Have questions about Driver Defense Team or what to expect after getting a ticket?
Get the answers from Illinois’ best-rated DUI and traffic violation law firm. Here’s where you’ll find out more about legal issues and the “Driver Defense Team way” of preparing and defending your case.
Questions about Driver Defense Team
What areas do you serve?
We accept cases in Cook, DuPage, Lake, and Kane counties — and, most recently, Will County — in Illinois. We deliberately limit our practice to these counties so we can know every courthouse, every judge, and every procedure inside and out.
What courthouses do you serve?
We’re in 22 courthouses across Chicagoland, and we know the unique procedures and preferences across each one. When you’ve handled thousands of cases in the same courthouses, you get to know the judges, prosecutors, and court staff — and that knowledge makes a real difference in getting you the best outcome.
Cook County:
- Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St. Chicago, IL 60602
- Skokie Courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Rd, Skokie, IL 60077
- Rolling Meadows Courthouse, 2121 Euclid Ave, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
- Maywood Courthouse, 1500 Maybrook Dr, Maywood, IL 60153
- Bridgeview Courthouse, 10220 S. 76th Ave, Bridgeview, IL 60455
- Markham Courthouse, 16501 Kedzie Ave, Markham, IL 60428
- Leighton Criminal Courthouse, 2650 S. California Ave, Chicago, IL 60608
- Central Hearing Facility, 400 W. Superior St. Chicago, IL 60654
DuPage County:
- DuPage Judicial Center, 505 N. County Farm Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187
Lake County:
- Mundelein Branch Court, 105 E IL-83, Mundelein, IL 60060
- Park City Branch Court, 301 S. Greenleaf St, Park City, IL 60085
- Round Lake Beach Branch Court, 1792 N. Nicole Ln, Round Lake Beach, IL 60073
- Lake County Courthouse, 18 N County St, Waukegan, IL 60085
Kane County:
- Kane County Branch Court, 530 S. Randall Rd, St. Charles, IL 60174
- Kane County Judicial Center, 37W777 IL-38, St. Charles, IL 60175
- Aurora Branch Court, 1200 E. Indian Trail Rd, Aurora IL 60505
- Elgin Branch Court, 150 Dexter Ct, Elgin, IL, 60120
Will County:
- Will County Courthouse, 100 W. Jefferson St, Joliet, IL 60432
- Frankfort Branch Court, 11008 W. Lincoln Hwy, Frankfort, IL 60423
- Bolingbrook Branch Court, 375 W. Briarcliff Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440
- Peotone Branch Court, 712 West St, Peotone, IL 60468
- Plainfield Branch Court, 14300 S. Coil Plus Dr, Plainfield, IL 60544
What types of cases do you defend?
If you got a ticket or were arrested in your car, we can help. We handle every type of traffic violation and DUI case. The only exceptions are parking tickets and red light camera tickets — there’s very little an attorney can do to fight these administrative tickets, so we won’t pretend otherwise. Realistically, you’d spend more on legal fees than the ticket itself costs. Our sole focus on traffic law makes us better at what we do. We’re not bouncing between divorce cases and personal injury claims — we’re in traffic court every single day, building relationships and mastering our craft, which benefits you.
Do I need to meet at your office?
Most of the time, no. You’re welcome to come in, but we know most of our clients are busy. We’ve structured our process to make it as convenient as possible — we can handle everything over the phone or video chat, and you can send us any documents by email, fax, or text.
During your free consultation, we’ll talk through the tickets or charges you’re facing, what happened, and the different outcomes you can expect. We’ll also explain our process for building a defense strategy and walk you through any legal procedures you need to be aware of. If you choose to move forward, we can quote you a price right there.
How much does it cost to hire you?
We work on a flat fee, no matter how long your issue might take to resolve or how many court appearances we need to make. You’ll get your quote at the very start of the process, so you know exactly what you’re paying before you decide to hire us. The only exception is if your case goes to trial, in which case we’ll charge a trial fee. No surprises. No hidden costs.
Why should I hire your law firm?
Driver Defense Team is proud to be different from other firms. Unlike firms that are a one-stop shop for every offense and legal issue under the sun, we focus exclusively on traffic law. We’re Illinois’ best-rated DUI and traffic law firm, with over 3,000 five-star reviews from happy clients.
In 2023 and 2024, we were named one of the fastest-growing businesses in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine — alongside household names like Microsoft, Facebook, and Patagonia. But one of the best reasons to choose Driver Defense Team is that you aren’t just hiring one lawyer — you’re hiring the entire team. Our collaborative process means you’re not limited to a single attorney’s perspective. You get the benefit of over 114 years of combined experience on both sides of the table.
What will be the outcome of my case?
We can’t predict exactly how your case will turn out — and you should be skeptical of any lawyer who claims they can. What we can tell you is what we’ve achieved in similar cases and what outcomes are possible based on our 114+ years of collective experience.
Once we know more about your charges, history, and the courthouse you need to appear in, we can give you an idea of what’s realistic. Every outcome is based on the individual client’s needs and motivations. One client might depend on keeping their license because they’re a professional driver — in that case, the best outcome might be negotiating an alternative charge to avoid a mandatory suspension. Another client might be a young driver focused on avoiding a criminal record and protecting future job prospects or college applications. Only when we understand what’s important to you — and what you want to avoid — can we figure out the best outcome.
Do I need to hire a lawyer?
Honestly, it depends. We need to know three things before we can tell you whether hiring a lawyer makes sense:
- What you’re charged with
- Which courthouse you’re in
- Your driving history
A lot of people are surprised when we tell them they don’t need a lawyer for their ticket. Too many firms use scare tactics to push clients into hiring them — telling you you’re going to jail, or that you can’t handle it yourself. We don’t work that way.
If you don’t need to spend money on a lawyer to get the best result, we’ll tell you, and we can point you in the right direction. We’re not interested in taking your money if you don’t need us. The best way to find out is to give us a call or text. We’ll make a recommendation — no pressure, no sales pitch.
Questions about the process
Will I need to go to court?
Whether you need to appear depends on your ticket or charge. Your traffic ticket should tell you whether you need to make an appearance, along with the date, time, and courthouse. For most offenses, you’ll only need to attend court if a penalty of jail time or license suspension is on the table — that includes misdemeanor offenses like DUIs, reckless driving, and driving on a revoked license. If you can’t appear on your court date, tell us early: on petty tickets, where the court permits it, we can often handle the date without you there. On criminal charges you appear — in person, or by Zoom only if that court authorizes Zoom for that date.
I missed my court date — what will happen?
People miss court dates for all kinds of reasons. Maybe you had a work or family commitment, maybe you got nervous at the last minute, or maybe the ticket went straight into a drawer and got forgotten.
Depending on your case, the judge may issue a warrant for your arrest — and if this happens, it’s important to get it quashed before it’s executed. Missing your court date will also usually lead to a license suspension for “failure to appear,” which must be resolved before you can get your license reinstated. We’d recommend speaking to a traffic attorney as soon as possible if you’ve missed your court date.
Questions about traffic tickets and charges
Should I just pay my ticket?
Paying your ticket might seem like the easiest solution, but paying your fine is an admission of guilt, and it adds a conviction to your driving record. This can have long-term consequences, including higher insurance premiums and points on your license. If you’ve already paid off two tickets in the last year (or one, if you’re under 21), your license will be suspended.
The only exception is if your ticket is for a non-moving violation like a parking ticket — there’s little an attorney can do to help with these, and the best thing to do is pay it off. If you’re not sure what to do, reach out and we’ll explain your options.
Should I refuse a breathalyzer test?
This is one of the most common questions we get. If you refuse a breathalyzer test in Illinois, your license will be set to be suspended for 12 months. If you agree and are over the limit (.08), you’ll be charged with a DUI, but your license will be set to be suspended for six months.
You might think you should comply — at the very least, you won’t be without your license for as long. But it can have consequences later. A DUI is a criminal offense, which means prosecutors must prove you were under the influence beyond a reasonable doubt. That’s not an easy burden to meet — but the State has a much better chance with a positive breath test result.
The police can still arrest you if you refuse and there’s other evidence suggesting intoxication — poor driving, the smell of alcohol, loss of balance, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, or a failed field sobriety test (FST). But the same burden of proof applies. We can introduce reasonable doubt by challenging the validity of FSTs or introducing evidence of a medical condition, but it’s much harder to challenge a positive breathalyzer result.
If you’re worried about your license suspension, the first thing our attorneys will do is work to get it lifted. Even if you didn’t refuse these tests and you’ve been charged, all hope is not lost. There are still steps we can take to get the best outcome — whether that means getting charges dropped or securing a reduced penalty that avoids a criminal record.
What happens if I don’t pay my traffic fines?
Whether you don’t pay your traffic fines intentionally or because you’ve forgotten, ignoring them won’t make them disappear. Depending on the violation, several things can happen:
- An increased fine
- A suspended license — and you won’t get it back until you resolve the ticket
- A conviction on your record, resulting in insurance rate increases and points on your license
- A warrant for your arrest (if the offense is a misdemeanor)
Paying a fine isn’t always the best option, either. We’d recommend speaking to an attorney to challenge the ticket and get the best outcome, especially if a conviction could leave you without your license, facing jail time, or with fines in the thousands of dollars. If your ticket is for a non-moving violation, pay it off as quickly as possible — if you don’t, you’ll only owe more. Paying those fines won’t affect your driving or criminal record.