DUI & DWI Lawyers in Illinois

DUI in Illinois: one arrest, two cases

An Illinois DUI arrest starts two tracks: a criminal case in circuit court and an automatic action against your license that runs on its own clock. A DUI lawyer works on both, challenging the stop and the tests while trying to keep you legally driving. Illinois uses the term DUI for what some states call DWI. This page lists 113 attorneys and law firms in Illinois who handle DUI and DWI matters.

The license track: statutory summary suspension

• Length for a first offender. Six months if a chemical test showed 0.08 or more, or drugs or THC as defined by law; 12 months for refusing testing.
• Start date. The suspension generally begins 46 days after the officer serves notice.
• Petition to rescind. You have 90 days after notice to request a hearing, held within 30 days of the request or first court date. Filing does not pause the suspension, and the hearing covers limited issues such as reasonable grounds and the test result or refusal.
• MDDP. First offenders may be able to drive during the suspension with a Monitoring Device Driving Permit, which requires an ignition interlock device installed within 14 days. It is unavailable if, among other things, the license is otherwise invalid, death or great bodily harm to another resulted, the driver has a prior reckless homicide or aggravated DUI conviction involving death, or the driver is under 18.

The criminal track

• The charge. Driving at 0.08 or more, while impaired by alcohol or drugs, or over the THC limit is DUI. A first offense is generally a Class A misdemeanor; aggravated DUI, such as a third violation, is a felony.
• Court supervision. Supervision is barred after a prior DUI conviction or supervision, or a prior plea-bargained reckless driving plea, so it is generally a first-charge option.
• Revocation. A conviction triggers revocation by the Secretary of State, which controls restricted permits and reinstatement.

Where cases are heard

Charges are filed in the county's circuit court, such as Tazewell County in Pekin, Woodford in Eureka, Fulton in Lewistown or DuPage in Wheaton.

This page is general information, not legal advice.

How to Choose a DUI & DWI Lawyer in Illinois

• Check the license. Every attorney admitted in Illinois can be looked up through the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, together with any public discipline. Do it before the first meeting.
• Ask about dui & dwi cases specifically. General practice is not the same as a track record in your type of matter: ask how many similar cases the lawyer handled recently and how they ended.
• Local courts matter. Procedures, filing practice and judges differ from county to county even within Illinois. Ask whether the lawyer regularly appears in the courts that will hear your case.
• Get the fee agreement in writing. Hourly rate, flat fee or contingency, what counts as costs, and what happens if the case ends early — all of it should be on paper before work starts.
• Compare several profiles. 113 dui & dwi attorneys in Illinois are listed here, with the largest groups in Bloomington, Wheaton and Chicago. Profiles carry direct contacts, so you can reach two or three of them without an intermediary.