The Illinois laws governing teen driver’s licenses and traffic tickets can be confusing for teens and parents alike. The Illinois Secretary of State operates a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program for teen drivers. Different laws apply depending on the age of the driver, which can be found under 625 ILCS 5/6-107. Below is a breakdown of the current laws that apply to teenage drivers in Illinois and the consequences of traffic tickets. Age 15 Driver Rules (Instruction Permit Stage) During the Instruction Permit Stage the teen driver: The post Illinois Teen Driver’s License Laws & Traffi ..read more

When you receive a traffic ticket in Chicago, simply paying it and moving on may seem like the easiest option. However, it’s important to remember that when you pay a traffic ticket you are pleading guilty and likely receiving a conviction against your record. In many cases, you are actually better off hiring an experienced attorney to explore other options such as fighting your ticket. Some consequences of paying your citation include: Multiple moving violations can lead to a suspended or revoked license. Traffic tickets can cause increases in your insurance premiums. The post How to Fight ..read more

Individuals convicted of DUI often ask our license reinstatement attorneys when they will be eligible to obtain their full driving privileges. This question has become more and more complicated due to changes that have occurred in Illinois law over the last several years. Generally, in order to determine an accurate eligibility date, the driver must take two factors into account: the length of the statutory summary suspension (“SSS”) and the length of the DUI revocation. The length of the SSS can be anywhere from 6-months to 3-years depending on whether the person is a first offender or second ..read more

When calculating the true cost of a DUI in Illinois, you must consider both the financial and more importantly, the non-financial costs associated with a DUI arrest. Financial Cost of a DUI The financial costs of a DUI can be substantial. Most DUIs are charged as Class A misdemeanors, which carry a fine of up to $2,500.00 plus mandatory court costs and assessments. Court costs and assessments, which are set by law and which the judge has no control over, are approximately $1,400.00. Additionally, there are also expenses associated with the following:* The post What is the True Cost of a DUI in ..read more

A conviction for a traffic ticket resulting from an accident, which caused personal injury or death, may result in the suspension or revocation of your Illinois driver’s license.  We often receive requests for help from drivers who have been involved in personal injury or fatal accidents and, as a result of being convicted of a minor moving violation, have unexpectedly received a notice of suspension or revocation of their driver’s license from the Illinois Secretary of State. In many of these cases, these drivers were assured by the court, a prosecutor or even their own attorney that by ..read more

Typically, you are only required to appear in court if your traffic ticket is marked as “Must Appear” or “Court Appearance Required”. On most tickets, a box will be checked by the officer that confirms whether you need to appear in court. These traffic tickets will also contain a court date, time and location.  Traffic tickets that have a required court appearance are most often issued for violations which create a great potential for harm or carry mandatory minimum penalties or a driver’s license suspension. For many of these cases, it may still be possible for a traffic attorney to appe ..read more

The Illinois Secretary of State can suspend or revoke your driver’s license for a variety of reasons. A license suspension lasts for a set period of time. After it ends, you can automatically regain your driving privileges after paying a reinstatement fee to the Secretary of State. Depending on the reason(s) for the suspension, there may be additional conditions before full license reinstatement such as completion of a remedial driving course. In contrast, a license revocation lasts for a minimum of 1 year or longer depending on the violation that caused the revocation and your overall record ..read more

The Secretary of State has enacted new rules, which became effective on January 1, 2022, addressing out-of-state petitions for reinstatement; formal hearing procedures; informal hearing eligibility; time limits to complete restricted driving permit and reinstatement requirements; designation of four (4) different types of restricted driving permit and standards governing each type; using the restricted driving permit for other reasons; breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID) violations; definition of a “DUI disposition”; updated evaluations; opiate substitution programs; medical canna ..read more

OUT-OF-STATE PETITIONS ALL OUT-OF-STATE PETITIONS MADE BY WRITTEN APPLICATION INSTEAD OF AN IN-PERSON APPEARANCE WILL BE CONSIDERED INFORMAL HEARINGS – 1001.100(b) Written applications by out-of-state residents will no longer be considered formal hearings conducted pursuant to 625 ILCS 5/2-118. Accordingly, these applications will not be required to be accompanied by the $50.00 application fee. Decisions from these informal hearings will not constitute final administrative decisions and, therefore, will not be subject to the provisions of the Administrative Review Act. 1001.100(b)(3) and 1001 ..read more

Lake County Traffic Attorneys Our Lake County Traffic Attorneys provide professional representation to those issued traffic violations throughout Lake County. Lake County traffic tickets are assigned to one of three branch courthouses depending on the police department that issued the citation. Mundelein Branch Court located at 105 East State Route 83, Mundelein, IL 60060 The post Lake County Traffic Attorneys appeared first on Chicago DUI Lawyer Blog ..read more