driving while suspended

New law allows illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses in Illinois: approval pending

November 22, 2012
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Lawmakers in Springfield are drafting legislation that would provide a way for illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses. The bill has not been introduced in the General Assembly, but legislators expect to make the proposal soon. This is not the first time our state lawmakers have tried to legalize undocumented aliens on the road. A [...]

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The rule of strict liability in traffic court

June 24, 2012
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One of the most important rules in criminal cases is that court cannot convict a person of a crime unless the prosecution has proven that the defendant had the requisite mental state. The prosecution must prove that the defendant intended to commit a crime. The Illinois constitution prohibits the prosecution from convicting a person of [...]

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Driving while license suspended: more serious than a ticket

March 16, 2012
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As an attorney I cannot count the number of times clients say to me, “I did not get arrested for driving while suspended. I just got a ticket.” Many people are misinformed. The law in Illinois says that a person does not have to be handcuffed in order to be, in legal terms, arrested. A [...]

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Driving without a valid license: a summary of the consequences

February 17, 2012
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If you were pulled over by a police officer and given a ticket for driving without a valid license, you are looking at some serious problems. Contrary to what many people believe, getting a ticket for driving without a valid license, 625 ILCS 5/6-101, is the same as getting arrested. Legally speaking, the fact that [...]

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New Illinois law on expunging traffic tickets

February 16, 2012
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Expungement is the process in which a person who was charged with a crime but cleared of any wrongdoing can go to court and request that the court erase the record of the case. The person can file a petition to expunge and then go before a judge for a hearing. If the prosecutor does [...]

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Grounds for disqualification of Illinois commercial driver’s licenses

February 11, 2012
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The Secretary of State can take away a commercial driver’s license for traffic violations. While a driver’s license can be suspended or revoked, a CDL is cancelled. A person whose CDL is cancelled usually can still drive a non-commercial motor vehicle. The fact that a CDL is cancelled does not automatically take away that person’s [...]

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Traffic tickets and drivers under age 21: serious penalties

February 4, 2012
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Illinois is one of the toughest states when it comes to a young person’s driving privileges. In addition to the Zero Tolerance law, which suspends a person’s driver’s license for consuming alcohol before age 21, the Secretary of State has multiple laws it can use to take away your license. In fact, a driver who [...]

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