Mundelein DUI Defense Attorney

Experienced DUI Attorney Advocating for Clients in Mundelein, IL

Being charged with DUI can subject you to a lot of personal and legal problems before you even get a court date. Your driver's license might be suspended immediately, leaving you without reliable transportation. You might be ordered to install an ignition interlock device in any vehicles you drive. All this can make you feel as if you have already been convicted of a crime even when no accusation against you has been proven and there is still a chance your case could be dismissed.

Brady Cole Trial Lawyers has worked with many DUI defendants charged with a wide range of DUI offenses, from CDL DUI to aggravated DUI. Whether you are facing a felony or a misdemeanor offense related to drunk or intoxicated driving, your case could have serious consequences with a long-lasting impact. Our experienced DUI defense lawyers will develop a customized defense strategy based on the unique circumstances of your case so that we can help you achieve the most positive result possible.

Defenses to DUI Charges in Lake County

Even if the justice system is made to make you feel like you are already guilty, there are a number of DUI defenses that routinely succeed in getting cases dismissed, or at least reduced to a lesser charge.

Common DUI defenses you might have include:

• Challenging field sobriety test results - Roadside tests used by police officers to determine whether a driver may be intoxicated are notoriously unreliable because so many different factors can affect the results. High winds or high heels can affect a person's balance, as can an inner ear infection or vertigo, a common medical condition. Taking the tests on gravel or a slippery or sloped surface can also make a person appear to be intoxicated even if they are sober.
• Challenging chemical test results - Chemical blood alcohol tests are not as reliable as the police make them out to be. Unless these tests are administered perfectly, there is a chance that the results may not be accurate. If an officer did not wait a certain amount of time to administer the test, there could be alcohol present in the mouth that would throw off the results of a breath test. Even blood tests can be invalidated if the test equipment was not properly stored or the sample was not properly handled.
• Proving an illegal stop - If the traffic stop was unconstitutional, anything that happened after you were pulled over may be considered inadmissible as evidence. Police officers sometimes pull vehicles over not because they witnessed signs of intoxicated driving or another legitimate traffic violation, but because they thought they saw the driver walk out of a pub earlier, think the driver looked like a cannabis user, or "had a hunch." These are not legal reasons for detaining a driver.

When Is DUI a Felony in Illinois?

There are a number of reasons a DUI might be a felony charge, including:

• This is the driver's third or subsequent DUI.
• The driver had an extremely high BAC.
• The driver did not have a valid license or did not carry valid insurance.
• The vehicle in question was a school bus with children aboard.
• A passenger under the age of 16 years old was in the vehicle.
• Any person was injured by the intoxicated driver.
• A fatality occurred due to an accident caused by the intoxicated driver.

A felony DUI can carry penalties of a year or more in prison, with the more serious forms of aggravated DUI carrying many years. It is very important to work with a skilled criminal defense lawyer if you have been charged with a felony DUI.

Contact a Mundelein, IL DUI Defense Lawyer

Brady Cole Trial Lawyers has helped many DUI defendants avoid serious legal penalties, such as prison time, and we may be able to help you too. Our dedicated Mundelein DUI attorneys will do all we can to protect you throughout your case. Contact us at 847-752-9639 for a complimentary consultation.