Typically, in Illinois, your first conviction for driving under the influence is a Class A misdemeanor, but a number of factors will influence if your DUI conviction will be upgraded to a felony conviction. Major factors include the attorney you hire, whether you have any prior DUI arrests, and whether any aggravating circumstances were present.Felonies carry much harsher penalties than misdemeanors. If you are charged with a Class A misdemeanor, at most, you face up to 1 year in jail and a fine up to $2,500.00. However, a felony conviction, also known as an Aggravated DUI, includes much heavier fines and a jail sentence ranging from 3 to 30 years.

In Illinois, if you are caught drinking and driving for a third time or accidently cause someone's death due to your drunk driving, you can be charged with a Class 2 felony and face a harsh sentence. You may be charged with a Class 4 felony – even if it is your first offense – if you cause great bodily harm to someone, if you are caught driving with a suspended or revoked license, or if you are caught driving without insurance. If you cause great bodily harm to someone orif you are driving a vehicle that is transporting a child under the age of 16 and you are involved in a crash that results in bodily harm to the child, you may also be charged with a class 4 felony. 

With every DUI case, our lawyers use our extensive experience and knowledge of Illinois DUI procedures to identify opportunities to have the charges against you dismissed. When dismissal is not an option, we focus on how we can avoid conviction. Get help from our experienced experts for your DUI felony charge. We are available 24-7. Call our lawyers today at 877-335-6697.