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Search for Illinois DUI
Attorneys by County.
Palantine, Park Ridge, Peoria DUI Lawyers
Palantine/Zion
- Michael
Meschino:
DUI-DWI Offenses - A cultural stigma has
become associated with drunk driving that was not present in
our society even a decade ago. Public perception categorizes
people charged with drunk driving as criminals, even before
they have been convicted of any crime. Being arrested for drunk
driving, driving under the influence (DUI), or driving while
intoxicated (DWI) can be an unsettling proposition, to say the
least. A DUI - DWI conviction in Illinois carries with it heavy
penalties, including:
- A permanent criminal
record
- Suspension or loss of license
-
Increased insurance rates
- Community service
-
Possible jail or prison time
- Alcohol assessment and
treatment
- Probation
- Vehicle immobilization
or forfeiture
- Serious fines
- Possible job
loss
If you have been arrested or accused of
drunk driving, DUI, DWI, vehicular homicide, or any other
alcohol-related criminal offense, you are probably frightened,
confused, and concerned about your future and that of your
family. The selection of an experienced attorney is the first
step towards regaining control of your life.
- Gary Payton:
The police have the power and resources of the state on their
side, you need someone on your side who is knowledgeable and
willing to represent your interests.
Palos Heights
- John Eannace:
During the past few decades, a crusade throughout Illinois and the
nation has developed to enact laws to deal with the problem of drunk
driving. ... A person charged with DUI is well-advised to retain the
services of an attorney to represent him during the hearing process and
possible requests for a judicial driving permit.
The consequences of a DUI conviction are harsh. An Illinois DUI charge,
at its least severe, is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to $2500
in fines, and up to 364 days in jail. In some cases, felony criminal
charges may apply! Additionally, a conviction for DUI will result in
the revocation of driving privileges. Automobile companies have access,
under law, to the driving records of Illinois motorists, and when they
learn of DUI convictions or license suspensions, insurance cancellation
is possible, with new coverage available only at a sharply increased
price.
Before automatically pleading guilty or entering into a rushed plea
agreement because the breath test machine recorded a score above the
legal limit, you should seek legal assistance. Often, these cases can
be successfully defended before a jury.
Park Ridge
- Nicholas Giordano:
Once I am told my rights, can I be questioned?
You can be questioned, without a lawyer present, only if you
voluntarily give up your rights and if you understand what you are
giving up. If you agree to the questioning, then change your mind,
questioning must stop as soon as you say that you want a lawyer. If the
questioning continues after you request a lawyer and you continue to
talk, your answers can be used against you if you testify to something
different.
You may be required to give certain physical evidence. For example, if
you are suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, you may be
requested to take a test to measure the amount of alcohol in your
system. If you refuse to take a test, your driver's license may be
suspended and the refusal will be used against you in court.
Once you are booked, meaning your arrest is written into official
police records and you are fingerprinted and photographed, you have the
right to make and complete telephone calls that are free within the
local dialing area.
- Charles Harth:
Were you stopped for a DUI? Learn where you stand and what your
options are. We can explain the ramifications of law related to
your case. Remember each case is different, so a through review
of your records is extremely important. Did you receive a notice
for Statutory Summary Suspension? Statutory Summary Suspension is
the temporary suspension of your drivers license. You may be
eligible for a hard ship license.
- Steven
Kozicki:
The crime of drunk driving is generally defined in two ways: (1)
having a blood alcohol content above the limit set by law, or (2)
driving under the influence of alcohol. To find a person guilty
under the first definition, a jury (or judge) must be convinced
beyond a reasonable doubt that the person's blood alcohol content
(BAC) exceeded a certain amount. In most states the legal limit is
.08 percent. Therefore, if it is proved that the person's BAC at
the time of the incident was .08 percent or greater, he or she can
be convicted of drunk driving, regardless of how much alcohol was
actually consumed. As a practical matter, one drink would almost
certainly not lead to a BAC of .08 percent or greater; generally, a
person needs to have five drinks in an hour to develop a BAC of .08
percent. However, if there was something unique about the person or
the drink, or other circumstance, one drink could raise the BAC
above the legal limit.
In contrast, the second definition does not refer to any particular
BAC. It focuses on the driving behavior of the person; if it is
impaired by the person's consumption of alcohol, he or she can be found
guilty of drunk driving. Instead of presenting evidence of the BAC to a
jury, the prosecution seeking a conviction under this definition
generally presents testimony about the person's driving and consumption
of alcohol. A police officer will often describe the impaired driving
that lead him to pull the person over and the person's ability (or lack
thereof) to perform field sobriety tests, such as walking a straight
line. Evidence is also usually presented concerning the person's
consumption of alcohol and if the jury then concludes that the
prosecution has met its burden of proof, it will convict the person of
drunk driving. A susceptible person may exhibit impaired driving after
one drink and therefore be convicted of drunk driving.
Peoria
- Ramos, Jason:
You have been charged with a DUI in Illinois, do I need an attorney?
The consequenses of a DUI conviction in Illinois will mean that your license will be revoked. If the DUI is charged as a misdemeanor, you will face up to a year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine plus court costs. If the DUI is charged as a felony, you face multiple years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.
- Hanna & Hanna:
A DUI or DWI charge can force you off the road and land you in jail. If you are charged with DUI or DWI, you are in a serious situation.
- Hasselberg, Williams, Grebe, Snodgrass & Birdsall:
You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
- Peter LaSorsa:
Even if this is your first offense, the penalties for driving under the influence (DWI) or under the influence of a controlled substance or prescribed medications can be serious. Such penalties include:
* License suspension
* Fines
* Attendance in alcohol prevention programs
* Jail time
You may also be charged with higher insurance premiums for a period of several years. If you've been charged with drunk driving, you need the services of attorney Peter LaSorsa. My goal is to avoid the suspension of your license, or at least obtain "restricted status", which will enable you to drive to work.
- Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick:
A conviction for DUI / DWI is serious, and can have a lasting impact on your finances, your freedom, and your familys future.
- Arthur Inman:
What to Do if You Are Falsely Accused of a Crime
Believe it or not, many people who are convicted of a crime and end up
in prison were falsely accused. Although the American criminal justice
system works in most cases, not all juries get things right, and the
consequences can be tragic. An innocent party pays the price for
something he or she did not do, while the guilty party roams free. The
best way to avoid such an unjust result and ensure the proper outcome
when faced with criminal accusations is to immediately seek counsel
from the best criminal defense attorneys available. Skilled and
knowledgeable defense lawyers know their way around the criminal
justice system and can navigate through the complex procedures to
ensure the fairest possible conclusion.
- Dura Law Office:
You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
- Ghantos
Law Offices:
Traffic violations can have serious criminal consequences, particularly
when a driver is accused of driving under the influence. A conviction
on DUI or DWI charges may result in fines, the revocation or suspension
of your driver's license, and possible jail time. In addition, your
insurance company may increase your rates to an unmanageable level. In
defending against an impaired driving charge, you have many rights as a
criminal defendant, including the right to cross-examine the witnesses
against you, even if they are police officers. An experienced criminal
defense attorney can make all the difference in such a difficult case.
- Joe Gibson:
Traffic violations can have serious criminal consequences,
particularly if you are accused of driving under the influence or
driving while intoxicated (DUI/DWI). If you are convicted of
DUI/DWI, the potential consequences include fines, driver's license
suspension or revocation, and jail time. In addition, your
insurance company will likely raise your rates to a point where
they are not affordable. In defending against DUI/DWI, you have
many rights as a criminal defendant, including the right to
cross-examine the witnesses against you. An experienced attorney
representing you can make all the difference.
- John Lonergan:
The largest concern in any DUI case is the preservation of your
driving privileges. Certainly the possibility of 364 days in
jail is foreboding. But, if you are convicted of a DUI your
license will be REVOKED and that carries with it an entirely
different loss of freedom. Revocation is different from a
suspension in that when the period of suspension is over you
simply pay a reinstatement fee and you are back on the road. If
revoked the reinstatement process is long, difficult and
carries no guarantees.
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