Don't keep secrets from your Criminal or DUI defense lawyer. Espescially not about the good stuff.

I suppose nothing should really surprise me. But this week I had an hour-long conversation with a client about his Chicago DUI case. It was our first meeting, but it was obvious within a few minutes we were a great fit.

I was going to be his lawyer.

He was going to be my client.

No two ways about it, like I said, it was obvious - we hit it off right away. Part of that lengthy conversation involved learning about his past. I find that very often, DUI prosecutors (even the ones with icy cold hearts made of stone) actually care about who they are prosecuting. Even if they don't Judges may care who they are Judging, and at some point, they may actually have the opportunity to find out.

So it came as a bit of a surprise to me that despite asking about it earlier, I at last got my client to admit (ADMIT?) that he had been honorably discharged from the United States Navy not long ago, and had received a few medals and commendations along the way. Maybe it was just the way US servicemen are that they don't feel like it's any big deal.

It is. It matters. It may matter a lot. It reminded me of another similar story. Watch the video and find out why there's no place for humility when taking to your Illinois DUI lawyer, then, if you're facing criminal or DUI charges in Cook county, Lake county or DuPage county courts like Chicago, Skokie, Waukegan or Wheaton, pick up the phone and call us at 847-635-8200.

Is drinking and driving the same thing as DUI in Illinois?

Maybe you had a drink at dinner. Or you toasted the bride at a wedding. Perhaps you just enjoyed a beer with a friend. Under Illinois DUI law, is it illegal to drive home after you've had that drink? Many people automatically assume drinking and driving is DUI. But the answer may surprise you . . .

If you've been arrested for DUI in the Chicago area, but don't think you were impaired by the alcohol you consumed, you're going to need an attorney right away. Give us a call at 800-454-4Law or 800-454-4529.

Do you need a lawyer for your DUI arrest in Illinois?

Subtitle: Do you need a cardio-thoracic surgeon or will you be performing your own heart surgery today?

Really. That's about the size of it. DUI in Illinois has so many potentially far-ranging consequences that it makes the question seem almost silly. In fact, if for some strange reason you appear at your first court appearance without an Illinois DUI lawyer, the very first thing you'll likely hear from the Judge is "where is your attorney?"

That isn't the Judge being smart-alecky (though some members of the bench are pretty adept at that). If you tell a Judge you don't have an attorney for a DUI, watch their face as they attempt to stop themselves from rolling their eyes. Most of the time they'll be successful just because they're too busy, but sometimes you might catch them in the act.

DUI isn't a traffic case. It isn't a criminal case. It isn't a seminar on forensic science. It isn't civil litigation. No, in Illinois, it's all those things and more. There are aspects of every one of those fields involved, and punishments range from the civil, such as driver's license suspension or revocation, to the criminal, including jail or prison time, significant fines, community service, and alcohol or substance treatment. DUI can affect your future employment prospects, social standing, and where applicable, immigration status.

In short, you need a lawyer. A lawyer that focusses on defense of DUI.

Now.