Q: What's the worst possible penalty for a first time DUI in IL?
A:
There are over a dozen ways it can be a felony. Assuming it’s not a felony it is a class A misdemeanor.
A conviction carries a penalty of up to 364 days in jail and or a fine of up to $2500. Your driver’s license would be revoked and you would have to wait a year to petition the Secretary of State to return it to you, which is not automatic.
Your license is subject to a suspension for 6-12 months independent of what happens to the criminal charges. There are ways to contest this as well.
It would be worth getting a Springfield lawyer to help you achieve a better outcome than the max.
Brandon K. Davis and Juan Ooink agree with this answer
A:
Most first time DUI offenses are charged as a Class A misdemeanor - maximum 12 months in jail and a $2500 fine (but may be upgraded to a felony offense if one of a number of aggravating factors are present). All sentences can require an alcohol/drug evaluation, treatment, attendance at a victim impact panel and court costs. Additional penalties such as community service may be imposed depending on certain factors as well.
A 6 or 12 month license suspension will be imposed depending on whether you took and failed or refused the evidentiary breath test. A conviction for DUI will result in a one year license revocation independent of the license revocation. As you can see, there are MANY possibilities. An attorney will be able to help navigate the process, minimize the penalties and work to avoid a conviction through trial or negotiation.
Juan Ooink agrees with this answer
1 user found this answer helpful
A: This is something you should be discussing with your attorney. That attorney will have all of the needed information in order to answer this question. If you have not hired an attorney yet, you should do so right away. The sooner you hire an attorney the sooner that attorney can start working on the case.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
