DUI Arrest? Help is Available from a Glen Ellyn DUI Lawyer.

Glen Ellyn DUI Lawyers Will Fight for Your Rights

Illinois is one of the toughest states in the nation when it comes to cracking down on DUI (driving under the influence) offenses, with a conviction bringing fines and possible jail time, as well as automatically causing your driver’s license to be revoked. Fortunately, if you were arrested for a DUI, a Glen Ellyn DUI lawyer at Wolfe & Stec may be able to help get your charges reduced or even completely avoid a conviction.

DUI charges are typically based on an officer’s direct observation and chemical testing, and our lawyers know how to look for ways to combat these charges. It’s important to act quickly and call us immediately to protect your rights and avoid making mistakes that can be used against you.

The Glen Ellyn DUI attorneys at Wolfe & Stec have extensive experience fighting DUI charges. We know the judges, the courts and the system and how to find weaknesses and errors in the prosecutor’s case. We can help by:

• Finding the best way to defend you based on the facts of your DUI and possible prosecutor errors
• Preventing you from saying or doing anything that would hurt your case
• Preparing you for all hearings and court appearances
• Taking care of paperwork and making sure all required forms are filed correctly and in a timely manner
• Negotiating and plea bargaining for a lesser charge
• Ensuring that you keep out of additional trouble by completing requirements such as alcohol education or treatment programs.

Our legal team will support you throughout the process, answer your questions and concerns, and aggressively fight for your rights. We provide a free consultation to discuss your individual situation and determine the best way to proceed.

Don’t delay. Call Wolfe & Stec at 630-305-0222 today for your free, confidential consultation.

Glen Ellyn DUI Attorneys Explain DUI Laws and Tests

DUI Laws

DUIs are a major cause of injury and death, so the laws and punishments are stringent in Illinois. In addition to fines and jail time, you may face felony DUI charges if this is not your first drunk driving arrest. Your license may be suspended, your insurance premiums will rise, and you will have a permanent criminal record that negatively affects your prospects for education, jobs, and housing. You may lose your job and your family, and your social relationships may never be the same.

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

• alcohol
• illegal substances, intoxicating compounds or combinations of intoxicating compounds that leave you incapable of driving safely
• other drugs, including cannabis (marijuana) even if prescribed for medical purposes
• any amount of an unlawfully used controlled substance that is found in breath, blood, or urine.

DUI Attorneys in Glen Ellyn, IL, Understand Weaknesses of DUI Tests

Illinois has an Implied Consent Law. This means that the law considers you to have given consent for testing if you are arrested for probable cause for DUI and an officer asks you to provide a breath, blood, bodily substance, or urine sample.

Based on test results, you will be considered to be driving 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, even if legal
• You are under the age of 21 with any amount in the blood.

Implied consent is only for situations where a police officer has arrested you for DUI and has probable cause for the arrest. If you have not been arrested, you have the right to refuse chemical testing. Even if implied consent comes into play, you still can generally refuse chemical testing, but there are penalties for refusal, including a 12-month suspension of your driver’s license.

A BAC number isn’t always required for a conviction. The judge or jury will be told that you refused testing, and the prosecutor will introduce other evidence such as:

• Results of any field sobriety tests
• Police observation of any signs of impairment, such as slurred speech, unsteady gait, bloodshot eyes, or odor of alcohol.

Our Glen Ellyn DUI defense attorneys know that no field sobriety test is completely accurate and officer observations can be wrong. We are prepared to challenge results and have them excluded if they have not been administered or interpreted properly. Call us today at 630-305-0222.

DUI Attorneys in Glen Ellyn Help if You Are Arrested for a DUI

There are Ways Our DUI Attorneys Can Challenge Your Arrest

Police officers and prosecutors often make mistakes, which can include irregularity in the chain of custody of samples or stopping you without probable cause. Our DUI Attorneys in Glen Ellyn know how to look for such errors and use them to your advantage.

Chemical blood or urine tests are more accurate than field sobriety tests, but must be administered by licensed medical professionals at a medical facility and be collected, labeled, sealed, and authenticated in a law enforcement officer’s presence. If any of these steps were not done properly, they can be challenged in court. In addition to questioning test administration, we may find that the equipment was incorrectly calibrated.

If you have received driver notification of a summary suspension based on breathalyzer or other chemical test refusal, you are entitled to a hearing. We may be able to refute the suspension for reasons such as proving that…

• The law enforcement officer did not advise you of the consequences of refusal
• You were not under arrest when you refused the test.

Our Glen Ellyn, IL, attorneys can determine which are the best defenses in your individual situation based on the facts and evidence involved.

DUI Lawyers in Glen Ellyn Explain Charges and Penalties

Our Glen Ellyn DUI Lawyers Fight to Get Charges Reduced or Eliminated

Potential punishments for Illinois DUI vary greatly, depending on factors such whether you had a previous DUI, your blood alcohol level, and the place and circumstance of the DUI. It is common for the first and sometimes second DUI to be charged as a misdemeanor. The charge becomes a felony for reasons that include:

• You had three or more DUIs
• You caused an accident with a death or great bodily harm while under the influence
• You did not have a valid driver’s license or insurance at the time of the arrest
• There was a minor under the age of 16 in the car who was injured in an accident
• You were operating a school bus while under the influence.

DUI punishments get steeper with each repeat offense and under certain circumstances, as follows:
First Offense — is a Class A misdemeanor, but becomes a felony if there are injuries. Punishments may include:

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

Second DUI – brings license suspension of five years, jail time and fines
Third DUI – charges become a felony with three to seven years in jail, up to $25,000 in fines, and license suspended for a minimum of ten years
In addition, a DUI may become a felony punishable by more than a year in jail if you have past traffic convictions or if you were driving without a valid driver’s license. A conviction for a Class 4 felony may bring imprisonment of 1-3 years and fines of up to $25,000.

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

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

An aggravated DUI with multiple deaths is a class X felony and brings penalties of prison for 6 to 30 years and fines of up to $25,000.

Call a DUI Lawyer in Glen Ellyn Without Delay

If you have been charged with a DUI in Illinois, delaying can only make your situation worse. Your future is too important to risk, so get skilled legal support from our Glen Ellyn DUI attorneys at Wolfe & Stec in order to get the best possible outcome.

Call us at 630-305-0222 today for your free initial consultation.