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Your BAC (blood alcohol concentration) is what determines if you'll be charged with a DUI (driving under the influence) in Chicago, Illinois. If police measure your BAC at 0.08 percent or higher, you are legally considered "intoxicated" and will be charged with DUI. You are not considered intoxicated but can still be charged with DUI if your BAC is above 0.05 but below 0.08 if you are still somehow impaired. A BAC of 0.16% or higher is considered "driving while under the extreme influence" and will result in tougher penalties than that for a DUI. If you are found guilty of DUI, your punishment depends on your circumstances. If your BAC shows you are intoxicated and you are over 21, your penalty will be a 12-month license suspension. The penalty is a 2-year suspension for someone under 21. Courts may choose not to impose a license suspension if the offender is a first-timer. An alternative to license suspension is 'court supervision'. This could include community service, mandatory alcohol treatment, etc., and varies by case. Court supervisions are generally only imposed because of compelling evidence, and if you are charged with DUI again you will not be given another chance. If you have a second DUI within 20 years of your first, your license will be suspended for a minimum of five years. The suspension period is typically longer for those holding an Illinois commercial driver's license (CDL) . Not only will your license be suspended after a DUI charge, you could also be fined and/or go to jail. First-time offenders can face up to one year in jail, up to a $2,500 fine, mandatory community service, and may be required to install an ignition interlock device after their suspension period finishes. Second-time offenders face a much longer community service period, and will certainly require an ignition interlock device. 'Aggravated DUI' is when you are charged with a DUI three or more times. Not only will you be fined up to $25,000 and spend 3-7 years in jail, you will have a minimum 10-year driving ban. A fourth offense comes with a lifetime driving ban. Penalties including a jail term without probation or conditional discharge come with a charge of driving under the extreme influence after a fourth offense, in addition to the same penalties for DUI and aggravated DUI. Finally, if you are charged with DUI and there is a child (under 16) in the car with you, you will be charged with DUI with child endangerment. You can spend 6 months in jail, be fined up to $2,500, be assigned 25 hours of community service and have your license suspended for a year after your first offense. If you are charged a second time (or greater), you'll face up to 3 years in jail, a fine of at least $2,500 and have your license suspended for five years. To find out how the DUI laws in Chicago work, you must talk to a DUI Lawyer in Chicago as soon as possible. As you can see, there are many things that must be considered when developing a successful defense strategy and it's extremely tough, if not impossible, to go it alone. When looking for an attorney to properly represent you, you need to find a DUI Attorney in Chicago who focuses his practice on drunk driving defense. Having this type of expertise on your side can only help you with your case.Chicago DUI attorney Chicago DUI lawyer Chicago DUI law attorney
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