Those accused of crimes in the United States benefit from a presumption of innocence. Members of the public and those involved in the criminal justice system should not assume someone is guilty until the courts reach a verdict in their case. Criminal defendants are...
One of the most stressful occurrences during an Illinois traffic stop involves a police officer asking a motorist to exit the vehicle. At that point, the driver probably knows they will need to perform field sobriety tests. People worry about the embarrassment that...
Driving under the influence (DUI) charges affect thousands of people every year in Illinois. You could find yourself charged with a DUI after an individual traffic stop or after some kind of crash involving your vehicle. Even if all you do is clip a mailbox and no one...
In Illinois, vehicle impoundment can happen for a wide variety of reasons. The vehicle owner does not need to be present in some cases, but can still be held accountable. No matter the reason, retrieving your car from the impound lot is expensive and time-consuming....
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is most often associated with drinking alcohol before driving a car. According to the Illinois 2020 DUI Fact Book, even drivers with a Blood-Alcohol Content (BAC) below the legal limit are two times as likely to be killed in a car...
Two new laws went into effect on July 1, 2020, that changed the way license suspension works in Illinois. One, dubbed The License to Work Act, builds on laws that went into effect earlier this year. It actually decreases penalties for unpaid fines. The other, called...
As of July 1, 2020, Illinois drivers face harsher penalties for texting while driving. Commonly referred to as “distracted driving,” using a handheld electronic device while operating a motor vehicle has been illegal in Illinois for years. The new penalties are the...
This year in Illinois, fines more than doubled for drivers violating Senate Bill 1862, commonly referred to as Scott’s Law. While technically a traffic violation, authorities could cite additional charges depending on the unique circumstances surrounding the incident....
One of the most common driving offenses in the state of Illinois is Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. In addition to DUIs written for those under the influence of alcohol, Illinois also prosecutes individuals who were Driving Under the Influence of Drugs. Though...
There are a variety of reasons that your vehicle may be impounded by the City of Chicago. In the past, we have explored how the City generates a lot of revenue through vehicle impoundment by seizing vehicles for violations of the city’s Municipal Codes. Municipal Code...