given time, you can legally possess up to one ounce or up to 30 grams of dry marijuana flower, up to 500mg of THC contained in edibles or other cannabis-infused products, and up to five grams of cannabis concentrate. Visitors to Illinois are permitted to possess half of those amounts.

When it comes to children in Illinois, the state does the best job it can to protect the innocence and well-being of its young citizens. In civil matters involving children, the child’s best interests are always at the top of the list of concerns. Illinois lawmakers, police officers, and other criminal justice personnel view crimes against children as extremely serious matters. One of the most commonly charged crimes against children is child endangerment, which encompasses a variety of behaviors. These charges can mean serious consequences for perpetrators, which is why it is important to understand these offenses and their penalties.

What Is Child Endangerment?

According to the Illinois Criminal Code, child endangerment occurs when a person knowingly causes or allows the life or health of a child under the age of 18 to be endangered or causes or allows the child to be placed in circumstances that endanger the life and health of the child. The statute concerning child endangerment is rather vague, which allows prosecutors and judges to consider a wide variety of behaviors to be prosecuted as child endangerment. Common examples of situations in which child endangerment charges may arise can include:

With only days left in this year and decade, the new year is upon us. As usually happens on the first of the year, there are a number of changes to the law that will go into effect in 2020. In fact, the state of Illinois has more than 250 new laws that are set to begin. From regulations for vaccinating pet cats to gender-neutral restrooms and changes to criminal laws, there are a wide variety of topics covered. While some laws only make minor adjustments, others carry some of the biggest changes that the state of Illinois has seen in years. Here are a few of the new laws that will be going into effect in 2020:

Recreational Marijuana Will Be Legal

For decades, marijuana was illegal throughout the country, and possession was punished harshly. January 1, 2020 marks the first day that it will be legal to purchase and consume recreational marijuana in the state of Illinois. Adults who are over the age of 21 will be permitted to purchase a variety of cannabis products, such as dry flower, edibles, tinctures, and creams. Minors under the age of 21 may still be penalized for purchasing or using recreational marijuana, and those who attempt to sell cannabis without a valid license may also face drug charges.

As most Illinoisans know, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) laws in the state are strict. You can be convicted of a DUI in Illinois if you are driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than 0.08 percent or if other evidence points to you being impaired while driving. Even a first-time conviction for DUI in Illinois can result in fines between $75 and $2,500, up to one year in jail, and a one-year driver’s license suspension. Those penalties can change, however, depending on the circumstances of your case. In Illinois, any DUI offense that results in felony charges is classified as an aggravated DUI. One of the most serious aggravated DUI charges is called reckless homicide.

What Is Reckless Homicide?

In Illinois, reckless homicide occurs when a person using a motor vehicle unintentionally kills another person because of actions that were likely to cause death or bodily harm to another person. Under normal circumstances, actions that could be considered reckless include those such as speeding or causing the vehicle to become airborne. If a driver is intoxicated, and he or she caused the death of another person while driving, the fact that the motorist was under the influence in itself constitutes reckless driving.