Get Help from a Skilled Hinsdale DUI Lawyer

Our Hinsdale DUI Lawyers Fight to Protect You

Being charged with a DUI (driving under the influence) in Illinois, is a serious office. If convicted you face severe consequences, including jail time. Advice, counsel and legal representation from a Hinsdale DUI lawyer at Wolfe & Stec can be extremely valuable. We may be able to have the charges against you reduced. And, in some cases, you may be able to completely avoid a conviction.

Illinois statutes provide multiple reasons that 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 or combinations of intoxicating compounds that leave you incapable of driving safely
• any amount of an unlawfully used controlled substance that is found in breath, blood, or urine.

Because DUIs often result in injury and death, they are taken seriously. Punishments include fines and jail time. If this is not your first arrest, you may face felony DUI charges. Conviction can result in a suspended license, increase in insurance premiums and a permanent criminal record that can negatively impact your prospects for education, jobs, and housing. You can even lose your job and your family. Your relationships with your friends may be changed forever.

Fighting DUI charges is a job for a professional. Do not go about this yourself. At Wolf & Stec, our Hinsdale DUI attorneys are experienced in litigating DUI cases. We know the judges, the courts, and the system. We will leverage our experience on your behalf to identify weaknesses and errors in the prosecutor’s case to help defeat the charges and have them reduced or dismissed. We will stand by you, complete all paperwork, accompany you to court appearances, and manage all of the legal aspects of your case. We will support you throughout the process, answer all of your questions, address your concerns, and aggressively fight for your rights.

We provide all clients a free and confidential consultation to discuss their individual situation and determine the best way to move forward. Delaying can only make the situation worse. So, call Wolfe & Stec at 630-305-0222 today for your free, confidential consultation.

Our Hinsdale DUI Attorneys Explain DUI Tests

DUI Tests Are Not Always Reliable

You must understand implied consent. In Illinois the Implied Consent Law means that if a police officer has probable cause to believe you are driving impaired, arrests you and asks you to provide a breath, blood, bodily substance, or urine sample, you are considered to have given consent for testing. If any of the following are found, you will be considered to be DUI:

• Your blood-alcohol content (BAC) is determined to be .08 or more
• You have used any illegal substance or are impaired by medication, even if legal
• You have a THC level of 5 nanograms or more per milliliter of whole blood
• If you are under the age of 21 with any amount in the blood.

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

Just because you refuse testing and a BAC number is unavailable does not mean you will not be convicted. Your refusal to test will be divulged in court and additional evidence can be shared by the prosecuting attorney including:

• Field sobriety test results
• Police observation of any signs of impairment, including bloodshot eyes, an unsteady gait, slurred speech and even the odor of alcohol.

If You Are Stopped for a DUI Our DUI Attorneys in Hinsdale Can Help

Our Attorneys Will Identify Ways to Challenge Your Arrest

Field sobriety tests all have a margin of error. None are 100% accurate. As your DUI defense attorney in Hinsdale, we can challenge the results. If the test was not administered appropriately or the results interpreted properly, we can have them excluded.

Certain tests are more accurate than others. For example, Chemical blood or urine tests are more reliable than field sobriety tests. However, these can only be administered by licensed medical professionals at a medical facility. And, they must be collected, labeled, sealed, and authenticated in a law enforcement officer’s presence. Should any of these steps be omitted, the results can be challenged.

Have you have received driver notification of a summary suspension based on breathalyzer or chemical test refusal? If so, you are entitled to a hearing. As your attorneys, we may be able to refute the suspension for reasons such as proving that …

• You were not under arrest when you refused the test
• You were not advised, by the law enforcement officer, of the consequences of refusal.

Our Hinsdale attorneys can determine which defense is best for you based upon your specific situation.

An Explanation of Charges and Penalties by DUI Lawyers in Hinsdale

Our Lawyers May Get Charges Reduced or Eliminated

Potential punishments, if you are arrested for a DUI, vary greatly, depending on a range of factors including your blood alcohol level, the location of the DUI, and whether you had a previous offense. Charges range from misdemeanors to felonies, and punishments get more severe with each repeat offense and under certain circumstances.

1. First Offense — This Class A misdemeanor becomes a felony if there are injuries. Punishments may include:

• A license suspension for a minimum of one-year
• Up to one year in jail and $2,500 in fines
• Modification to your vehicle including the installation of a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) with a camera unit.

2. Second DUI – This offense results in license suspension of five years, jail time and fines.
3. Third DUI – Your third offense is considered a felony which can be punished by three to seven years in jail, up to $25,000 in fines, and a license suspension for a minimum of ten years.

Additionally, if you have past traffic convictions or were driving without a valid license, you DUI may become a felony punishable by more than a year in jail. A conviction for a Class 4 felony may bring imprisonment of 1-3 years and fines of up to $25,000.

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

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

An aggravated DUI with multiple deaths is classified as a class X felony and is associated with penalties that may include a 6-30 year prison term and fines of up to $25,000.

If you are facing charges for a repeat drunk driving or high driving offense, you may be facing severe repercussions. Your future is at risk. Don’t wait. Contact our DUI lawyers in Hinsdale today at 630-305-0222.

Contact Our DUI Lawyer in Hinsdale for Help Immediately

If you have been charged with a DUI in Illinois, our Wolfe & Stec DUI lawyers in Hinsdale can help by:

• Coordinating the best defense for you based upon the facts of your DUI
• Preventing you from acting in any way that would hurt your case
• Preparing you for all hearings and court appearances
• Ensuring that all required forms are filed correctly and in a timely manner
• Negotiating and plea bargaining for a lesser charge
• Making sure that stay out of additional trouble by completing requirements such as alcohol education or treatment programs.

Law enforcement is not infallible. Police officers and prosecutors often make mistakes. Sometimes there is irregularity in the chain of custody of samples. Occasionally they may have stopped you without probable cause. We know how to identify errors like these and leverage them to your advantage. Additionally, if you have not been drinking yet still failed a field sobriety or breath test, we can help.

Don’t risk your future. Obtain skilled legal support from our Hinsdale DUI attorneys at Wolfe & Stec. We will fight for the best outcome for you. Call us at 630-305-0222 today for your free initial consultation.