WHY YOU SHOULD FIGHT YOUR ILLINOIS DUI–EVEN IF YOU LIVE OUT OF STATE

Back in the early United States, if you didn’t like the person you married, you could simply move to another state and marry someone else. No one would ever know.

But the world has changed a lot since then. Technology has made it possible to keep tabs on you—and your driving record. So while it may be tempting to ignore those DUI charges you picked up one weekend in Chicago, an Illinois DUI can still affect your license where you live.

For starters, many states such as Illinois belong to the Interstate Drivers License Compact. Under the Compact, Illinois could report any conviction involving a motor vehicle to the licensing authority in your home state. If you blow off the Illinois DUI, you will be convicted in your absence, and your home state could be notified. Depending on your state, you could lose your license.

Even if you come to court, you should consult an experienced DUI attorney who will look for ways to defend your case. If the attorney wants to “just plea it out” without thoroughly evaluating your situation, you should find someone else. A plea of guilty could have a major effect on your home state driver’s license.

Illinois does offer “supervision” to many first-time DUI offenders, which is technically not a conviction. So why not plea out for that? Because it’s just not that simple. Your home state may still interpret your Illinois supervision as a conviction for their purposes. In other words, you could find yourself with a revoked license at home while still able to drive in Illinois.

Of course, sometimes you may not have much choice. Depending on the facts of your case, supervision may be the best you can do. Even so, it’s best to find an attorney who will carefully weigh your options and take a plea on your case only as a last resort.

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 our related post, see I Have an Illinois DUI, But I Live Out of State. Do I Have to Deal With It?”.

(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.)