Chicago DUI attorney comments on mandatory traffic fines

New fines go into effect on January 1, 2011. This Chicago DUI attorney has posted here, here, and here about DUI fees and fines increasing. This time the fee increase will be shared across a much broader base of people.



From 625 ILCS 5/16-104 (e):

Minimum penalty for traffic offenses. Unless otherwise disposed of prior to a court appearance in the same matter under Supreme Court Rule 529, a person who, after a court appearance in the same matter, is found guilty of or pleads guilty to, including any person receiving a disposition of court supervision, a violation of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance shall pay a fine that may not be waived. Nothing in this Section shall prevent the court from ordering that the fine be paid within a specified period of time or in installments under Section 5-9-1 of the Unified Code of Corrections.

In a nutshell, the fine can’t be waived by the judge regardless of the individual’s financial circumstances. I’m not convinced that the revenues generated from this particular fine will be adequate to balance the state’s budget.