Illinois DUI Law
Illinois is one of the states in the U.S. where a DUI offense will trigger two different kinds of cases against the offender. One is criminal charges that will be filed against you for committing a DUI offense. These charges will be pressed against you if you have been arrested for driving under the influence in the state of Illinois. Another type of case triggered by a DUI is administrative in nature and may result in the loss of your Illinois driving privileges. If you are unsuccessful in winning this administrative case, you will have your license suspended and may be unable to continue working or meeting other life obligations. Because the penalties associated with these types of cases can be severe, it is imperative that you contact an Illinois DUI lawyer that can help you to defend yourself against charges of driving under the influence. A skilled Illinois DUI attorney can help you to minimize the impact of these charges being filed against you.
Illinois Criminal Penalties for DUI
The legal blood alcohol concentration limit in Illinois is .08%. If you exceed this legal limit, they will be charged with driving under the influence. If charges are filed, you may face a number of penalties that increase with each offense. These penalties can impact your quality of life and your ability to provide for yourself and other family members, so it is important that you contact a qualified Illinois DUI attorney to help you defend yourself against these criminal charges. The penalties for driving under the influence in Illinois can include jail time, fines, and driver’s license suspension. For a first offense, the offender may receive court supervision as a penalty. If the offender completes this supervision period successfully, the offense will not count as a conviction. This is a desirable penalty because you will not have a criminal offense on your record that can impact your chances of getting a job. Convictions can result in penalties including up to 364 days of jail time, license revocation, and a fine up to $2,500. The license revocation period is one year for the first offense, five years for a second offense committed within a 20-year time period, and ten years for a third offense. Be sure to contact a highly qualified Illinois DUI lawyer so you can defend yourself against these criminal charges and minimize the penalties that may be imposed.
The penalties for driving under the influence if you’re under the age of 21 are quite stringent in the state of Illinois. A first offense will result in a license revocation period of two years minimum. Second offenses result in the longer of a five year revocation or revocation until your 21st birthday. A third or subsequent offense means a license revocation of 10 years. Special provisions set forth by the Secretary of State may be met so that you can get a restricted work permit. This restricted work permit allows you to drive between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. to get to work and other necessary places. After this one year permit expires, you may apply for reinstatement of your license, but there is no guarantee that you will be granted this privilege. For a second DUI offense, your license will be revoked and you will not have the opportunity to apply for another license for five years. Additional penalties for a second DUI offense can be 48 hours in jail or 10 days of community service time. Third DUI offenses are considered class 4 felonies in Illinois. The penalties are up to three years of prison time, fines up to $25,000, and license revocation with the inability to apply for a license for ten years. Fourth offenses are also charged as felonies. The penalties for a fourth DUI offense include up to three years of jail time, up to $25,000 in fines, and permanent license revocation. That’s right; you can NEVER drive again legally if you get a fourth DUI offense within the 20 year time period. This makes your situation a dire one and only an Illinois DUI lawyer can possibly help you to defend yourself against DUI charges in the state of Illinois.
Administrative Driver’s License Penalties
Illinois has driver’s license penalties for drivers who either refuse to submit to a chemical test or take a chemical test and exceed the legal BAC limit of 0.08% with the results. The penalty for refusal or failure of the chemical testing is license suspension beginning on the 46th day after the defendant’s arrest. This period is substantially longer than many other states. Some states offer only a 7-day temporary license before suspension begins. Many states offer a 30-day temporary license, but this 45-day temporary license period is one of the longest in the United States. You may request a hearing on your license suspension, but there is no guarantee that you will prevail at this hearing. A skilled Illinois DUI attorney can help you to present a solid defense and help you try to save your driver’s license. The driver’s license penalties for DUI increase progressively the number of offenses increases. The suspension period for first offenses when a blood alcohol test revealed a level of 0.08% or greater is three months. Second and subsequent offenses result in a suspension of one year. Refusal to submit to chemical testing carries a penalty of 6 months for a first offense and two years for second and subsequent offenses.
First offenders may be eligible for a judicial permit that will allow them to drive to work, medical appointments, school, and any alcohol education or treatment programs 30 days after the suspension took effect. If you refuse to submit to chemical testing, you will not qualify for any type of restricted license or judicial permit. Second DUI offenses will result in suspension, but offenders may apply for a permit from the Secretary of State that will allow them to get from home to work, school, medical appointments, and alcohol programs. Having a qualified Illinois DUI attorney can help you to minimize the penalties that are imposed when you accumulate one or more DUI offenses.
Visit our Illinois DUI Attorney website and fill out a free case evaluation today.
No comments:
Post a Comment