A first DUI can be serious depending on the circumstances, but repeat DUIs are even more of a problem. Your first DUI can be considered a one-time mistake, especially if it is your first offense ever. Courts often focus on putting first-time DUI offenders into treatment for an alcohol problem in the hopes that getting sober will prevent them from making the same mistake twice. However, those who get a second DUI are not given the same benefit of the doubt. Those who get a third DUI will be charged with a felony in Illinois. If you are re-arrested for a second, third, or subsequent DUI offense, you need a highly experienced Cook County, IL repeat DUI attorney to defend you in court.
Penalties for a Second DUI
Usually, a second DUI offense is a misdemeanor. However, your experience in the justice system is likely to feel different after your first DUI conviction. The first time, the judge may have treated you with compassion, understanding that you need treatment and this arrest may have served as a wake-up call. However, courts expect people to learn from their mistakes and do not look kindly upon those who commit the same offense twice.