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DUI & Traffic your license, your record, your livelihood.

Protect your license and your record from the long-term consequences of DUI and traffic offenses.

An Illinois DUI arrest triggers two separate proceedings: the criminal case in circuit court and an administrative statutory summary suspension of your driver's license. The summary suspension generally takes effect on the 46th day after notice is given. Both must be defended, and the deadlines for the administrative side are unforgiving — a Petition to Rescind must be filed within 90 days of the notice of suspension.

Defense of the criminal DUI focuses on the lawfulness of the stop, the administration of the field sobriety tests (which must follow the NHTSA-standardized procedures), the 20-minute observation period before any breath test, the calibration and operator certification of the Intoxilyzer device, and the chain of custody for any blood or urine draw. Each of these is a potential point of attack, and a successful challenge to any one of them can collapse the prosecution.

Traffic offenses — speeding, reckless driving, aggravated speeding (26+ mph over), driving on a suspended or revoked license, leaving the scene, and fleeing/eluding — carry consequences that go well past the ticket itself. Convictions assess points against the license, trigger insurance surcharges, and in many cases carry mandatory jail time. The firm handles every level of traffic matter and pursues court supervision or amended charges wherever the facts allow.

License reinstatement is its own practice. After a DUI revocation, reinstatement requires a Secretary of State hearing — formal or informal — at which the petitioner must prove the underlying problem is resolved, current sobriety, and a low risk of reoffending. The firm prepares clients for these hearings, assembles the documentation, and represents them before the hearing officer.

Common Questions

Frequently asked.

Q01What is the legal BAC limit in Illinois?
0.08% for non-commercial drivers age 21 and over. 0.04% for commercial drivers operating a CMV. Zero tolerance — any detectable alcohol — for drivers under 21. You can also be convicted of DUI below 0.08% if the State proves impairment by other evidence.
Q02Should I refuse the breathalyzer?
Refusal carries a statutory summary suspension of one year for a first refusal (compared to six months for a failed test), and three years for a second. Whether to submit is a decision with significant trade-offs and no universal right answer. If you have already refused, the firm can still defend both the suspension and the underlying DUI.
Q03Can I get a DUI expunged in Illinois?
No. A DUI conviction is not eligible for expungement or sealing under Illinois law — even a first offense. That is why preventing the conviction in the first place is a central goal of DUI defense. A reckless-driving record is generally not sealable; a narrow exception may apply to a qualifying misdemeanor committed before age 25 with no other DUI or reckless-driving conviction.
Q04What is court supervision and am I eligible?
Court supervision is a deferred disposition: you accept terms, complete them successfully, and the case is closed without a conviction. It is available for many traffic offenses and for a first DUI in Illinois. A second DUI is not eligible for supervision.
Q05How fast does my license suspension start?
The summary suspension generally takes effect on the 46th day after notice is given. A written request for a judicial hearing to rescind a statutory summary suspension may be made within 90 days after notice is served. The hearing is generally held within 30 days after the request or on the first appearance date, as the statute provides. The suspension’s effective date is a separate issue.
Speak With Cheryl

Charges filed? Don't wait.

The hours after an arrest are the most consequential. Call the firm directly for a confidential consultation.

(618) 520-3307Next: Drug Charges →
Related Results

Verdicts & outcomes.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes — but they reflect a record of fighting cases all the way through, on facts the State expected to win.

DUI Defense
Aggravated DUI
Reduced to reckless driving

Challenged the traffic stop and breathalyzer calibration records; charge reduced to a non-DUI traffic offense.

— Confidential Client
DUI Defense
DUI (third offense)
DISMISSED

Challenged the traffic stop and field sobriety administration; all DUI charges were dismissed.

— Confidential Client
Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.