Case Dispositions

Since implementation of the Statutory Summary Suspension law in 1986, the Secretary of State's office has been able to track DUI cases from arrest to case disposition. All courts have been required to report all DUI case dispositions to the Secretary of State since 1984. Prior to 1984, the Secretary of State's officereceived reports only of DUI convictions and court supervisions that included referrals to an alcohol/drug remedial education program.

If a judge grants a driver court supervision for an offense, the driver is not subject to the mandatory penalties of the conviction; the judge determines the penalties. Judges are prohibited from granting court supervision to a driver more than once in a lifetime for a DUI offense, and then only if there was no previous conviction. Because the Secretary of State's office records all court supervisions, repeat offenders are more easily identified, enabling judges to impose appropriate penalties.

During 2004, 50,147 summary suspensions were recorded by the Secretary of State's office. As of Dec. 31, 2004, court dispositions were reported for 41 percent (20,631) of these cases. Of those dispositions, 30 percent (6,196) resulted in convictions and 64 percent (13,246) received court supervision. In 6 percent (1,189) of the cases, other dispositions, such as convictions for reckless driving, were received. Of the dispositions received, 22 percent of the first offenders received a DUI conviction, and 81 percent of the multiple offenders were convicted.

This edition of the DUI Fact Book is as accurate as possible at the time of publication. This manual does not cover every aspect of Illinois' DUI laws and should not be cited as a legal authority in court.