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In Chicago, Illinois, a DUI (driving under the influence) charge depends on your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). You are legally "intoxicated" and will be charged with DUI if your BAC is measured by police at 0.08% or higher. 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. Penalties for being guilty of DUI depend on your circumstances. If you take the BAC test and are found to be intoxicated, your license will be suspended for a minimum of 12 months, if you are over 21 years of age. The penalty is a 2-year suspension for someone under 21. First-time offenders may not get a license suspension however. The judge may order 'court supervision' instead of license suspension. Depending on the case, this could be mandatory enrollment in an alcohol treatment program, community service, etc.. Generally, compelling evidence is necessary for court supervision to be imposed and you won't be given a second chance if you're charged with a future DUI. 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. After your first offense, you can be fined up to $2,500, spend up to a year in jail, be assigned mandatory community service and have to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle. Second-time offenders face a much longer community service period, and will certainly require an ignition interlock device. If you are charged with DUI for a third time or greater, you are charged with ‘Aggravated DUI’ and face a 3-7 year jail sentence, up to a $25,000 fine, and a driving ban for at least 10 years. If you are offending for a fourth time, you will be banned from driving for life. Driving under the extreme influence carries the same penalties as DUI and Aggravated DUI, except a fourth offensive carries a jail term with no probation or conditional discharge. Lastly, you could be charged with DUI with child endangerment if a child under the age of 16 is in the car with you. First-time offenders face 6 months in jail, 25 hours of community service, a fine of up to $2,500, and a one-year license suspension. Second-time (or greater) offenders face up to 3 years in jail, a 5-year license suspension, and a fine of at least $2,500. If you or a loved one has a DUI arrest in Chicago, it's imperative that you discuss your case with a DUI Lawyer in Chicago immediately. Obviously, the laws are complex and make it near impossible to form a successful defense strategy without professional assistance. When you start to look for an attorney to properly represent you, seek out 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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