Will County DUI Attorney

Illinois has some of the strictest DUI laws in the country and some of the harshest penalties for conviction. A person is considered driving under the influence if they have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, or 0.04% if it is a driver of a large commercial truck. The state has a zero tolerance policy for minors, who are not allowed to have any level of BAC while behind the wheel. In addition, with the passage of recreational marijuana in Illinois, the laws were amended for DUI to also include a THC level of five nanograms or more to constitute driving under the influence.

The penalties for a DUI conviction are serious. For a first conviction, the punishments can include a driver’s license suspension for one year, up to one year in jail, and fines up to $2,500. The first conviction is a Class A misdemeanor offense but it can be elevated to a felony if bodily harm was caused.

A second conviction for DUI in Illinois comes with a driver’s license suspension up to five years along with up to one year in jail and $2,500 in fines. This is also a Class A misdemeanor offense that can be elevated to a felony if bodily harm was caused. There is no look back period in Illinois, which means that all DUI convictions are counted no matter how long ago they took place.

Third and subsequent convictions for DUI in Illinois are extremely serious. They are considered Class Two Felony offenses and come with a jail term between three and seven years in addition to fines up to $25,000. The driver’s license is automatically suspended for 10 years, and the person is labeled as a convicted felon with a permanent record that cannot be expunged for this offense.

In addition to the administrative and criminal penalties, conviction for driving under the influence also comes with personal and professional reputation ruin, restrictions on certain jobs, and serious effects on background checks for a job, school, and housing. There are many options for defending against charges of driving under the influence. The experienced Will County lawyers at Hamilton & Antonsen, Ltd. Can help.