HOW TO CHOOSE A DUI ATTORNEY

Posted on December 16, 2013 by mdkeenan

No matter how great they are, not all attorneys are right for all clients. So how do you choose the criminal defense attorney that will best represent you? Here are some pointers:

1) Communication: This factor would likely be at the top of any client’s list. You need an attorney who will communicate well with you. This does not necessarily mean that your calls are immediately returned every time, although an attorney should not leave clients hanging. But the attorney should answer your questions and explain your options in a way that you understand.

2) Trust: Choosing an attorney can be like choosing a doctor. You need to have confidence in their judgment. If you find yourself constantly second-guessing your attorney, then you may need to find someone else. You should not, however, assume that how you think a case should be handled would actually work in the courtroom. An experienced attorney knows how the justice system really works, which is why you need someone you trust to guide you through it.

3) Personality: While not strictly the most important factor, finding a good fit for your personality can increase your peace of mind. Perhaps you’ve never gotten in trouble before, and you are terrified. A compassionate attorney with a warm and caring manner might work better for you than the more coldly, clinical type. If you are all business yourself, you might prefer a more detached lawyer.

4) Knowledge and Experience: Has the attorney worked on this kind of case before? Does your attorney ask the right questions? Are they knowledgeable about the law and procedure? How about the players in the courthouse? An attorney’s main job is to formulate the best strategy to defend your case. A knowledge of what the prosecutor is likely to offer or how the judge is likely to react can be invaluable when making important decisions such as whether to take a case to a jury.

5) Reputation: An attorney who enjoys a good reputation at the courthouse is more effective. An attorney who is respected and/or liked may get a better deal than one who is rude and does sloppy work.

6) Location: While not essential, it can certainly help to get someone located relatively close to the courthouse. I have an office in Skokie, and so I do a lot of my work at the Skokie Courthouse. But this is not the most important factor. I do work in many other Chicago-area courthouses equally effectively. A conscientious attorney can make a good impression anywhere.

7) Price: This is the least important factor except in terms of your budget. It is possible, although difficult, to find an excellent attorney who charges the bare minimum. Many of these attorneys are only interested in pleaing out your case as soon as possible. They generally will not bother to review the evidence to see if you have a defense. Many times, I have had a difficult second DUI offense with a client because they hired a cheap attorney to plea out a fightable first DUI. Even where a plea agreement is best, attorneys who automatically plea out cases may not get you the best possible deal. A prosecutor has no incentive to give a good deal to an attorney who wouldn’t fight for you anyway. By the same token, the fact that an attorney charges top dollar is not a guarantee of quality. You really need to evaluate each attorney based on the above factors.

If you have questions about this or another related 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.)

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“BUT HE CUT ME OFF!”: THE ILLINOIS LAW ON ROAD RAGE

Posted on December 4, 2013 by mdkeenan

You just saw red. When the other driver cut you off, you got so mad you rammed his car. Now, for that few seconds of road rage, you are charged with reckless driving.

In Illinois, a person commits reckless driving when he or she drives any vehicle with a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. Reckless driving is also defined as knowingly driving a vehicle or using an incline in a roadway such as a bridge or hill to cause a vehicle to become airborne. This type of road rage is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

If you caused great bodily harm or permanent injury or disfigurement, you could be charged with aggravated reckless driving, a Class 4 felony, punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison and a larger fine.

Where the incident involves a child or a school crossing guard, the charges are kicked up a notch. Under these circumstances, reckless driving is a Class 4 felony, and aggravated reckless driving is a Class 3 felony, punishable by 2 to 5 years.

If you left your car to start fighting, other charges such as assault or battery may apply.

If you are charged with some type of reckless driving or road rage, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. Do not discuss your case with police or third parties. Any statements you make could be used as evidence against you or could limit the options for your defense. An experienced attorney will review your case to present your situation in the best possible light. Maybe the incident really was an accident and you weren’t acting willfully. Maybe you were acting in self defense.

Even if the evidence against you is overwhelming, an attorney who is respected in the courthouse may be able to negotiate a better plea agreement that you could on your own.

If you have questions about this or another related 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.)

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“HOW DID I DO?”: EVALUATING DUI VIDEO EVIDENCE

Posted on November 13, 2013 by mdkeenan

Many police department, including Chicago, Niles, Morton Grove and Skokie, require police to video traffic stops if their car is equipped with a camera. The video should be the most accurate record of how you performed on field sobriety tests. At times, the video even captures your driving before the police pulled you over.

When there is a video, your defense attorney will review it to see whether you have a good chance of winning at trial. Sometimes on a first offense, the video evidence can help the attorney win a motion to undo the Secretary of State’s summary suspension of your driver’s license.

So how do you know how well you did?

First, we look at any driving captured on the video. Were you crossing the lines? Did you swerve over two lanes to make a left turn? Were you driving the wrong way down a one way? Did your driving seem slow and unsteady?

If you took field sobriety tests, the officer generally starts with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test (HGN), which involves following an object like a pencil from side to side with your eyes. You cannot really evaluate how you did through a video, and fortunately, the courts do not tend to rely on this test. The officer, however, will look to see if your eyes are bobbing up and down as they follow the pencil.

The next test is usually the Walk and Turn. Most officers will demonstrate what they want you to do. Generally, you have to walk a straight line heel to toe for 9 steps, turn around with small steps, then walk back 9 steps. For this, we look at how well you followed directions. Did you take the correct number of steps? Did you walk heel to toe or as you would normally? Were you putting your foot down to catch your balance or failing to walk a straight line?

The final test is generally the One-Leg Stand. Here, you have to raise your foot about six inches off the ground with your arms pinned to your sides, and then count to 30, which can be a lot to remember while under stress. For this, we look at how long you kept your foot up. How many times did you put it down? Were your arms flailing to catch your balance instead of staying at your sides?

If your tests went well, there is a good chance you could win a not guilty verdict at trial. Even if they were poor, however, not all is lost. There are many factors that can influence how well you did. Were you wearing high heels? Was it cold outside? Do you have a condition that makes it difficult to walk or keep your balance? Did the officer demonstrate the tests? Did they have a reason to stop you in the first place?

If you are charged with DUI, contact an experienced DUI attorney immediately. Do not discuss your case with others or police. Just like in cop shows, any statements you make can be used against you. An experienced attorney can review your case for your best possible defense. In appropriate cases, an attorney may even get a field sobriety test or breathalyzer thrown out along with the charges against you.

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

For more information, see our related blog: Can you Fail Field Sobriety Tests Even if You Are not Intoxicated?.

(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.)

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BECAUSE THEY CAN: THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S DISCRETIONARY POWER TO SUSPEND YOUR LICENSE

Posted on October 22, 2013 by mdkeenan

We can all agree that the Secretary of State has a valid interest in keeping the roads safe. As part of that interest, Illinois law has given the Secretary of State broad power to suspend a person’s driver’s license for a DUI-related offense in two ways.

First, the mandatory driver’s license suspension generally takes place 46 days after you are charged with DUI. If you get an attorney promptly, that attorney may ask the court to overturn your suspension and you can continue to drive if the attorney succeeds.

Even where the court has ordered your suspension rescinded, however, the Secretary of State has a second way of suspending your license: the discretionary suspension. While in my practice, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have seen this happen, the list of reasons the Secretary of State can suspend you is seemingly endless, containing no fewer than 46 sections, and not all of them are related to DUI.

Just a few examples are:
1) you have had three traffic offense convictions in 12 months;
2) you’ve had repeated traffic accidents;
3) you allowed someone to fraudulently use your driver’s license or you lied when getting a license;
4) you fled police;
5) you fled the scene of an accident;
6) you were convicted of illegal possession of a controlled substance while driving;
7) you had an accident while driving under the influence that caused serious injury;
8) you had two or more DUI convictions in one year;
9) you are under 21 and zero tolerance laws apply.

The Secretary of State may exercise this discretionary suspension without a preliminary hearing provided there is sufficient evidence that you have committed the offense. The Secretary of State must notify you of the suspension, and you may be able to request a hearing. In certain circumstances, you may be eligible for a restricted driving permit. This system is in place as a sort of catch-all, and judges lack jursidiction to deal with these issues in court.

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

For further information, see 625 ILCS 5/6-206.


(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.)

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DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABIS OR DRUGS IN ILLINOIS

Posted on October 9, 2013 by mdkeenan

In Illinois, there are several ways of charging you with driving under the influence of marijuana or cannabis. With one exception, however, the state may have difficulty proving you were actually impaired.

If you were driving after smoking pot you can be charged with:
1) Driving under the influence of an intoxicating compound.
2) Driving under the influence of any drug or combination of drugs.
3) Driving under the combined influence of alcohol and another drug.
4) Driving while there was any unlawfully consumed drug such as cannabis or methamphetamine in your system.

Except for the last charge, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that your driving was impaired and unsafe. Unlike a DUI based on alcohol, however, there are no hard and fast rules, such as the .08 breathalyzer, to demonstrate impairment. For this reason, the state must rely on an officer’s experience and any evidence of impairment such as the field sobriety tests. In many cases, that may be tough. If you didn’t perform the one-legged stand and walk-and-turn tests, it may be tougher. Plus, in order to give an opinion on your impairment, the officer must have enough experience and training to be qualified as an expert.

The last charge mentioned above, however, requires no proof of impairment. If you are charged under 625 ILCS 5/11-501(a)(6), then the state need only show that you had some trace of an unlawfully consumed substance in your system. When a serious accident is involved, any trace of cannabis or other drug in your system is enough to convict you, even if you actually took it days before. See our related blog: Illinois Supreme Court Case Toughens Driving While Under the Influence of Drugs.

If you are charged with driving under the influence of cannabis, another drug or a combination of drugs and alcohol, contact an experienced DUI lawyer immediately. An experienced attorney can review your case to determine the best possible defense. Did the officer have probable cause to stop you? How strong is the evidence of impairment? Even if the evidence is overwhelming, an attorney who is respected in the courthouse may be able to negotiate a more favorable plea agreement than you could on your own.

If you have questions about this or another related 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.)

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“CAN THEY REALLY STOP ME FOR THAT?” OBSTRUCTED WINDSHIELDS, IMPROPER LICENSE PLATE DISPLAY, AND OTHER MINOR OFFENSES

Posted on September 23, 2013 by mdkeenan

UPDATED July 25, 2023:  As of January 1, 2024, police will no longer be able to stop you for something hanging from your front windshield.  While you may not drive a motor vehicle with any objects suspended between  you and the front windshield which would materially obstruct your view, an officer can not stop or search you solely on that basis.  

Before you can be apprehended for DUI, police need a reasonable suspicion to stop your car. Of course, if you are weaving all over the road, driving the wrong way up the highway, or blowing traffic lights, the police have all the probable cause they need.

But what if your driving really isn’t that bad, and what draws their attention is that air freshener hanging from your rearview mirror, or taking too long to move off a green light? Is that enough? For the most part, yes.

In Illinois, even some of the most trivial traffic offenses can give police the reasonable suspicion of wrong doing required to perform an investigatory stop. In some cases, the behavior does not even violate Illinois law. Courts have upheld stops for:

1) Objects hanging from the rearview mirror like an airfreshener or bandana where police have a reasonable belief that the object constitutes a material obstruction.

2) Improper display of license plates where defendant had tinted plates or had posted his plate in his rear window.

3) Sitting 20 seconds or more at a green light.

4) Failing to stop completely behind the stop line at a red light

5) Stopping on the shoulder of the road with the emergency lights activated.

6) Driving away from a police roadblock.

If you are stopped for a minor offense that escalates into a DUI, contact an experienced DUI attorney immediately. An attorney can review your case for your best possible defense. Maybe the officer lacked a reasonable basis to believe that cross hanging from your mirror really obstructed your view. Even if the stop is valid, the state must still prove you guilty of the DUI beyond a reasonable doubt. It may be harder to prove you were impaired if bad driving wasn’t the reason you were stopped.

If you have questions about this or another related 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.)

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BUT IT’S MY FIRST DUI! DOESN’T THAT MATTER?

Posted on September 16, 2013 by mdkeenan

You’ve never been in trouble before. This DUI is your first arrest of any kind. Doesn’t that help?

The answer is yes and no. A first offender may be eligible for a lighter sentence than a repeat offender. However, your otherwise good character doesn’t really matter when it comes to determining your guilt or innocence.

We’ve all seen the TV shows where the defendant looks for character references to prove he couldn’t have committed the crime. But it doesn’t work that way in real life. In the legal system, the fact you are a good person does not make it any more or less likely that you committed a crime than if you were a bad person. The state still has to show whether you are guilty of this particular DUI.

Contrary to TV law, a defense attorney will avoid the character issue until sentencing. At trial, putting on evidence of good character opens the door for the state to put on evidence of bad character. If you say you’re a good family person who goes to church and holds a job, the state can bring up the fact you’re mean to puppies and you party a lot.

Good character can be relevant once your guilt is established. While Illinois law imposes certain sentencing guidelines, the court may be more lenient on you if your offense is clearly a one-time deal.

Under Illinois law, a first-time DUI is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. A second DUI leads to mandatory jail time or community service. Higher offenses result in even stiffer penalties.

If your breathalyzer reads more than twice the legal limit (over .16) on a first offense, you will be subject to a mandatory 100 hours of community service plus $500 fine on top of other penalties. A second offense mandates an additional two days in jail plus $1250 fine.

Furthermore, the length of your driver’s license suspension is shorter on a first offense and your level of required alcohol treatment will likely be lower.

If you have questions about this or another related 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.)

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CAN THEY TAKE MY BLOOD? THE EMERGENCY ROOM EXCEPTION

Posted on August 20, 2013 by mdkeenan

Previous posts have discussed how police may take your blood with or without your consent after a DUI-related accident. But police can also obtain blood or urine results from you under the emergency room exception.

Blood or urine tests for intoxication are admissible in prosecuting a DUI or related crime if taken during the regular course of emergency room treatment and not at the request of police. The tests must be performed by the lab ordinarily used by the hospital. Unfortunately, your usual right to keep your medical records confidential no longer applies. (See the statute at 625 ILCS 5/11-501.4.)

If police have obtained hospital tests and charged you with DUI, consult an experienced attorney immediately. An attorney can examine what type of medical treatment you had and whether the sample was taken in the normal course of it. An attorney can also question whether the results of the blood test were properly converted for DUI purposes. Even if the sample was properly taken and the results are correct, a DUI attorney can probe for other weaknesses in the state’s case, or if all else fails, negotiate a more favorable plea agreement than you might do on your own.

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

See our related posts on blood draws with consent They Tested My Blood! Can I Still Defend My Illinois DUI? and without Can They Take my Blood? Your Rights and DUI Testing.


(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.)

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THE LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS VETERANS COURT FOR DUI AND OTHER NON-VIOLENT CRIMES

Posted on July 29, 2013 by mdkeenan

A day in the Lake County Veteran’s Treatment and Assistance Court (VTAC) begins with the very compassionate Judge John Phillips selecting one of the veterans to lead the pledge of allegiance. After that, Judge Phillips hears status updates from veterans on how they are progressing through the program.

The Lake County Veterans Court began in 2011 to help veterans avoid jail time and stay out of trouble by providing support for their special needs, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The program uses a team approach which includes the Court, Veteran’s Administration, Adult Probation Services, Health Department, and other community agencies and volunteers.

“These agencies work together to provide veteran offenders services to address their needs through treatment interventions, rather than incarceration,” states the program fact sheet.

To participate, you must first be screened for eligibility. The program only accepts probation-eligible felony offenses, misdemeanors, or DUIs. If your crime involves a victim, your victim must consent to your participation (although violent offenses that result in death or severe injury are ineligible). You must also qualify for Veterans Benefits and Services.

And you must be willing to work hard. The program is rigorous. Your commitment can last 12 to 30 months. Besides remaining drug and alcohol free, you may need to appear regularly at court dates, submit to random drug testing, perform community service, pay fines, hold a job, and pursue recommended substance abuse or other treatments.

If you successfully complete the program, you may graduate and your charges may be dismissed. Failing to stay clean, however, could result in the very jail time you were trying to avoid.

If you are a veteran charged with a crime, consult an experienced criminal or DUI attorney immediately. Participating in VTAC means pleading guilty to your offense. An attorney can evaluate your situation to determine your best option. Perhaps the evidence against you is weak or the police acted improperly, and therefore, you might be better served by fighting your case. In certain circumstances, the attorney may bring a motion to dismiss the evidence against you. Even if VTAC is your best option, an attorney can help you navigate through the system.

If you have a question about this or another related 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.)

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CAN THEY SEARCH MY CAR AFTER A TRAFFIC STOP IN ILLINOIS?

Posted on June 24, 2013 by mdkeenan

You got pulled over for a traffic violation. The cop thought he smelled alcohol, and after some tests, you were charged with DUI. After they put you in the police car, the officers began searching the passenger compartment of your car. The stuff they found got you in bigger trouble.

Can they search your car like that? What can you do?

A police officer may search your car without a warrant as part of your arrest if 1) you have access to the car or 2) the officer reasonably believes that there is evidence of the crime in your car. Typically, when officers search a car after a DUI, it is because they are looking for evidence of drinking. The search should generally be limited to an area where you have access such as the passenger compartment. Under those circumstances it may be a legitimate search.

However, if you are stopped for an offense such as driving on a suspended license or speeding, the search may no longer be justified. Proof of speeding or driving on the suspended license would not likely be found in the car.

If the grounds for the search are questionable, an attorney may bring a motion to suppress the evidence of the search. What if the police exceeded the boundaries of the search, such as by opening the trunk? Or maybe the offense did not justify the need for a search. Be aware, however, that police can frisk for weapons to protect their own safety if they have a reasonable, articulable suspicion that you may be a danger to themselves or others. The police may also conduct an inventory search of your car when it is lawfully impounded.

If you are stopped for a driving offense or DUI, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. An experienced attorney can evaluate your case to present the best possible defense. In limited cases where the evidence was obtained by an illegal search, your case may even be dismissed.

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

See our related post at Can They Search My Car? Your Rights During a Traffic Stop..


(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.)

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