If you fail to pay fines or court costs for a traffic ticket, the court may request that the Illinois Secretary of State to place a hold on your driver’s license which would prevent you from renewing an expired license or obtaining a license for the first time. This hold…
Chicago DUI Lawyer Blog
How do I get my driver’s license reinstated after a “Failure to Appear” suspension?
If you failed to appear in court or respond to a traffic ticket within the required timeframe, the court may direct the Illinois Secretary of State to suspend your driver’s license. The type of suspension is referred to as a “Failure to Appear” suspension or as an “09” suspension (625…
Illinois Sees Decline In Speeding Tickets, Rise in Road Fatalities
The number of speeding tickets issued by Illinois State Police troopers has dropped significantly over the past 5 years according to a report by the State-Journal Register. The number of speeding tickets decreased by 40% from 211,857 in 2010 to 126,959 in 2015. In 2016, it is estimated that the…
Can I Be Forced to Take a Portable Breath Test?
A Portable Breath Test (PBT) is commonly used by police officers in the field to establish probable cause to arrest a driver for DUI. Recent Illinois caselaw says that a driver must have a choice to take or refuse a PBT. The driver must provide some form of consent prior to taking…
Second Chance Probation in Illinois
“Second chance probation” is a sentence in Illinois that allows certain offenders to clear a conviction from their record after serving at least two-years of probation (730 ILCS 5/5-6-3.4). This law, which became effective January 1, 2014, allows the court to sentence the defendant to probation without entering a judgement. Those who…
Can I drive on an International or Foreign Driver’s License in Illinois?
Illinois law allows drivers relocating to Illinois to drive on their valid driver’s license from their home country or state for ninety (90) days. CDL holders have a reduced window of thirty (30) days to obtain an Illinois CDL. “International driver’s licenses” are not valid in the State of Illinois.…
New Changes to Illinois DUI-Cannabis Law
Governor Rauner has signed into law a change to the Illinois DUI law involving driving while under the influence of cannabis (marijuana). Until this change, it was illegal to drive with any amount of cannabis in a person’s system. It did not make any difference if the person was under…
Vehicle Seizures Generate Revenue for Law Enforcement and Governments
Under Illinois law, the state’s attorney may petition on behalf of a local law enforcement agency, for the seizure of an automotive vehicle when it is used in the commission of any serious felony crime. Whether the petition is granted is solely in the judge’s discretion. In addition to drug…
Anti-Fraud Measures Being Put in Place On All New Illinois Driver’s License and State ID Cards
By the end of July 2016, Illinois driver’s licenses and ID cards will no longer be issued at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Instead, the DMV will be issuing temporary paper cards with a photo on it, which the applicant will have for 45 days while multiple fraud checks are…
Foxx and Brown Win Democratic Nominations in Illinois
Kim Foxx will be the democratic candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney, defeating current State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez. Alvarez came under fire after waiting a year to file murder charges against an officer accused of shooting teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times. Charges were pressed only after a judge ordered the…