Illinois’ new law about marijuana-impaired driving requires stiffer evidence for conviction

Posted on Thursday, August 4th, 2016 at 4:04 pm    

Local attorney Jeff Hall said that a new law in the state of Illinois regarding marijuana and impaired driving, has only slightly reduced the legal dangers – including longer prison terms – of causing a fatal vehicular accident after taking the drug.

Four individuals have been convicted since 2012 of causing a death while driving under the influence of marijuana in Tazewell County.

Tazewell County State’s Attorney Stewart Umholtz said that the new DUI law regarding marijuana – which requires prosecutors to prove that a driver was impaired by marijuana at a time of an accident – is the right application of a DUI law. The DUI law regarding marijuana prior to this amendment did not require prosecutors to prove that the drivers were indeed impaired by marijuana, meaning the four convicted of DUI in Tazewell County may or may not have been improperly convicted.a

Our criminal defense lawyers at the Bruno Law Offices in Champaign-Urbana, who belong to the premier criminal and driving under the influence defense firm in central Illinois, understand that each criminal case is unique and has its own intricacies, and that is why we pay special attention to each and every one in order to win each and every one. Call our offices today at (217) 328-6000.