DUI Attorney Near Me

A DUI charge – or charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol – is a serious charge, and a conviction can seriously complicate your life. If a DUI charge has been levied against you, it’s time to reach out to an experienced DUI attorney near you. 

Driving While under the Influence

A DUI charge can apply to driving while under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, and the charge is a Class A misdemeanor that carries up to a year in jail and fines of up to $2,500. If, however, you have a past conviction or you were driving without a valid driver’s license, to begin with, the charge can be bumped up to a felony, and a conviction can carry a longer sentence and higher fines. 

Driving

It is important to point out here that the driving part of the driving while under the influence charge does not mean that you were necessarily driving the vehicle at the time – the only requirement is that you were in control of the vehicle, which makes the matter that much more complicated. For example, sitting in the driver’s seat of your car (that is not running) in a gas station parking lot with the car key in your pocket is likely to qualify as being in control of the vehicle. Ultimately, control here means that you could start the car if you chose to. 

The Breathalyzer Test

After pulling you over, the officer may offer you what is known as a preliminary breathalyzer test, which – due to reliability issues – cannot be used against you in court. If you blow over the legal limit, however, this test can be used as probable cause to arrest you for DUI – at which point, an evidentiary breath test can be administered at the police station. 

The legal limit in Illinois and nearly every other state in the nation is .08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC). While no one can force you to take that preliminary breath test, failure to do so can lead to a longer driver’s license suspension. 

Driver’s License Suspensions

In Illinois, there are serious driver’s license suspensions associated with DUI convictions (or even for refusing a breathalyzer test if stopped for suspicion of DUI). Consider the following:

• If you take but fail the breathalyzer, you face a six-month suspension. 
• If you refuse to take the breathalyzer altogether, you face from one year to three years of suspension.
• If you fail the breathalyzer and it isn’t your first offense, you will face a suspension of up to a year. 
• If you are convicted of a second offense within a 20-year period, you face a suspension of five years.

Turn to an Experienced Joliet DUI Attorney near You

The Joliet DUI attorneys at Sabuco Beck, P.C. dedicate their impressive practice to successfully guiding case’s like yours toward favorable outcomes, and we’re here for you too. Your case is important, so please don’t wait to contact us for more information today.