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Illinois Traffic Lawyer Defending CDL / CMV Drivers with Traffic Violations

Former Prosecutor Helping Truckers & Commercial Drivers Keep Their CDLs

If you hold a commercial driver’s license, in Illinois your commercial driving privileges are governed by different and stricter rules than are those of non-CDL holders. Many types of violations, such as speeding 15 or more over the speed limit, lane change violations, and following too closely are automatically viewed as “serious.”

If you are found guilty of multiple serious traffic violations within a certain time period, you will be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle. Many of the different situations that can lead to CMV disqualification are described below.

Lake and Cook County attorney Matt Hoffman has over 10 years' experience handling commercial driving cases. He is a former Lake County, Illinois traffic court prosecutor. As a result, Matt knows how important it is for you to keep your entire driving record clean. If you are a CDL holder, even violations while driving a non-CMV can trigger a disqualification of your commercial driving privileges.

If you carry a CDL license from another state, Matt knows what situations will cause Illinois to report traffic violations to your home state. He has successfully represented truckers involved in accidents, excessive speed violations, and handled many overweight violations.

Attorney he has had serious traffic violations amended to non-serious traffic violations and also had traffic charges dismissed. If you are considering legal representation on your CDL-related traffic ticket, Matt offers a free consultation on every case.

DISQUALIFICATION OF COMMERCIAL LICENSES

Under the Illinois Uniform Commercial Driver's License Act, 625 ILCS 5/6-500 et seq., there are many different reasons why your ability to drive a commercial motor vehicle ["CMV"] can be disqualified. A number of these reasons involve whether or not you have been "convicted" of "serious traffic violations." The Commercial Driver's License Act defines the terms "conviction" and "serious traffic violation" much more expansively than do other portions of the Illinois Vehicle Code. For this reason, if you are a CDL holder, any traffic ticket you receive, whether you are driving a commercial vehicle or a non-commercial vehicle, should be taken seriously.

Disqualification of Commercial Driver's License for Serious Traffic Violations Committed in a CMV

Under Illinois law, you can be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for repeated serious traffic violations committed in a CMV. Specifically, the law states that you will be disqualified from driving a CMV:

Disqualification of Commercial Driver's License for Serious Traffic Violations Committed in a Non-CMV

Under Illinois law, you can also be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for repeated serious traffic violations committed in a non-CMV while holding a CDL. Specifically, the law states that you will be disqualified from driving a CMV:

Disqualification of CDL for Driving a CMV While Suspended, Revoked, Cancelled or Disqualified

In addition to facing disqualification for serious traffic violations, there are other circumstances in which your ability to drive a commercial motor vehicle can be disqualified. Another such circumstance can arise if you are convicted of driving a CMV while your driver's license is revoked, suspended, cancelled or while you are disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle.

Disqualification of Commercial Driver's License for Driving a CMV During an Out of Service Order

If you are convicted of driving a CMV during an out of service order, you will also be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle.

Even longer disqualifications apply if you are convicted of driving a CMV while transporting passengers or hazardous materials while under an out of service order.

Disqualification of Commercial Driver's License for other Traffic Convictions & Suspicion of DUI

Additional reasons you will be disqualified from driving a CMV include the following:

A Note on CDL Holders from Outside the State of Illinois

Drivers who hold commercial driver's licenses issued by states outside Illinois who are ticketed while inside Illinois also should take care in resolving their alleged traffic violations. This is because the Illinois Secretary of State is required to notify the licensing authority of CDL holders' home states of convictions for violations of any law or local ordinance relating to motor vehicle traffic control, other than parking violations.

Lake & Cook County Illinois CDL Traffic Violations Lawyer: Defending the Commercial Driver

Matt Hoffman has over 10 years' experience handling traffic tickets and violations charged against Illinois CDL holders and drivers of commercial motor vehicles. He understands and appreciates the potential penalties that can be imposed if you are found guilty of traffic violations. As a former Lake County traffic court prosecutor, Matt is able to identify and exploit legal and factual issues that can greatly benefit the outcome of your case.

Matt appears routinely in the Lake County, Illinois traffic courts located in Park City, Round Lake Beach, Mundelein, and Waukegan, and in the Cook County, Illinois traffic courts located in Rolling Meadows and Skokie. Frequently, he defends truckers and commercial drivers who have been charged with traffic violations by any of the various north suburban police departments in the metropolitan Chicago area. He has defended many commercial drivers ticketed by the Illinois State Police.

Just because you have been charged with a violation does not mean that you are automatically guilty. A traffic ticket is merely an allegation. Because of this, Matt knows that until you either plead guilty or are found guilty, you are presumed innocent of the violation.

Thus, in representing you in traffic court, Matt will explore creative solutions for resolving your case, always with an emphasis on protecting your driving record and keeping your driver's abstract as clean as possible. These solutions can include seeking the dismissal of the charge, plea bargaining and negotiating for controlled results or lesser or amended charges, and even trial. Matt has over 10 years' experience as a trial lawyer.

Attorney Defending CMV Drivers Against Tickets Issued by Illinois Police Departments

 of Matthew T. Hoffman P.C. represents CDL holders and commercial vehicle drivers charged with moving violations at the following Lake and Cook County, Illinois traffic courts:

There are many different police departments that forward traffic tickets given to CDL holders to the six local traffic courthouses in Northeastern Illinois for disposition. These courthouses include those located at Park City, Round Lake Beach, Mundelein, Waukegan, Rolling Meadows and Skokie. If you have been ticketed for a traffic violation within the jurisdiction of any of these six court venues, it is likely that you were cited by one of the following police departments. The Law Office of Matthew T. Hoffman P.C. defends CDL holders charged with traffic tickets issued by these and other local police departments: