An Experienced Darien IL DUI Lawyer Can Help You

Darien DUI Lawyers Advocate for Your Future

DUI (driving under the influence) charges are serious and concerning. A conviction can impact you for the rest of your life. If you have been arrested and charged with a DUI in Illinois, your first step should be to call a Darien DUI lawyer at Wolfe & Stec.

In Illinois, consequences for conviction of DUI charges may result in:

• the suspension of your license
• significant fines
• jail time
• felony DUI charges if you have been arrested for drunk driving in the past.

Another consequence of being found guilty is the possibility you may be subject to increased insurance premiums. Additionally, you will have a permanent criminal record that may affect your future job prospects, opportunities for education and even housing. DUI convictions also impact family and social relationships.

Engaging an experienced and respected attorney is your best defense. At Wolfe & Stec, our DUI attorneys will leverage their knowledge of the system and how it operates to identify prosecutor errors and weaknesses. Our goals are to effectively address the charges and have them reduced or dismissed. As your DUI attorney, we will manage your case from start to finish, keep you apprised of the process, answer your questions and concerns, and aggressively fight for your rights and your freedom.

Each DUI arrest is unique in its circumstances. Issues that come in to play include your blood alcohol level and the number of previous offenses you have, if any. Because each situation is so specific, we offer all potential clients a free and confidential consultation to discuss what happened to them. We will use this information to determine the best way to proceed with their case. Do not delay in obtaining counsel; contact us today. Your Wolfe & Stec DUI attorney can be reached at 630-305-0222.

What Is a DUI? Darien DUI Attorneys Share Their Knowledge

Our Darien DUI Attorneys Answer Your Questions

Illinois statutes state the reasons you can be arrested for a DUI. These include operating a motor vehicle while impaired by:

• alcohol
• other drugs, including cannabis (marijuana) even if prescribed for medical purposes.
• illegal substances, intoxicating compounds, and methamphetamine.

There are important facts to understand. First, Illinois has an Implied Consent Law. If you are driving and pulled over by a law enforcement officer who has probable cause to believe you are impaired, you are considered to have agreed to provide a breath, blood, or urine sample. You will be deemed under the influence if:

• Your blood-alcohol content (BAC) is found to be .08 or more
• You have a THC level of 5 nanograms or more per milliliter of whole blood
• You have used any illegal substance or are impaired by medication.

Minors under the age of 21 are held to stringent standards. In Illinois there is a zero-tolerance policy for minors who drive while drinking. They can be charged with a DUI with any amount of alcohol in their blood, with some exceptions.

DUI Lawyer in Darien Fights for Your Future

The Knowledge and Experience of our Darien DUI Lawyers Helps Get Charges Reduced

When driving under the influence you put yourself and others at risk. In fact, drunk driving is often the cause of serious accidents resulting injury and sometimes death. As such, all penalties for drunk and drugged driving offenses are severe. That said, those who are repeat offenders face even greater punishments; charges can range from misdemeanors to felonies.

DUI penalties in Illinois include:

1. First Offense – Classified as Class A misdemeanor, unless there are injuries. In this case it may become a felony. Punishments may include:

• Up to a year in jail and $2,500 in fines
• A minimum of one-year license suspension
• Installation of a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) with a camera unit on your vehicles.

2. Repeat Offenses – Punishments increase as follows:

• Second DUI– license suspension of five years, jail time and fines
• Third DUI – charge becomes a felony, with three to seven years in jail, up to $25,000 in fines, and license suspended for a minimum of ten years.

Past traffic convictions or driving without a valid driver’s license can result in the DUI In becoming a felony. As such, it is punishable by more than a year in jail. Finally, If you are convicted of a Class 4 felony conviction, you face imprisonment of 1-3 years and fines of up to $25,000.

3. Aggravated DUI – A DUI becomes an aggravated DUI if you:

• were driving without a license or insurance
• caused bodily harm to a minor under 16 or while driving through a school zone
• were driving a school bus with at least one passenger under 18.

An aggravated DUI is incredibly serious. When coupled with multiple deaths it becomes a class X felony. This crime is punishable by 6-30 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.

If you have multiple convictions things become even more grievous. If you have been charged as a repeat drunk driving or high driving offender, contact our DUI lawyer in Darien. They provide top notch legal support. This is not the time to handle things on your own. A reputable and experienced attorney is a must. Contact a DUI attorney at Wolfe & Stec to represent you through the judicial process. Call us today at 630-305-0222.

Are DUI Tests Mandatory? Your Darien DUI Attorney Responds

Drunk Driving Tests Can Be Challenged – Engage Our Attorneys to Help

Field sobriety tests are performed at a roadside safety check or at the side of the road if you are pulled over for probable cause by a police officer. If these tests are positive for DUI, you will be arrested, taken to the police station, and asked to submit to chemical testing.

The penalty for refusing to test or failing the test is the automatic suspension of your drivers’ license. If you are under 21 years old and refuse to submit to a BAC test, your license will be suspended for six months on your first violation and for two years for a second offense.

How Do You Test for a DUI?

There are several types of tests you will be asked to take, including:

1) Preliminary Breath Tests – For readings over .08, you will be placed under DUI arrest and made to take a more accurate chemical test.
2) Field Sobriety Tests. These include

• The horizontal gaze nystagmus tests which identify involuntary jerking of the eyes that often occur when someone is intoxicated
• The walk-and-turn test and the one-legged-stand test for balance and coordination.

These tests need to be administered properly for the results to be used against you. Should errors exist in the administration or interpretation, your DUI defense attorney in Darien can have them excluded.

3) Chemical Blood or Urine Tests

These tests are more accurate than the others. However, they must be administered by licensed medical professionals at a medical facility. Additionally, samples must be collected, labeled, sealed, and authenticated in a law enforcement officer’s presence. Still, both blood and urine tests can be challenged in court based on how they were administered.

Based on what happened, your Darien DUI attorneys can determine the best defenses in drunk driving cases to leverage for your situation. Call us at today 630-305-0222 and protect your future.

Call Our Darien DUI Lawyer for the Best Possible Representation

We Can Help You Achieve a Positive Outcome

Working with qualified and reputable DUI lawyers can increase your chances of a more positive outcome. Our DUI lawyers in Darien can help you. At Wolfe & Stec, our attorneys will

• Examine the facts of your DUI arrest to determine the best defense
• Prepare you for your hearing so you don’t say or do anything that would hurt your case
• Ensure all forms are filed correctly and in a timely manner
• Negotiate and plea bargain for a reduced charge
• Follow up to confirm that you complete all requirements including participating in education or treatment programs.

Based on decades of serving the community, we know how the system operates. We will use our experience and identify prosecutor mistakes along with any reasons that test results can be excluded (including irregularity in the chain of custody of samples or lack of probable cause). If you were not drinking, yet failed either the field sobriety test or breath test, we can get you off.

Because of the severity of the charges, please do not try to fight the system on your own. Consider working with a seasoned DUI attorney and take advantage of his knowledge and experience. The Darien DUI attorneys at Wolfe & Stec are ready to present best possible outcome. Contact us today at 630-305-0222 today for your free initial consultation to plan for your future.