Chicago DUI lawyer cheering over a CLEAR Illinois Code of Corrections

Sometimes the hardest part of my work is getting agreement on what the minimum and maximum penalties are for a Chicago DUI.  Thankfully, Governor Quinn has made clarifying the Illinois Code of Corrections easier by signing into law Senate Bill 100.

The Illinois Code of Corrrections has not been for the faint of heart.  The correct answer to the question "what is the minimm sentence for this offense?" often requires going back and forth through an array of Illinois statute books to get the right answer.  The Criminal Law Edit, Alignment, and Reform (CLEAR) Commission worked hard to get a code that would be easier.  The benefits of CLEAR should be readily apparent:

BENEFITS OF LESS COMPLEX ILLINOIS CRIMINAL CODE

• The Code will be more accessible to laypeople trying to obey the law. 
  

• Judges and lawyers will find the Code easier to understand and apply. 
  

• The reform will eliminate disputes over interpretation of the Code that can reduce costly retrials, court delays and mistakes. 
  

• The size of the Code will be reduced significantly, and indexing will be improved. 
  

• Policy makers will more easily understand the implications of amendments proposed in the future. 
  

• The new Code will limit the opportunity for lengthy and expensive appeals due to confusion with the existing Code.

This Chicago DUI lawyer certainly has high hopes that once the new Code is available all parties will be able to agree on many things, not least the minimum and maximum sentence for an offense.