Chicago DUI Attorney Comments on the Courts Protecting the Driving Privileges of the DUI Accused

This Chicago DUI attorney has posted here, here, and here about Statutory Summary Suspensions.  That’s the suspension that is triggered simply for being charged with a DUI.  It doesn’t matter if you are guilty of a DUI or not.

Now the 2^nd District has clarified when the accused has a right to file the Petition to Rescind Summary Suspension

From People v. Moreland, 2011 IL App (2d) 100669 (August 8, 2011):

 

At issue in this appeal is whether the 30 days in which a defendant is entitled to a hearing on a petition to rescind the statutory summary suspension of his driving privileges begins to run before the Secretary of State has confirmed the suspension.  The trial court found that it does.  For the reasons that follow, we affirm.

 

Section 2—118.1(b) of the Code is unambiguous.  Id. at 388.  It provides that a defendant

“shall” be given a hearing on his petition to rescind within 30 days after the petition is received.  The word “shall” conveys that the legislature intended to impose a mandatory obligation.  Id. at 382.  That obligation is fulfilled when the defendant has a hearing on his petition to rescind within 30 days after it is filed in the circuit court, with service on the State.  See Bywater, 223 Ill. 2d at 486.  Here, defendant was not given a hearing by June 3, 2010, which was 30 days after he filed his petition.  Thus, the statutory summary suspension of defendant’s driving privileges must be rescinded.  See People v. Schaefer, 154 Ill. 2d 250, 262 (1993).

If you’ve been charged with a DUI you need to get to a knowledgeable lawyer immediately, so that all of your rights can be protected.