Attorney Steven H. Fagan of Fagan, Fagan & Davis discusses the latest information and news about Illinois' drunk driving laws, as well as helpful tips to protect your rights.
Motorists arrested for DUI in Illinois typically take a breath test or other chemical test, like blood or urine. Illinois law is structured to encourage people to take the breath test, and police officers are trained to push them as well.
The vast majority of those who do submit to breath testing blow a 0.08 or above, the legal limit under Illinois law as well as nationwide. A common question we get at Fagan, Fagan & Davis is if you took the breath test and the result was 0.08 or higher, is there any chance of winning the DUI?
In some cases, yes there certainly is - but far too many defendants and lawyers give up without a fight and plead guilty without ever exploring issues real DUI lawyers look at every day to help their clients.
Watch the video to learn more, then, if you're facing a DUI in the Chicago area, pick up the phone and call our office to discuss!
The truth? People of all stripes (and some without stripes at all, or anything for that matter) get arrested for DUI every day. Even well-liked pastors. Even naked. Pastor suspended after DUI, nude-driving arrest
Seriously, based on the article and other reports, it is entirely possible that there is more to the story here, and prescription drugs may have played a part in this unexpected situation. Hopefully, the pastor engages the services of a DUI attorney that will take a careful look into . . . the bare truth.
It was a bad night. A police officer has just arrested you for DUI in Chicago, maybe in the suburbs or on the highway by the Illinois State police or some local police department. You're tired. You're confused. You're scared. Maybe you had something to drink or smoke (allegedly).
And then the officer reads you a bunch of stuff and hands you some papers. Maybe you'll even try to read them.
When arrested for DUI in Illinois, you're supposed to be warned that if you take a breath test or a blood or urine test and show a positive result, you'll be suspended for a certain amount of time. You're supposed to be told that if you refuse any test, that changes the amount of time.
Here's what you need to know to decipher all that mess.
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.
A DUI arrest in Illinois is scary enough. Then you might hear an officer or some well-meaning soul telling you (or implying) that your driver's license is going to be suspended right away. But that's just what happens.
Before you wonder how you're going to get to work, school, the grocery store, the doctor in the morning, take a peek at this:
Very often clients ask us what to wear to court when appearing for an Illinois DUI case or a criminal defense case, and we're grateful they do. Some don't bother asking. Sometimes the results are fun, and sometimes not.
Of course, sometimes those are the very people who might need to hear our advice. If you'd like to learn about how you should dress for Court (and you should) check out our video below.
So to recap, while a suit and tie or your "Sunday best" wouldn't hurt, semi-casual attire attire will do nicely. No boy shorts, tank-top tees, or shirts with pictures of big marijuana leafs on the back, ok?
Call us at 847-635-8200 now or email office@ffdlawyers.com for help with your case!
People wonder if Chicago is a party town. Apparently there was a party in the bus . . . as well as next to it. Somebody needs a great Chicago DUI lawyer fast.
