NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect the law as of 2020. The penalties listed are the most recent penalties pursuant to 625 ILCS 5/11-501. The penalties for an arrest for driving under the influence in Illinois were increased in 2011 and those penalties exist today. A second offense of DUI is still a […]
formal hearing
People in Illinois can have suspensions and revocations on their licenses. A driver can get suspended or revoked for a variety of reasons, such as accumulating traffic convictions, a DUI conviction, or other specific traffic offenses that can lead to such a penalty on their own. This article explores the differences between informal and formal […]
Most people with multiple drunk driving offenses do not assume they will be (legally) behind the wheel for quite a while following their arrest. Illinois has strict mandatory driver’s license suspension laws that make it difficult for even first time offenders to start driving again. For those with more than two or three convictions, they […]
A person who is arrested for driving under the influence is confronted with two problems. First, he faces criminal penalties imposed by a court of law. At the present time, a first offense of DUI is categorized as a Class A misdemeanor offense. The potential penalties include up to one year in jail and a […]
Driving under the influence is the only offense in Illinois that requires the offender to undergo an evaluation before sentencing. The evaluation is mandated by statute. There is one exception to this rule, and it shows how seriously the law treats a DUI. The only other case in which the defendant is required to have […]
The state legislature has amended the DUI statutes in 2011 and established additional civil penalties for people accused of driving under the influence. The law in Illinois up to 2010 provided that if a person was involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in personal injury or death, the police were allowed to draw […]
Illinois law on driving under the influence changed significantly in 2008. In that year, the legislature added additional penalties for the offense of DUI. For example, an arrest for DUI where the driver does not have a valid license turned into a felony offense. For years defendants who were arrested for DUI without a valid […]