Hiring a DUI Lawyer in Illinois
What a first DUI can cost in Illinois, how criminal lawyers charge, your right to a public defender, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Illinois: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. A contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client and state how the fee is figured, including the percentage(s) the lawyer gets on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly tell the client about any expenses the client must pay whether or not the client wins. At the end, the lawyer must give the client a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the client's share and how it was figured. Lawyers may not charge domestic relations fees contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, or a contingent fee to represent a criminal defendant. Linked from the Illinois Courts rules page: https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/rules/supreme-court-rules?a=viii |
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| If a lawyer takes your money | The ARDC's Client Protection Program, funded by Illinois lawyers' registration fees, reimburses clients who lost money or property through a lawyer's intentional dishonesty while acting as their lawyer or fiduciary, or who lost unearned fees when a lawyer died or went on disability inactive status. The lawyer must have been disciplined by the Illinois Supreme Court or have died, and you must have made reasonable efforts at civil remedies. Negligence, fee disputes and insured or bonded losses are not covered. Maximum: $150,000 per loss and $1,500,000 for all claims about one lawyer. File within three years of learning of the loss or within one year after the lawyer was disciplined or died, whichever is later. Filing is free. |
Illinois rules to know first
| First-offense DUI penalties | A first DUI is a Class A misdemeanor. Transporting a child under 16 adds 6 months of imprisonment, a $1,000 minimum fine and 25 days of community service, and a BAC of 0.16 or more brings added mandatory penalties. A DUI conviction requires the Secretary of State to revoke the driver's license. Administratively, a failed chemical test (0.08 or more) brings a 6-month statutory summary suspension for a first offender. |
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| Refusing a breath test | Refusing or failing to complete chemical testing after a DUI arrest brings a statutory summary suspension of 12 months for a first offender, or 3 years for a person who is not a first offender. A first offender who refused testing is not eligible for a monitoring device driving permit but may apply for reinstatement or a restricted driving permit after one year. Source: 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1, 6-208.1 |
| Hardship license | The Secretary of State may issue a restricted driving permit, where undue hardship would otherwise result, allowing driving between home and work or within job duties, to medical care for the driver or a household member, and to alcohol or drug treatment, among other purposes. First offenders under a DUI summary suspension may be eligible for a monitoring device driving permit (not available after a test refusal). Source: 625 ILCS 5/6-205, 6-206, 6-208.1 |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Illinois State Bar Association's Illinois Lawyer Finder lets you search an online directory of lawyers by area and field of law, or call for a referral matched to your location and type of legal problem. ISBA says you can "receive a 30-minute consultation with a lawyer in your area for no more than $25." Phone referrals: 217-525-5297, Monday-Friday 9:00-3:00. You are not obligated to hire the lawyer; discuss fees for further services. Phone referral page: https://www.isba.org/public/phonereferral |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) of the Supreme Court of Illinois runs the official Lawyer Search. Search by last name (with options for former names, exact or phonetic match) and optionally first name, status (such as authorized to practice), county, city, state or country. A Recent Status Changes tab lists lawyers whose status changed due to registration, MCLE non-compliance, or discipline or disability orders. ARDC: (312) 565-2600 (Chicago) or (217) 546-3523 (Springfield). Source: Illinois ARDC, Lawyer Search |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints (requests for investigation) about Illinois lawyers go to the ARDC. File online, with the downloadable form, or by letter, mail, fax or email to the Chicago office (130 E. Randolph Dr., Ste. 1500, Chicago, IL 60601-6219) or Springfield office (3161 W. White Oaks Dr., Ste. 301, Springfield, IL 62704). There is no fee. ARDC generally notifies you in writing within two weeks whether it will investigate; the lawyer gets a copy of the complaint, and most investigations conclude within 90 days. General dissatisfaction with fees usually is not grounds for discipline, though improper, fraudulent or unrefunded unearned fees can be. Disciplinary case records are searchable on the ARDC site. Phone: (312) 565-2600 or (800) 826-8625 in Illinois (Chicago); (217) 546-3523 or (800) 252-8048 in Illinois (Springfield). Discipline case research: https://iardc.org/DisciplinarySearch Source: Illinois ARDC, File a Complaint |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | The Illinois Courts self-help page links to IllinoisLegalAid.org to apply for legal aid, Illinois Court Help for referrals and e-filing help, and resources for self-represented litigants. Illinois's LSC-funded legal aid organizations, which give free civil legal help to eligible low-income people, are Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Legal Aid Chicago and Prairie State Legal Services. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Illinois · Do I need a lawyer?
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.