suspended license

Fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer: sentencing and driver’s license issues

November 9, 2012
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If a police officer tries to pull you over with his siren or flashing lights and you choose to drive away, you could be charged with a serious crime. The law in Illinois says that fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer is a Class A misdemeanor. You could go to jail for up [...]

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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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Suspended license and revoked license: reinstatement procedures

February 23, 2012
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Basically, the Illinois state government enforces the rules of the road in two ways: first, the police ticket drivers who violate the vehicle code, and the court can impose penalties such as fines and even jail time for criminal offenses. Second, the Secretary of State can impose sanctions on a person’s driving privileges as a [...]

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Photo enforcement of work zone speed limits in Illinois generally

February 20, 2012
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The spring and summer traffic season is fast approaching in the Chicago area. As is the case every year, motorists can expect increased delays due to construction, and holiday traffic jams. But motorists can also expect what has become an annual tradition on Chicago region highways: increased enforcement of work zone speed limits by automated [...]

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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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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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