FAQs

If you receive a sentence of court supervision or win the case, it may not show up. If you receive a sentence of conditional discharge, it probably will.

A suspended license is generally temporary and for a set time period. Your license can then be reinstated after the suspension is over and you have paid the reinstatement fee. A revoked license has no set termination date. However, you may be able to reinstate your revoked license by applying to the Secretary of State, attending a hearing and presenting evidence that you now deserve to have your license returned. As the Secretary of State’s inclination is to say no, it helps to have an experienced attorney to guide you through the reinstatement process.

If your DUI is a felony, you may be arraigned early on. The arraignment gives you the opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty. Generally, you will want to obtain an attorney and enter a plea of not guilty even if you intend to negotiate a plea bargain at a later date.

In Illinois, even if your breathalyzer is at or just slightly over .08, you may still be able to fight a charge of drunk driving. The .08 limit is only a legal presumption that you were driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An experienced attorney may be able to present other evidence to show your driving was not impaired. For example, if you took field sobriety tests, such as the walk and turn test, and you were able to complete the test competently, you may have a chance.

The Illinois Secretary of State automatically suspends your driver’s license beginning on the 46th day after your arrest. You may try to have the suspension overturned. Your best chance to do so lies in hiring an attorney immediately after your arrest.

The maximum fine for a misdemeanor DUI is $2,500. Bear in mind, however, that the costs related to evaluations, treatment, and reporting to county offices can easily total another $3,000.

First time DUI is a Class A Misdemeanor. Later DUI offenses can be charged as felonies. Therefore, a DUI is a criminal as well as a traffic offense.

Driving on a suspended license can be a very serious offense if the reason for your suspension was related to DUI or reckless homicide. A first offense is generally a Class A Misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail. However, later offenses can be charged as a felony. A first offense carries a minimum sentence of 10 days in jail or 30 days community service. This mandatory sentence increases with later offenses. Penalties are also increased if you caused an accident resulting in serious injury or death or if you could have obtained a restricted driving permit[...]

A first offense is generally a Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail. Later offenses, however, can be charged as felonies with greater mandatory jail sentences.

Generally, the answer is no. The Driver’s License Compact enables states to exchange information about your driving record. Once the state where you apply for a license learns about your revocation through the Compact, you will be denied.