Our Chicago DUI Lawyers update on Chicago DUI checkpoints this weekend.

ROADSIDE SAFETY CHECK IN THE GRAND CENTRAL (025TH) DISTRICT
The Chicago Police Department will conduct a Roadside Safety Check in the Grand Central (025th) District at 4555 W. North Ave. The Roadside Safety check will commence at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 18, 2010 and end at 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 19, 2010.

Remember, if arrested for DUI, contact our offices for a free consultation.  Our Chicago DUI Attorneys are available at any time to answer your questions.

Our Chicago DUI Lawyers found this interesting story from Alabama which exposes that myth that there are no DUI arrest quotas.

Alabama troopers at Birmingham post instructed to cite more for DUI

The number of tickets for DUI written by state police from the Birmingham post doubled in March after a memo from the acting post commander threatened to punish any trooper who did not make at least three DUI arrests by the end of that month.

Trooper officials defended the memo from now-retired Sgt. Steve Bryant and obtained by The Birmingham News. The memo said each trooper should make at least three DUI arrests by the end of March, and that those who failed to do so could lose their day-shift assignments or opportunities for overtime pay.

“We have closed the books on the second month of the year; many of our folks have one or fewer DUI arrests,” according to Bryant’s e-mail, “… advise your personnel that anyone with less than three DUI arrests at the close of March will lose their day shifts and/or extra-duty privileges.”

Our DUI Lawyers in Chicago would love to see the scientific study that concluded that there are numerous drunk drivers that go undetected to justify the thought that the troopers were apparently “missing” DUI arrests.  Further, did you notice what the punishment was?  “loss of day shifts and/or extra-duty privileges.”  Odd, we thought DUI arrests were about public safety – not earning/keeping privileges.

The Birmingham post made 50 arrests in both January and February, but in March the number jumped to 97, according to data provided by the state troopers. In April there were 91 DUI arrests and 117 in May.

Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Martha Earnhardt said she doesn’t dispute that the e-mail contributed to the increased DUI arrests. Earnhardt emphasized the department doesn’t have a quota system.

So we are clear, there is no quota, if that’s what you think.  Move along, nothing to see here.

Our Chicago DUI Lawyers have log held that the breathalyzer machines relied on so heavily by prosecutors to find people guilty of drunk driving are not as accurate as everyone would like you to believe.  Now, this latest story out of Washington, D.C.

DC Reveals About 400 People Convicted Based on Faulty DWI Tests

Nearly 400 people in Washington, D.C., have been convicted of driving while intoxicated based on faulty breath tests that calculated blood alcohol levels about 20 percent higher than the reality.

D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles said the problem was caused when a police officer set improper baseline levels on the machines, the Washington Post reports. Nickles’ office is contacting the convicted drivers and their lawyers.

About 200 of those convicted spent some time in jail, the story says. At least one lawsuit has already been filed based on the revelation.

Nickles’ office launched an investigation after an outside consultant indicated a possible inaccuracy.

What our Chicago DUI Attorneys would like to know is of those 400 cases, how many times did someone testify that the breathalyzer was calibrated and working properly?

Our Chicago DUI Lawyers follow-up on the story of the off-duty Chicago Police Officer who had his felony drunk driving charges dismissed.

Chicago Cop walks as DUI charges dropped in fatal ’07 crash
‘IT’S A JOKE’ | Victims’ families upset, but may press civil case

June 5, 2010
BY STEFANO ESPOSITO Staff Reporter

“It’s a joke — they say we can continue with a civil suit,” said Mayra Lagunas, 22, Erick Lagunas’ cousin. “But no amount of money is ever going to bring Erick back.”

Cook County prosecutors met privately with the Lagunas family Friday morning, gently telling them they had no choice but to drop the aggravated drunken-driving and reckless homicide charges against officer John Ardelean. Prosecutors said their case fell apart after Cook County Judge Thomas Gainer Jr. threw out key evidence against Ardelean in late April.

The Lagunas family couldn’t stand to be in the courtroom when the case was officially dismissed. The family — knowing what was coming — said they couldn’t bear to look at the police officer’s face.

A few moments later, Ardelean — wearing dark sunglasses and surrounded by four beefy men in casual clothing — walked briskly down the courthouse steps. Reporters barked questions at him, but he said nothing and offered no hint of his feelings.

Prosecutors made two attempts to prove that Ardelean did. After the two-vehicle fatal crash Nov. 22 in Roscoe Village, Ardelean was charged with misdemeanor DUI — later upgraded to a felony. But those charges were dismissed when Cook County Judge Don Panarese ruled there was “no indication” Ardelean, who was off-duty at the time, was drunk. Prosecutors reinstated charges after saying they had a lengthy surveillance videotape showing Ardelean drinking five shots and other drinks at a North Side bar shortly before the crash.

Prosecutors also suggested in pretrial hearings that police the night of the crash turned a blind eye to Ardelean’s intoxication. Among other things, he wasn’t arrested or given a Breathalyzer until seven hours after the crash. But Gainer ruled in April that the supervising officer who ultimately made the arrest didn’t have strong enough evidence to do so. Gainer’s ruling also suppressed key blood-alcohol evidence.

That ruling sparked a furious reaction, resulting in the arrest of three of Flores’ relatives after they scuffled with sheriff’s deputies.

Flores’ relatives didn’t show up Friday. Lagunas’ family said that’s because the Flores family knew how the case would end.

In a written statement, prosecutors said they’d done “extensive and in-depth” research but found there weren’t sufficient grounds to appeal Gainer’s ruling or continue with the case.

Ardelean is currently on administrative leave and has been relieved of his police powers, pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation, the Chicago Police Department said in a statement.

Interesting ruling to say the least.  Our Chicago DUI Attorneys have been involved in hundreds of DUI cases – from first time DUI charges to felony DUI – and we have never seen a case play out quite like this.

Our Personal Injury Attorney Chicago update centers around the historic nursing home reform here in Illinois.

Nursing home reform bill passes Illinois House
By Monique Garcia, Chicago Tribune reporter

SPRINGFIELD — — House lawmakers unanimously approved legislation Thursday that would sharply raise the standards of care and safety in Illinois’ troubled nursing homes.

The measure was embraced by Democrats and Republicans alike and was sent to the Senate on a 118-0 vote, where the plan is expected to be met with similar support. A spokesman for Gov. Pat Quinn said he views the bill “favorably.”

The proposal would require nursing homes to increase staffing levels, meet higher standards before admitting patients with serious mental illness and segregate the most dangerous residents in secure units where they would receive more intensive monitoring and treatment.

Nursing home negligence is a huge problem here in Illinois.  If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, please contact one of our experienced Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers.

Our Chicago DUI Lawyers urge everyone to be careful out there this weekend as another Chicago drunk driving checkpoint is set for this Friday.

ROADSIDE SAFETY CHECK IN THE HARRISON (011TH) DISTRICT

The Chicago Police Department will conduct a Roadside Safety Check in the Harrison (011th) District at 4525 W. Madison Ave.

The roadside Safety Check will commence at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 4, 2010 and end at 4:00 a,m, on Saturday, June 5, 2010 .

If you or anyone you know is arrested for DUI in Chicago, please contact our offices for a free consultation.