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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. A BAC of 0.08% or higher is considered "intoxicated" and means you'll be charged with DUI. If your BAC is at 0.05 or above but below 0.08, you are not considered intoxicated but you may still be charged with DUI (driving under influence) if the police can prove you are 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. For someone over 21 who is found to be intoxicated by a BAC test, his license will be suspended for at least 12 months. If you are under 21, you will face a minimum of 2 years suspension. Courts may choose not to impose a license suspension if the offender is a first-timer. An alternative to license suspension is 'court supervision'. The specifics of this supervision will vary from case to case but can include things like mandatory alcohol treatment or community service. If you are charged with DUI a second time, you will not be given another chance; compelling evidence is needed for a judge to impose court supervision. If it is your second time offending, your license will be suspended for at least 5 years if the offense took place within 20 years of your first. Harsher penalties and longer suspensions typically result if you have a commercial driver's license in Illinois. Not only will your license be suspended after a DUI charge, you could also be fined and/or go to jail. If you are a first-time offender, your penalties can include: mandatory community service, a jail term of up to a year, a fine of up to $2,500 and you may have to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle. For a second-time offense, you can face community service periods longer than that for a first-time offense and you will definitely need to install an ignition interlock device. A third (or subsequent) DUI charge is called 'Aggravated DUI' and penalties include a 3-7 year jail term, a fine of up to $25,000 and a minimum 10-year driving ban. 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. 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. Penalties for a second, or greater, offense include a fine of up to $2,500, a license suspension of five years and up to 3 years in jail. If you or a family member has a DUI arrest in Chicago, it's important to speak with a DUI Lawyer in Chicago right away. As you can see, there are many facets to developing a successful defense strategy and it's extremely tough, if not impossible, to go it alone. When looking for a lawyer to properly represent you, you need to find a DUI Attorney in Chicago who specializes in drunk driving defense. You are more likely to have a successful outcome if you hire an attorney with this type of expertise.Chicago DUI attorney Chicago DUI lawyer Chicago DUI law attorney
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