DUI Lawyer Skokie & Northfield, IL

Protecting your rights against driving under the influence charges in Skokie & Northfield, IL

A drunken driving conviction has serious and long-lasting consequences, affecting your job, your reputation and possibly your freedom. If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence (DUI), it’s important to seek legal help as soon as possible. At the Law Offices of Paul Chatzky, our skilled defense attorney draws upon more than 30 years of experience successfully protecting the rights of those charged with DUI in Skokie and its neighboring communities.

Not hiring an experienced DUI lawyer can prove costly

With aggressive anti-DUI laws in place, law enforcement arrests are on the rise and so are the costs:

• Tens of thousands of people are arrested annually for driving under the influence.
• A high percentage of drivers arrested for DUI are first-time offenders.
• The ramifications of a DUI conviction upon one’s employment and personal relationships are potentially catastrophic.

Because one night’s mistake can ruin your life, it’s essential you hire a skilled lawyer who is passionate about defending you against charges of driving under the influence and related offenses. At the Law Offices of Paul Chatzky, we understand the impacts of DUI charges and what an arrest record can do to your employment now and in the future.

DUI misdemeanors and felonies

The personal, financial and jail costs of a DUI are far greater for felonies than misdemeanors. Often, with a first offense, a DUI charge is a misdemeanor (see table below). However, when it’s a third offense or one that involves a collision inflicting great bodily harm—referred to as an aggravated DUI—it’s considered a felony. If you live in Cook County or the surrounding area, it is critical to engage a criminal law attorney if you’ve been charged with DUI.

Facing law enforcement and prosecutors in courtroom proceedings can be daunting. Our DUI attorney thoroughly reviews the charges, the arrest and sobriety tests, and holds law enforcement accountable if proper procedures or protocols leading up to your driving under the influence charge were not followed.

Knowledge of the law is your advantage

It is important that you understand an arrest or charge is not a conviction. Before you plead to charges of any kind, call us. We explore all possibilities and approach your case with the intent of vigorously discovering and examining the facts and truth behind your arrest.

At the Law Offices of Paul Chatzky, we believe it is important to know what penalties you face as we assist you in reducing or eliminating your charge or sentence.

Conviction	Penalties
Underage drinking	Illinois has a zero tolerance policy for underage drunken drivers. If you are caught drinking and driving, you may be handcuffed, taken to jail, and lose your driver’s license.
Pre-conviction	You may be subject to a three-month suspension of your driving privileges
First DUI	Minimum of one-year loss of full driving privileges Possible imprisonment for up to one year Maximum fine of $2,500
Second DUI	Minimum five-year loss of full driving privileges if convictions are within a 20-year period Mandatory five days imprisonment or 240 hours community service Possible imprisonment for up to one year Maximum fine of $2,500
Third DUI – Class 2 felony	Minimum ten-year loss of full driving privileges Mandatory 18 to 30 months periodic imprisonment Possible imprisonment for up to seven years Maximum fine of $25,000
Aggravated DUI – Class 4 felony (following a crash resulting in great bodily harm or permanent disfigurement)	Minimum of one-year loss of full driving privileges Mandatory ten days imprisonment or 480 hours community service Possible imprisonment for up to 12 years Maximum fine of $25,000

(Source: Illinois State Police – http://www.isp.state.il.us/traffic/drnkdriving.cfm)

Other penalties

• Mandatory classes and treatments
• Statutory summary suspension for refusal to submit to or failure of a chemical test resulting in loss of driving privileges

We can help get your life back on track

We represent individuals in Chicago, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview, Markham, Waukegan, Mundelein and Vernon Hills Courthouses.

If you’re charged with DUI, you could lose your license, face mandatory treatments and have your reputation forever tarnished. The Law Offices of Paul Chatzky is committed to getting you back on track with your life following a DUI allegation. Call our North Shore offices today 847-416-1646 or contact us online.