WHY DO I HAVE TWO DUI TICKETS?

It was bad enough you were arrested for DUI. But now that you are looking at your tickets, you realize you have two tickets for DUI.

Are you in twice as much trouble? What does it mean?

Under Illinois DUI law (625 ILCS 5/11-501), there are seven different types of DUI. An officer can charge you with a combination of driving while over the legal limit of .08 (the 501A-1 ticket) AND driving while under the influence (the 501A-2 ticket).

The state can prove driving over the legal limit through a breathalyzer, or less commonly, a blood test. On the other hand, you can be found guilty of driving while under the influence without scientific testing.

The good news is that even if you have been charged with two counts of DUI, you will not serve two separate sentences. If convicted, the same sentence will cover either or both counts together.

If you are charged with any type of DUI offense, you are best advised to contact an experienced DUI attorney early on to preserve any defense that you may have. As with most criminal charges, the state must prove all the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Was the breathalyzer recently certified according to law? Does the police video show that your driving was steady, and you did well on field sobriety tests? Did the police have probable cause to stop you in the first place?

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.

(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.)