After a delightful Labor Day party on the morning of September 3rd, you are driving home. Right before you reach your home in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, you are pulled over by a police officer.
The police officer asks you to take a field sobriety test and then a blood alcohol test. You comply with both of those tests and upon doing so, you learn that you are being accused of driving under the influence.
Right after learning the above, you are charged with a DUI. The consequences of a DUI are severe. While you did have a few drinks, you were not under the influence and do not deserve to live with the draconian penalties of a DUI.
Going over what you can do to contest the DUI you are faced with and speaking to a Schaumburg DUI defense lawyer will allow you to protect your rights.
If You Get A DUI, Who Should You Talk To?
If you get a DUI in Illinois, the first person you should talk to is a lawyer. A lawyer who specializes in DUI cases will have the expertise you need to obtain the legal outcome you desire.
Right after you begin talking with a lawyer, you must go over the facts of your arrest. Even small pieces of information, such as the way the officer spoke to you or the comments he made, might be useful.
You and your lawyer will, by making use of this information, be able to develop an effective defense. This defense can and will allow you to protect your innocence from the DUI charge you are facing.
What Happens If You Don’t Talk To A DUI Lawyer?
The penalties for a DUI can be severe. It’s not just a traffic ticket. You can have your license suspended or revoked, pay fines and thousands of dollars, and be incarcerated in the county jail or the Illinois state penitentiary.
For example, if you are charged with a second DUI, you face, at the very least, five days in jail or 240 hours of community service, plus a five-year license revocation.
On the other hand, if you blow twice the legal limit, there are mandatory jail sentences that can be attached to your sentence if you are found guilty.
You can accept the consequences of a DUI and proceed with them. Or, you can work with a DUI lawyer and successfully contest these charges and their validity, allowing you to move forward without them.
Selecting an experienced attorney is a wise choice as a license revocation for even one-year will make it more difficult to live your life as you normally would.
On top of that, there are also fines and potential jail time, among other consequences, that must be considered. You don’t deserve to go through all of that, and with the help of a lawyer who will protect your rights, you won’t need to.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
Thomas Glasgow has lectured statewide on DUI practice and law for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education.
He is recognized as an authority in this area of law, and in addition to lecturing, he also writes for the statewide DUI manual.
If you need representation for a criminal charge, Glasgow & Olsson is uniquely qualified to help you.
Speak with a Schaumburg DUI defense attorney today to learn how we can get you the results you deserve. When you need an attorney, experience matters.