I Was Charged With DUI – Arraignment Process in Illinois

Reader’s Question:

I was charged with DUI in Peoria, Illinois and it’s nearing my first court date and I don’t know what would happen. Could you give me an idea as to what should I expect during the arraignment of my DUI case?

MJ

Peoria, IL

If you haven’t hired a DUI lawyer to represent you on your DUI charge in Peoria, Illinois, you would have to attend your arraignment. The date, time and location of your first court meeting are on your ticket or somewhere else in your paperwork. At some point during your arraignment, the judge would ask you to enter a plea to the charges. Then you would have to plead either guilty or not guilty to the DUI charge. Depending on the plea that you would enter, the judge would ask you several questions to determine if you want to waive your constitutional rights, including your right to a speedy jury trial.

If you enter a guilty plea on your DUI charge, the judge would likely pass sentence immediately. The sentence would vary depending on the charges you face, the specific judge assigned to your case and the county you are charged in. At minimum, most DUI cases entail some time in jail or a program that counts as jail, a substantial fine, probation and DUI school.

Chicago Illinois DUI Lawyer – Is It Worth The Expense?

So, you got a DUI, and now you’re wondering what you need a Chicago DUI lawyer for. As a matter of fact, these lawyers can be very helpful, and here are some of the ways they can help you out.

• Speak for you in court.

The primary purpose of a Chicago DUI lawyer is representation. They can stand for you in court and argue in order to get you an easier time, fewer consequences, lower fines, and so on. Without a lawyer to do this for you, you could suffer much more because of your DUI.

• Figure you out and tell you what’s what.

You may not know what you need for your case on your own, but a DUI lawyer can look at it and explain to you what it all means, and then they can tell you what kinds of consequences you may face because of it.

• Take care of the little stuff.

Being convicted of a DUI is stressful enough already, and a lawyer can ease some of the stress by taking all of the menial work onto their hands–all that paperwork, all those phone calls. They can make sure your court date coincides with your schedule and so on.