Daley Center DUI Lawyers
Chicago DUI attorneys representing clients at the Richard J. Daley Center.
If you are charged with a misdemeanor DUI in Chicago, your case will likely be assigned to the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago. The Daley Center hears misdemeanor DUI cases, misdemeanor traffic offenses, and petty traffic offenses.
G&S DUI Attorneys at Law represents clients charged with misdemeanor DUI offenses at the Daley Center. Our attorneys are former prosecutors who have handled DUI cases from both sides of the courtroom and understand the evidence, court procedures, driver's license consequences, and practical concerns that arise after a Chicago DUI arrest.
DUI cases at the Daley Center
Richard J. Daley Center
50 W. Washington Street
Chicago, Illinois 60602
The Daley Center hears misdemeanor DUI cases, misdemeanor traffic offenses, and petty traffic offenses arising within its assigned Chicago jurisdiction.
A misdemeanor DUI is a criminal offense. Although a DUI may begin with a traffic stop, the consequences can extend well beyond the traffic citation itself. The case can affect your driver's license, employment, insurance costs, finances, and criminal record. Depending upon the circumstances and disposition, a DUI can also involve fines, court costs, alcohol or drug evaluation and treatment requirements, probation or court supervision when legally available, and possible incarceration.
The fact that you were arrested does not mean that you will be convicted. The State still has the burden of proving the charge beyond a reasonable doubt, and the strength of its case depends upon the evidence.
What happens after a misdemeanor DUI arrest in Chicago?
Most people arrested for a misdemeanor DUI in Chicago are processed and booked at the police station and then released with standard conditions of pretrial release. The paperwork generally identifies the defendant's first court date and requires the defendant to appear in court as directed.
Illinois eliminated cash bail under the Pretrial Fairness Act. Cash bond is no longer an option in Illinois, and a person released following a misdemeanor DUI arrest does not pay money to secure that release.
A person charged with a felony DUI generally follows a different process and must appear before a judge for a first appearance. Felony DUI cases are not heard in the Daley Center traffic courts addressed on this page.
What happens at my first Daley Center DUI court date?
Generally, your DUI case will not be resolved at the first court date. The first appearance is usually the beginning of the court process.
You must appear in court.
Many Daley Center traffic court matters may be heard by Zoom, while other appearances may require you to be physically present in the courtroom. You should follow the court's instructions and your attorney's advice concerning whether a particular appearance will be by Zoom or in person.
If you have retained an attorney, your lawyer will ordinarily file an appearance and begin obtaining the evidence in the case through the discovery process. That evidence may include police reports, body-camera recordings, squad-car video, breath-testing records, laboratory records, photographs, witness information, and other materials relevant to the arrest.
Your attorney can then begin evaluating the evidence, identifying potential defenses, addressing driver's license issues, and determining what additional investigation or litigation may be appropriate. The case will generally be continued to another court date while that process moves forward.
You should have an attorney representing you on a DUI.
Private attorney
You may retain a private DUI attorney to represent you throughout the criminal case and to address related driver's license issues.
Public Defender
If you cannot afford to hire a private attorney and meet the financial requirements for appointed counsel, the court can appoint the Public Defender to represent you.
Self-representation
A defendant has the constitutional right to represent himself or herself, but before permitting a waiver of counsel the judge must admonish the defendant concerning the charge and the consequences of giving up the right to an attorney.
A DUI case can involve constitutional issues, rules of evidence, scientific or chemical-testing evidence, court procedure, motions, negotiations, trial preparation, and separate driver's license proceedings. For most defendants, the meaningful question is not whether they should have a lawyer. It is whether they will be represented by the Public Defender or retain a private DUI attorney.
A DUI arrest creates a criminal case and a driver's license case.
The criminal DUI case
The criminal case determines whether the State can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you committed DUI. The defense may involve the legality of the traffic stop, the officer's observations, field sobriety testing, breath or blood testing, video evidence, witness testimony, medical or physical conditions, statements, and police procedures.
DUI defense overview →The statutory summary suspension
A statutory summary suspension is a separate driver's license consequence that can result from refusing chemical testing or submitting to testing that produces a qualifying result. If you are served with a Notice of Statutory Summary Suspension, the suspension generally takes effect on the 46th day following service of the notice.
Statutory summary suspension →What evidence matters in a Daley Center DUI case?
The traffic stop
The police must have a lawful basis to stop a vehicle. Squad-car video, body-camera recordings, dispatch information, police reports, and the officer's testimony may all be relevant when evaluating whether the stop was lawful.
Driving observations
The officer may rely upon alleged speeding, improper lane usage, signaling violations, unusual braking, an accident, or other driving behavior. Video evidence can sometimes confirm those observations and sometimes contradict them.
The officer's observations
Police reports frequently describe matters such as the odor of alcohol, bloodshot or glassy eyes, speech, balance, coordination, demeanor, and responses to questions. Those observations should be considered in context and compared with the objective evidence.
Field sobriety tests
The defense should examine which tests were administered, how the officer instructed and demonstrated them, the conditions under which they were performed, and whether medical, physical, environmental, or other factors may have affected performance.
Body-camera and squad-car video
Video can be especially important because it allows the attorneys, prosecutor, judge, and potentially a jury to see and hear portions of the encounter rather than relying exclusively upon a written police report.
Breath testing
A breath-test result does not eliminate the need to examine the evidence. The testing procedure, observation period, machine and maintenance records, operator requirements, timing, and admissibility may all be relevant depending upon the case.
Blood and urine testing
Cases involving blood or urine can raise different issues involving collection, handling, laboratory analysis, timing, records, medical testing, and admissibility.
Statements and police procedure
What a defendant allegedly said, when statements were made, what questions were asked, and the circumstances surrounding the statements can also be relevant.
First DUI cases at the Daley Center
A person charged with a first misdemeanor DUI often faces two immediate concerns: defending the criminal charge and protecting his or her ability to drive.
A first DUI charge does not automatically result in a conviction, and it should not be treated as a predetermined outcome simply because an arrest occurred or chemical testing was performed.
The defense should begin with a review of the traffic stop, arrest, field sobriety testing, video, chemical testing, witnesses, police reports, and other available evidence. A person's prior driving and criminal history can also affect the options available in the case, including whether court supervision may legally be available.
Misdemeanor and petty traffic cases at the Daley Center
In addition to misdemeanor DUI offenses, the Daley Center hears misdemeanor traffic and petty traffic cases.
G&S represents clients charged with misdemeanor DUI whether the DUI is the only charge or whether additional traffic offenses were issued as part of the same incident.
We also represent clients charged with misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses even when no DUI charge is involved.
When multiple charges arise from the same incident, each charge should be evaluated individually while also considering the evidence common to the overall case.
Can a Daley Center DUI be dismissed?
A dismissal is possible, but dismissal of a DUI charge is uncommon and should not be expected simply because an attorney is hired.
The appropriate defense begins with obtaining and reviewing the evidence. That review may reveal constitutional, evidentiary, factual, procedural, or scientific issues that affect the strength of the State's case.
Depending upon what the evidence shows, those issues may affect negotiations, support a motion, limit the evidence the State can use, or become part of the defense at trial.
A responsible evaluation of a DUI case should focus on the actual evidence and realistic options rather than promises of dismissal or a particular outcome.
Appearing at the Daley Center
Richard J. Daley Center
50 W. Washington Street
Chicago, IL 60602
The courthouse is located in downtown Chicago near Washington and Clark Streets.
Some Daley Center traffic court appearances are conducted through Zoom. Other appearances require defendants and attorneys to appear in person. The manner of appearance can depend upon the courtroom, the type of proceeding, and the judge's instructions.
If you are required to appear in person, allow sufficient time for downtown traffic, parking, courthouse security, elevators, and locating the correct courtroom.
Courtroom assignments and appearance procedures can change. You should rely upon your current court paperwork and instructions from your attorney concerning where and how to appear.
Frequently asked questions about Daley Center DUI cases
These answers provide general information. The correct advice depends on the facts, court paperwork, driver's license status, evidence, and history in the particular case.
Will my DUI case be finished at the first court date?+
Generally, no. The first court date is ordinarily the beginning of the court process. Your attorney may enter an appearance, begin obtaining discovery, address preliminary matters, and obtain another court date while the evidence and potential defenses are reviewed.
Do I have to appear in court?+
Yes. You must appear in court as directed. Depending upon the courtroom and the particular court date, your appearance may be in person or by Zoom. Your attorney can advise you how you are required to appear. Do not assume that hiring an attorney means you are excused from appearing in court.
Will my DUI case be dismissed?+
Probably not. DUI dismissals do occur, but they are uncommon. The more important question is whether the evidence contains legal, factual, procedural, or evidentiary weaknesses that can be used to defend the case. Those issues can affect negotiations, motions, admissibility of evidence, and trial strategy even when the charge is not simply dismissed.
What happens if I refused the breath test?+
A refusal can result in a statutory summary suspension of your driver's license and can have an impact in the criminal DUI case. The suspension is separate from the criminal prosecution. The Notice of Statutory Summary Suspension, the warnings given by the officer, the circumstances surrounding the alleged refusal, and potential challenges to the suspension should be reviewed promptly.
What if I took a breath test and was over the legal limit?+
A breath-test result can be significant evidence, but it does not end the analysis of the case. The legality of the stop and arrest, the testing procedure, machine and operator records, observation period, timing, video evidence, and admissibility of the test can still be relevant.
Can I drive while my DUI case is pending?+
Possibly. The answer depends upon your driver's license status, DUI history, whether you submitted to or refused chemical testing, whether a statutory summary suspension has taken effect, and whether you qualify for available driving relief. The criminal court date and the effective date of a statutory summary suspension are not the same thing.
Does the Daley Center hear felony DUI cases?+
No. The Daley Center traffic courts addressed on this page hear misdemeanor DUI cases, misdemeanor traffic offenses, and petty traffic offenses. Felony DUI cases proceed through the appropriate felony court process.
Start with the arrest, the evidence, and the court date ahead.
If you have been charged with a misdemeanor DUI at the Daley Center, the first step is understanding what you are facing.
G&S DUI Attorneys at Law represents clients charged with misdemeanor DUI offenses at the Richard J. Daley Center. We can review the arrest, the evidence, the driver's license consequences, and the court process and explain the options available based upon the facts of your case.
Our attorneys are former prosecutors with experience handling Illinois DUI cases from both sides of the courtroom.
