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 […]
mandatory minimum sentence
Attention: This article was originally published February 25, 2013. The information has since been reviewed for accuracy and is up-to-date as of December 2019. All DUIs are charged under the same statute, 625 ILCS 5/11-501. Regardless of whether it is a misdemeanor or felony, a person’s guilt or innocence is determined by the same sections […]
Another year comes and another set of penalties for driving under the influence in Illinois. The law in Illinois on DUI changes every year. The reasons for this include the fact that ambiguities in earlier statutes are detected or become problematic in court, and these instances are reported to state lawmakers. Another reason the law […]
The laws against driving under the influence in Illinois have enhanced penalties where the defendant was transporting a child passenger. The DUI statute in Illinois is 625 ILCS 5/11-501. A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor offense. The sentencing range is up to one year in jail and a possible fine of $2,500. But […]
The breathalyzer test that is part of nearly all driving under the influence arrests serves as the State’s best evidence that the driver is guilty. A result of 0.08 or more is per se a violation of 625 ILCS 5/11-501. But the breath test does more. A high breath alcohol concentration can subject the defendant […]
Driving while license suspended is a criminal offense in the state of Illinois. The offense is typically charged by a police officer by issuing a traffic ticket and releasing the defendant at the police station. This practice is deceiving because it does not accurately represent the seriousness of the offense. The statute for driving while […]