The Illinois court system consists of three layers. The first is the trial court, which is situated in the downtown area of all of Illinois’ 102 counties. A single judge presides over a trial. In most cases, including Illinois DUI cases, a jury trial is available. In that instance, the…
Every state has laws that make it illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol (DUI). 625 ILCS 5/11-501 Each state also has laws concerning the consequences of a DUI arrest and a DUI conviction. The laws of each state vary substantially regarding these driver’s license consequences and what is…
Mother’s Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) is an organization that began as a grassroots effort to change DUI laws. It is now a lobbying group that relies upon free publicity, intimidation of judges and prosecutors and political favoritism to get its way. On an annual basis, it bestows various awards to…
Illinois has joined a few other states in adopting a law that allows for medicinal use of marijuana. It is known as the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act. Public Act 98-0122 It is a “pilot program” in that if lawmakers do not renew the program, it automatically…
In some states, for instance, Vermont, a refusal to submit to a breath test can in and of itself be a crime in addition to the separate crime of Driving Under the Influence (DUI). At the present time, in Illinois, the rules on refusal are different from those in Vermont…
While the benefits to public safety are questionable, the industry that provides Interlock Ignition devices is no doubt thrilled that the federal government has proposed mandatory use of their machines even for first time DUI offenders. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is probably the most influential voice in…
If you are arrested in Illinois for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and are not dead, unconscious or seriously injured, the officer will ask you to perform what are known as Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST). Following these tests, the officer will ask you to take a Preliminary Breath Test…
The State of Illinois has a law that prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle anywhere in Illinois while under the influence of alcohol, other drugs and intoxicants. This Illinois DUI law currently applies only to land vehicles other than snowmobiles and bicycles. 625 ILCS 5/1-217 It is necessary to…
As far as Illinois DUI law is concerned, there are three general categories of offenses. The first and most common is DUI alcohol. Alcohol-related DUI can arise from impaired driving evidence due to alcohol. That would come about by the police officer’s observations of your driving, your conduct during the…
When a driver in Illinois has an encounter with law enforcement while the driver is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle as required by Illinois DUI (Driving Under the influence) law (625 ILCS 5/11-501), the officer may be looking for signs of DUI impairment. This can begin with…