Section Newsletters

Articles From Ted P. Hammel

A Ton of Bricks Wasn’t Enough: Illinois Drops an Entire Brick Factory on Your Local Public Defenders: Court-Appointed Attorneys in Summary Suspension Proceedings—Is It a Right? By Ted P. Hammel & Terrence Wallace Traffic Laws and Courts, October 2026 House Bill 4217 was signed by the governor on June 26, 2026. Public defenders, beginning January 1, 2027, may now assist their “DUI” clients in the attempt of rescinding their statutory summary suspension of their license. The question becomes why simple alternatives to HB 4217 were apparently disregarded or ignored?
Do Police Need the Manufacturer’s Manual? By Ted P. Hammel & Frank P. Andreano Traffic Laws and Courts, July 2025 An overview of the Will County Sheriff’s Department alcohol breath test, Alco-Sensor VXL, and the evidentiary difficulties it presents. 
Uncounseled misdemeanor convictions may lead to felonies charges under People ex rel. Glasgow v. Kinney By Ted P. Hammel & Sarah M. Vahey Traffic Laws and Courts, September 2012 In the recent Illinois Supreme Court case of People ex rel. Glasgow v. Kinney, the Court held that prior uncounseled misdemeanor DUI convictions may be considered in determining whether a latter offense will be elevated to a nonprobationable Class 2 felony.
How to avoid multiple court appearances By Ted P. Hammel & Sarah M. Vahey Traffic Laws and Courts, March 2010 The recent Third District Appellate Court Opinion of People v. Ziobro, 2010 WL 184073 (Ill.App. 3 Dist. Jan 13, 2010), reinforces the right of a defendant charged with a DUI, or other traffic offense, who expressly follows the procedures in Supreme Court Rules 504 and 505, to have a trial on the merits on the first appearance date (or now, on the first “clerk” scheduled trial date).

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