DOES ADMITTING I WAS DRUNK CONVICT ME OF DUI?

When the officer pulled you over, you were very compliant. Perhaps a little too compliant. You readily told the officer you’d had too much to drink.

Is your DUI defense over before it begins?

While statements like “I am drunk” certainly do not make a DUI defense lawyer’s job easy, such admissions, by themselves, are not necessarily enough to convict you.

To prove DUI, the state must show the commission of a crime, known as the corpus delicti, and the identity of the person committing it. Under the corpus delicti rule, your confession alone cannot convict you without corroborating evidence. Such evidence is not required to show that you committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt but need only tend to show the commission of a crime.

If you have been charged with DUI or a similar offense, contact an experienced DUI law attorney immediately. An attorney can review your case for its best possible defense. For most DUIs, your attorney can review the squad car video of your arrest. If your behavior seemed under control, you did well on field sobriety tests and/or you drove safely, an experienced attorney may overcome any incriminating statements that you might have made.

If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

Reference: People v. Sanchez.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)