A DUI conviction can have devastating effects on your life. It’s important to have a skilled Cook County DUI Lawyer to defend you against these serious charges.
An experienced DUI attorney knows how to challenge all aspects of a DUI case including the accuracy of breath test results, field sobriety tests and violations of police policies. He or she can also fight to prevent your license suspension.
Failed Breath Tests
Failing a breath test does not mean that you will automatically be convicted of DUI. A qualified Illinois DUI lawyer can analyze the case evidence to determine if there is cause to challenge your breath test results. There are numerous factors that can impact the outcome of your breath test, including eating or drinking something before taking it and using certain types of medication such as cough syrup or asthma medicine.
If you are pulled over and suspected of driving under the influence, police officers will most likely ask you to perform a series of field sobriety tests as well as give a chemical blood or urine test. You are not required to take these tests, but refusal will result in an automatic driver’s license suspension by the Secretary of State. Your Cook County DUI attorney can help you fight this statutory summary suspension. You are also entitled to a judicial hearing to contest the license suspension.
Inaccurate Breath Testing Devices
A DUI conviction can have many consequences including loss of driving privileges, fines and jail time. In addition, it may cause problems with your employment if you rely on driving to make your living. That’s why it is so important to work with a Cook County DUI lawyer who can investigate all aspects of your case. This includes how the breath test was administered and the accuracy of the results.
Breathalyzers used to determine blood alcohol content (BAC) often produce inaccurate results, according to a New York Times investigation. They can be skewed from hardware errors or software mistakes. Even stale or home-brewed chemical solutions can warp results. Police departments have also been known to miscalibrate and improperly maintain these devices, resulting in thousands of wrongful DUI convictions. A skilled DUI attorney can utilize this information to develop a strong defense strategy for you.
Out-of-State DUI Charges
A DUI conviction can have serious consequences, including jail time, loss of driving privileges and increased car insurance rates. It can also disqualify you from employment that requires a commercial driver’s license and affect your ability to obtain housing. If you are charged with DUI, an experienced Cook County DUI lawyer can help reduce the penalties you face.
A significant issue that can impact an out-of-state DUI case is whether Illinois will report a conviction to the arrestee’s home state and what effect this could have on their driver’s license. At Ktenas Law, our attorneys have extensive experience handling these types of cases.
A DUI conviction will stay on your criminal record (not to be confused with your driver’s license record kept by the DMV) for a period of time set by each state’s laws. An experienced DUI lawyer can help minimize the length of time that a conviction will remain on your record by fighting the case in court.
Plea Bargain Negotiations
When a DUI attorney negotiates on your behalf, they have extensive knowledge about DUI laws and sentencing guidelines. They can also help you weigh your options and make an informed decision about whether a plea bargain is in your best interests.
Plea bargains are agreements that result in a guilty plea without going to trial. Defendants and prosecutors both see benefits in a plea agreement: prosecutors want to ease the burden on their overcrowded caseload, while defendants want to avoid a more severe sentence if convicted at trial.
You should ask your prospective DUI lawyer how many cases they have taken to trial and what their success rate is. You should also find out if they have ever been reprimanded or suspended by the state’s attorney ethics board. If so, that is a red flag to steer clear of them. Also, be sure to inquire about their fee arrangements. Some DUI lawyers charge flat fees, while others charge hourly.