What Happens When I Get My First DUI in Illinois?

 Posted on February 14, 2019 in DUI

If you have been arrested for DUI, you probably have a million thoughts racing through your mind. Will I go to jail? Can I ever drive a car again? Will this be a permanent black mark on my history?

The first thing you should do is consult with, at no cost or obligation, Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C., LLC. Don’t scare yourself to death with “what ifs” or your ideas about what the law may be from a Google search. 

Also, do not settle for "Johnny come lately" lawyers that only occasionally handle DUI defense matters. Mr. Ramsell pioneered and popularized the concept of a DUI defense attorney in the 1980s and has literally even written the scholarly book most judges, prosecutors, and other defense attorneys rely upon as the most up to date statement of Illinois DUI law. 

At your no cost, no obligation attorney consultation, we can answer your questions and concerns and focus your thoughts productively. Most clients say they started feeling much less nervous and more confident after Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. became their attorneys of record. 

With all that said, here are some rough guideposts for what happens in a first time DUI in the state of Illinois:

1. After arrest, booking, and release on bond, you will be given a mandatory court appearance. This is a criminal matter, and you must appear, or a warrant will likely be issued for your arrest. As a condition of that bond, you are also typically barred from leaving the state of Illinois without prior permission from the judge assigned to your case. 
2. After arrest, immediately call Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. at 630-256-8001 for a free, no obligation consultation. Time is of the essence, as your rights can be diminished or in some instances forfeited if you wait too long to start the legal challenges to your arrest and the probable summary suspension of your driving privileges. Once you retain our team, we will generate a flurry of court documents for immediate filing in your case so we can be ready to defend you to the fullest extent possible AT THE VERY FIRST COURT DATE. 
3. At that first court date, we will have you arraigned, which is the formal process by which we acknowledge the charges against you and plead not guilty to those charges. We should also get the all or most of the discovery in your case (police reports, 911 calls, dash cam videos etc.) if you quickly retained us, and therefore, the prosecution loses the excuse that they need more time to respond to what we lawfully demand to fully mount your defense. 
4. Your driving privileges in the state of Illinois are now most likely set to be suspended by the Illinois Secretary of State 45 days after you received a notice or warning to motorist, which is typically given to you as part of the arrest process. We will have already filed a legal challenge to that summary suspension, and we can talk about strategies to win that hearing on the merits or by default. In the worst case scenario, we will determine what temporary relief measures you may be eligible to receive for your period of summary suspension. This suspension will last either a minimum of six months or 12 months, depending on how you responded to the police request to give a breath sample at the police station, or if they obtained blood or urine samples from you either voluntarily or by search warrant signed by a circuit court judge in the county in which you will be prosecuted. 
5. After this first court appearance is concluded, we can then better counsel you on the advisability of seeking a jury or bench trial (trial by judge only) or working towards a plea arrangement. 
6. Law is not a do yourself project or something you can learn over the weekend at a big box store seminar. Do not waste time; contact the DuPage County DUI defense lawyers at Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. and get the right team for your unique case involved. You will be glad you did!