When can police ask a hospital to forcibly draw blood and urine samples from a suspect accused of drunk driving? It’s a legal question that’s been simmering for the last five years and now a state appeals court in Illinois is weighing in. Late last month, the Appellate Court ruled that a section of the…
A recent nationwide analysis of DUI laws shows just how differently states handle impaired drivers. Illinois is ranked at 19, where 1 means the strictest. Here’s the source and methodology: WalletHub looked at a variety of factors, including criminal penalties (minimum jail time, when DUIs become felonies, additional penalties for higher blood-alcohol levels), and prevention…
What’s the legal limit for drinking and driving in Illinois? If you said a BAC of .08, you’re right. And wrong. Here’s why. Most drivers don’t realize that they can be charged with a DUI if the they are exhibiting signs of…
Thanksgiving is around the corner and that means “Blackout Wednesday” is, too. That’s when new college students get together with friends back home and, well, drink excessively. Considering that around 40 percent of all fatal crashes in Illinois are alcohol-related, that nearly 40,000 people statewide are arrested for driving under the influence each year, and…
You’ve been arrested — it happens — now it’s time to find a lawyer In Illinois, more than 3.9 million people have a criminal record. That’s more than 30 percent of the population! While that won’t be any consolation to you if you’ve recently been arrested, it should certainly help you put things in perspective: It’s…
How many people in the United States have some sort of criminal record? A. 925,000 B. 4.45 million C. 12 million D. 70 million It seems like an astonishingly high number, but the correct answer is D. In Illinois alone, that figure is over 3.9 million men and women — that’s more than 30 percent…
Stephanie Hicks, a police officer in Alabama, said she was demoted and forced to quit after she asked for desk duty while she was breastfeeding following the birth of her son in 2012. She sued and last year a federal jury awarded her $374,000. The City of Tuscaloosa appealed the verdict, but in September a…
The Illinois vehicle code is a massive compilation of laws clocking in at over 650 pages! In other words, a police officer doesn’t have to look too hard for a reason to pull you over. While it’s really easy to get nervous during a routine traffic stop, remember that the officer is only trying to…
