How a DUI Case Can Affect Your Life

A DUI conviction can negatively impact your life. You could be subject to jail time, hefty fines, loss of driving privileges and a criminal record.

An experienced Cook County DUI attorney can protect your rights. They can help you avoid costly penalties and fight to keep your license. The first call you should make is to an attorney.

Charges

Those charged with DUI in the State of Illinois face serious criminal charges that can have devastating consequences on their life. A conviction for DUI can lead to jail time, huge fines and a permanent criminal record. It can also have severe consequences on your career and personal life.

First time DUIs in the State of Illinois are usually misdemeanor offenses, but can be elevated to felony DUI if there were aggravating factors present at the time of your arrest, such as a high blood alcohol content level (BAC), or a previous DUI conviction, driving without a valid license, transporting children, or being accused of causing an accident that resulted in injury or death.

A DUI conviction can ruin your future and negatively impact every aspect of your life, including your financial future, your ability to work, and your relationships with family and friends. It is important to have a strong Chicago DUI lawyer working in your defense.

Penalties

A DUI conviction can have serious consequences for a person, including loss of driving privileges, jail time and hefty fines. It also results in the presence of a criminal record that can affect a person’s ability to work or find employment, or attend school.

Illinois takes DUI charges very seriously and will impose significant penalties, even on a first offense. The state has no tolerance for repeat offenders and will impose progressively harsher penalties with each additional offense.

A person’s first DUI is usually a misdemeanor and can result in a year in jail, the loss of your driver’s license and hefty fines. A person with a prior DUI offense or a BAC over 0.16% may be considered an aggravated offender and faces more severe penalties. Illinois law also considers the involvement of children in a vehicle to be an aggravating factor and can cause increased jail time and more fines. A convicted DUI will remain on a person’s record permanently and can never be expunged.

Court Dates

The State of Illinois takes DUI convictions very seriously. This is why the prosecutor in a DUI case will do everything they can to secure a conviction.

After you are arrested for DUI the police officer will give you a piece of paper that says “Notice of Statutory Summary Suspension.” This indicates that your license will be suspended for six months if you take and fail the breath test or 12 months if you refuse the test. You can keep this suspension from taking effect by filing a Petition to Rescind the Statutory Summary Suspension within 30 days of your arrest.

Your attorney will file any necessary motions for your DUI case and you will have several hearings before your trial date. Most people who have been charged with DUI in Cook County have three or four hearings before their trial. Most DUI cases in Cook County require substantial lawyer fees. These fees include the time that your attorney spends researching, preparing, and arguing your case.

Representation

Driving is a privilege, but it can also be a huge liability for those arrested for DUI in Cook County. Convictions can mean jail time, hefty fines and a permanent criminal record. In cases involving minors, commercial drivers or people in school zones or other public places, the penalties are even harsher.

The first thing you need to do is get legal representation. You want to hire an attorney who specializes in DUI and has experience fighting these kinds of cases in the past with good results.

You also want to find out how many DUI trials that attorney has handled in the past year. Ask about their track record in these trials and about their disciplinary history with the bar or ethics board that regulates lawyers in your state.

In addition, you should know that a good DUI lawyer can help minimize the amount of jail time that the State Attorney is seeking. This is especially important because a DUI conviction means loss of employment and other serious consequences for some people.