Illinois DUI Lawyer Blawg

In Illinois, the rules and regulations that govern administrative agencies are found in the Illinois Administrative Code ("IAC"). These rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act ("APA") 5 ILCS 100/1-1 et. seq.

In general, a proposed rule is published in the Illinois Register, giving the public an opportunity to comment and in some cases testify about the proposed rule before the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules ("JCAR"). JCAR is a joint committee of the Illinois Senate and House whose duty is to review proposed administrative rules.

The Illinois Secretary of State is an "administrative agency". As such, his office is subject to the APA and the IAC. Clingenpeel v. Edgar, 133 Ill.App.3d 507, 487 N.E.2d 1172 (4th Dist. 1985). (Coincidentally, the Secretary of State is the record keeper for the administrative rules of all state agencies).

The IAC applicable to the Secretary of State is found at Title 92 (Transportation), Chapter II, beginning at part 1000. In addition, in some circumstances, the rules and regulations of the Secretary of State cross over into those that govern the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse ("DASA"). DASA's pertnient rules are at 77 IAC §2060.101

When someone who is arrested for DUI is subsequently found guilty of that offense, the court will probably require the offender to obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation. The contents and form of the evaluation are governed by DASA rules.

Continue reading "Negotiating the Illinois Secretary of State's administrative rules pertaining to risk levels" »

When you receive a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) in Illinois, you face different types of driver's license consequences. Your particular situation will govern where you go for driving relief and when.

At the time of a DUI arrest, the police will ask you to submit to testing to determine your blood alcohol level. If you agree to testing that discloses a level above .08, your driver's license is subject to being suspended. If you do not agree to testing, you will also be suspended.

In either case, the suspense takes effect even if you are not convicted of the DUI charge. You avoid a suspension only if you take a test and blow under .08.

A suspension ends after a definite period of time. The length of your suspension depends upon your previous DUI record and upon whether or not you agreed to testing.

If you refused testing and you have not had a DUI arrest in the previous 5 years, you will be suspended for 1 year. If you refuse and have had a DUI in the previous 5 years, the suspension will run for 3 years. At no time during the 1 or 3 year suspension can you apply for any driving relief, including a hardship license.

If you agree to a test and have not had a DUI in the prior 5 years, your license will be suspended for 6 months. If you refuse to take a test and have not had a DUI in the previous 5 years, your license will be suspended for 1 year.

During the first 30 days of a suspension for someone who has not had a DUI in the previous 5 years, you are not allowed to drive. After that 30 days, you are eligible to receive an MDDP. As long as you qualify for an MDDP, the Secretary of State will issue it to you automatically without a hearing.

However, if you are convicted of the DUI, either before or after your suspension ends, your driver's license will be revoked. At that point, you will be required to appear at an administrative driver's license hearing before the Illinois Secretary of State in order to request a work permit ("restricted driving permit, or RDP). In other words, revoked driving privileges are not automatically restored. A hearing is necessary.

Continue reading "Illinois restricted driving permit (RDP) and undue hardship " »

Illinois law has special provisions pertaining young adults (those under the age of 21) who experience alcohol related incidents. Perhaps surprisingly, several of these offenses can cause a suspension or revocation of driving privileges even though they were not committed in a driving-related context.

A suspension is for a definite period of time. When the time period ends, your license will be returned to you automatically provided it is not otherwise valid. By comparison, if your driver's license is revoked, you must have a Secretary of State hearing at which you will be required to prove that you are entitled to restoration of your driving privileges.

If you are under 21 and receive a traffic ticket and the officer suspects that you may have been drinking, you will be asked to take a breath test. If you take the test and register above .00, or if you decline to take the test, you will be subject to a driver's license suspension under the Zero Tolerance ("ZT") laws. Driving with any amount of alcohol in your system is illegal.

If you do blow over .00, your license will be suspended for 3 months. If you refuse to blow, you will be suspended for 6 months.

If this is your second ZT ticket and you blow over .00, your license will be suspended for 1 year. If you refuse, it will be suspended for 2 years.

As a young adult, if you are convicted of illegal transportation of alcohol (open container in your vehicle) as a driver, your license will be suspended for 12 months. If you are convicted twice of that offense, your license will be revoked for a minimum of 12 months, following which you must have a Secretary of State hearing.

Those under 21 can have their driver's license suspended for conduct that, if committed by someone over 21, would have no consequences. The Liquor Control Act of 1934 essentially makes it illegal for someone under 21 to possess, consume or purchase alcohol beverages. This is commonly referred to as a "drinking ticket".

If you receive a drinking ticket, your driver's license will be suspended for 3 months if you receive court supervision for the offense. If you are not granted supervision and are convicted of the offense, your driver's license will be suspended for 6 months. Prior to a case known as Webb v. White, all drinking tickets result in a 12-month suspension.

It is not necessary for you to be driving at the time you receive the drinking ticket. The ticket alone constitutes grounds to suspend your driver's license.

The Secretary of State has reasoned that a young adult who is consuming alcohol illegally is at great risk to be the type of person who may drink and drive in the future. The courts, in a case known as Freed vs. Ryan, have accepted this argument.

Continue reading "Illinois DUI and other alcohol related offenses for young adults" »

When you arrested for DUI, there are two potentially negative consequences. The first is criminal.

You can be sentenced to jail if you are convicted of DUI. The consequences of an Illinois DUI arrest are less severe if you are eligible for, and receive, court supervision.

Court supervision is not considered a conviction. Therefore, your driver's license will not be revoked. In addition, if you receive court supervision, the judge cannot sentence you to jail time.

Supervision for DUI is available only if you have never previously been convicted of DUI, or received court supervision for DUI, or received reckless driving as part of a plea bargain in connection with a DUI charge. Even if you meet all the criteria, you are not automatically entitled to supervision. The final decision about whether someone who is eligible for supervision receives it lies with the judge.

Since supervision is not entered on your driving record as a conviction, you may mistakenly assume that DUI supervision does not "go on your record". That is only partially accurate.

The Illinois Secretary of State maintains a list of your driving offenses (this is called the "abstract"). There are two types of abstracts, one being known as the "court purposes" abstract and the other the "public" abstract.

The court purposes abstract is accessible only to the police, the judge, the prosecuting attorney and you. This abstract shows any DUI supervision you receive.

It stays on that record forever. It cannot be expunged. The Secretary of State will not remove it even if you obtain a Governor's pardon. Therefore, it never really "goes away".

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The impact an out of state offense for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) has on your Illinois driver's license depends upon a number of factors. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.

If someone holds a driver's license in one state (the licensing state) and receives a DUI in another state (the reporting state the Interstate Driver's License Compact (Compact) requires the reporting state to notify the licensing state of that fact. So if you receive a DUI in Iowa, a Compact state, Iowa is supposed to report that to Illinois, also a Compact state. Illinois will enter that conviction on your driving record.

Compact states are also obligated to report breath and blood test refusals to the licensing state even if the DUI is dropped or reduced to a lesser charge. After Illinois receives a refusal report, the Illinois Secretary of State will suspend your driver's license for 12 months if you have no other DUI record and for 3 years if you have had a DUI in the previous 5 years.

A driver's license suspension ends automatically without the need to got through a hearing with the Secretary of State, as is required if your driver's license is revoked. A revocation will occur if the reporting state notifies the licensing state of a DUI conviction. You can be suspended and revoked for the same offense, or only suspended if the DUI is dropped, or only revoked if you take a breath test but are convicted of the DUI.

Your right to request a driver's license or driving permit depends, among other things, upon your driving record of DUI convictions, including those that are reported to Illinois in accordance with the Compact. If the out-of-state DUI offense results in your one and only conviction, you will be revoked for one year.

If the out-of-state conviction is one of two DUI offenses that appear on your Illinois record, you will be revoked for 5 years. If the out-of state conviction is one of three DUI offenses on your Illinois record, you will be revoked for 10 years.

Continue reading "How out of state DUI offenses affect Illinois driving privileges" »