A DUI Can Change Your Life
By The Toney Law Firm
Apr. 12, 2011 3:39p
A simple DUI may seem like no big deal, but in actual fact, being convicted of DUI can be a huge inconvenience and have long-last consequences for years to come. Not only will you lose your privilege to drive, but you will gain a permanent criminal record.
There are a number of factors that affect DUI penalties in Illinois. In Illinois, as in all 50 states, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or greater. Your penalties will depend on whether or not this was your first DUI offense, whether or not your BAC was 0.08 percent or greater, if there was a child under the age of 16 inside your vehicle at the time of your DUI arrest, and whether or not anybody was harmed or killed.
DUI penalties include driver's license suspension, community service, court supervision, thousands of dollars in fines, potential jail or prison sentencing, probation or parole and more. DUI's can be charged as misdemeanors or felonies depending on your previous criminal history and any mitigating or aggravating circumstances in your case. If you have been charged with DUI, contact an experienced
DUI defense attorney right away.
How Will a DUI Affect You?
First of all, you will have to deal with a mandatory driver's license suspension. Unless you're accustomed to taking the bus or riding your bike places, this will be very inconvenient. For some people, losing their license means losing their jobs. If you have kids, this can be especially difficult and simple everyday tasks like buying groceries or going to the bank become complex.
In addition to losing your driving privileges, you will have to rearrange your life to accommodate community service, up to one year in jail on a first offense, you will be required to attend DUI school, you will be put on probation, your car or truck may be impounded, the court might require you to wear an alcohol monitoring ankle bracelet, and when you get your driving privileges back, you might have to install an ignition interlock device. This is all on top of paying thousands of dollars in fines. If you thought a simple DUI was simple, you can see why the term "simple DUI" can be misleading.
If you or someone you love has been arrested of DUI, don't hesitate to contact a Chicago DUI defense attorney from The Toney Law Firm!
Contact a Chicago DUI defense lawyer from our firm for a free initial consultation.