DUI Lawyer in Skokie & Northfield, IL
Protecting your rights against driving under the influence charges in Illinois
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 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.
- 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.
- You may be subject to a three-month suspension of your driving privileges
- Minimum of one-year loss of full driving privileges
- Possible imprisonment for up to one year
- Maximum fine of $2,500
- 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
- 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
- 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 – https://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
Our DUI lawyer can help get your life back on track
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.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Paul Chatzky is fluent in Spanish and English, enabling him to effectively represent a wider range of individuals and businesses. He is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, and is listed among Illinois Super Lawyers, which is a reflection of his high ethical standards and exceptional legal knowledge. As a…
About Prior to joining the firm as a paralegal, Debbie was employed by major banking institutions as a loan processor and as an executive secretary. Debbie was also employed as an administrative assistant for the Board of Jewish Education. Having majored in Sociology, Debbie graduated from the University of Florida in 1980. Debbie completed her…
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5.0/5.0Paul Chatzky is well educated, knows in and outs in terms of law, keeps everything under control, responds to emails, returns phone calls almost immediately. Very professional and extremely detail-oriented lawyer. Highly recommended.
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Mr. Chatzky is very responsive, ethical and effective. I’m extremely happy with the service and I would highly recommend this law office to anyone seeking legal help
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Mr. Chatzky is truly superb at his job. His knowledge base is profound, and he approached my situation with honesty and integrity. I knew immediately that he had every intention to obtain the best outcome for me and that he had thought of every possi...
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I highly recommend Paul Chatzky as a high capable and honest attorney who genuinely cares about his clients and is highly committed to supporting their best interests. He lived up to the high expectations that I had and was willing as hard as me to m...
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Paul Chatzky is always very responsive, professional, and a pleasure to work with.
