Section Newsletters

Articles on Traffic Laws

Case Summary: People v. Erdene, 2025 IL App (1st) 231789-U By Hon. Tamika R. Walker Traffic Laws and Courts, April 2026 When a defendant requests counsel, statements made after the request for counsel may be deemed inadmissible. 
Discovery in Misdemeanor Cases: Why Schmidt Isn’t Enough and the “Legal Begging” for More! By Ted Hammel Traffic Laws and Courts, April 2026 It would be a most judicious amendment to our legal code to formally codify discovery in all misdemeanor cases, ensuring a new transparent and predictable legal process for receiving such information, rather than relying on the present system of selective benevolence and arduous supplication. 
1 comment (Most recent April 28, 2026)
Failure of the Trial Court to Fully Comply With Supreme Court Rule 431 Admonishments Results in New Trial By Alan Downen Traffic Laws and Courts, April 2026 The recent Fourth District case, People v. Dye, serves as a reminder to all that a failure to ensure the jurors are fully admonished, as required by SCR 431, can jeopardize their case: the defense by allowing a juror to be selected that may not give the defendant the benefit of his rights and the prosecution by losing a conviction. 
Generic Speeding and Erosion of the “Mere Accident” Rule By Anthony Cameron Traffic Laws and Courts, April 2026 This article discusses the continuing validity of the mere accident rule as it applies to moving violation prosecutions.
Fourth District Reaffirms Its Standard to Evaluate Anonymous and Non-Anonymous Tips of Individuals Suspected of Driving Under the Influence By J. Brick Van Der Snick Traffic Laws and Courts, November 2024 A look at People v. Johnson, a case of interest to traffic law practitioners, from the Fourth District of the Illinois Appellate Court. 
A High Burden: A Discussion of People v. Krzeczkowski and the Standard for Securing DUI Drug Convictions By Matthew Moustis Traffic Laws and Courts, November 2024 This Article discusses the legal standard for securing DUI drug convictions, the Third District’s unpublished Rule 23 Order in Krzeczkowski, and considerations for law enforcement agencies enforcing DUI drug laws.
Independent Truckers and the SR22 “Trap” By Anthony B. Cameron Traffic Laws and Courts, November 2024 Independent truckers face jeopardy when charged with operating a non-commercial vehicle without liability insurance far exceeding those of any other owner/operator.
New Law Ends Failure to Appear Driver’s License Suspensions By Larry A. Davis Traffic Laws and Courts, November 2024 Traffic practitioners should be aware of a significant change to 625 ILCS 5/6-308 (P.A. 103-0789) which addresses defendants who fail to appear on petty offenses (excluding those defined as business offenses (730 ILCS 5/5-1-2); overweight violations (265 ILCS 5/15-111); and registration fee violations (625 ILCS 5/3-401)).
Appellate court affirms denial of Petition to Rescind the Statutory Summary Suspension By J. Brick VanDerSnick Traffic Laws and Courts, March 2018 People v. Durden gives the Illinois trial courts some specific guidelines about a defendant who submits to a breath test with a result less than 0.08 and whether an officer can request additional tests and under what conditions
Blood suppression requires proof of blood draw in Brooks By Lisa L. Dunn Traffic Laws and Courts, March 2018 This article reviews the Brooks case and offers tips for prosecutors and defense lawyers about how to successfully present their case.
Mitigating civil liability in traffic court By Stephen Monroe Traffic Laws and Courts, March 2018 This article offers guidance to the lawyer without traffic court experience on how to mitigate a client’s civil liability when ticketed for causing an accident with personal injuries.
5 comments (Most recent May 16, 2018)
PA 99-0296: The 1,826 days and nights of BAIID By Ted Harvatin Traffic Laws and Courts, November 2017 This law provides that anyone with a Restricted Driving Permit may only operate a vehicle equipped with a breath machine and must do so for five consecutive, uninterrupted years (1,826 days per the administrative rules) prior to being eligible for full reinstatement.
2 comments (Most recent November 10, 2017)
Prolonged traffic stop violation of Fourth Amendment prohibition against reasonable seizures affirmed by appellate court By J. Brick Van Der Snick Traffic Laws and Courts, November 2017 A summary of the consolidated appeal in .
1 comment (Most recent November 10, 2017)
Bail reform comes to Illinois By William L. Vig & Sara Mayo Vig Traffic Laws and Courts, October 2017 The bail-related provisions of the Bail Reform Act of 2017 take effect January 1, 2018. Here's what you need to know.
Guillermo, Brantley, and appellate court conflicts: What’s a lawyer to do? By Hon. Joel Berg Traffic Laws and Courts, May 2017 Guillermo and Brantley raise important issues, but how much and to whom do they apply? Both appear to create a conflict in the Appellate Court. Yet the nature and extent of those conflicts are unclear. And both sides—prosecution and defense—have arguments, but it’s unclear who wins.
1 comment (Most recent April 27, 2017)
Improper lane usage: What you need to know to prepare a defense By Lisa L. Dunn Traffic Laws and Courts, May 2017 The law in Illinois is very clear: even the slightest, most minor lane violation can be a basis for an investigatory stop. Here's what you need to know.
1 comment (Most recent April 26, 2017)
Consent and the PBT By William L. Vig Traffic Laws and Courts, December 2016 If, considering the totality of the circumstances in a given case, the defendant’s submission to a PBT was not voluntary, that PBT result is subject to suppression in both the criminal motion to suppress and the civil petition to rescind.
Appellate court reverses trial court’s findings of no jurisdiction for the police officer to arrest defendant—People v. Reynolds, 2016 IL App (4th) 150572 By J. Brick VanDerSnick Traffic Laws and Courts, October 2016 In this recent opinion, the Appellate Court reversed the trial court's finding that the officer lacked jurisdiction to arrest to motorist.
Failure to comply with Illinois Supreme Court Rule 552’s 48-hour requirement: What is the proper remedy? By Anisa L. Jordan Traffic Laws and Courts, October 2016 What is the proper remedy for a violation of Rule 552? To answer this question, the Illinois Supreme Court stated that it first must determine whether Rule 552 was directory or mandatory. The Court noted that making this distinction would guide the court in determining the proper remedy for failure to comply with Rule 552’s timing requirement.
1 comment (Most recent October 6, 2016)
Litigating Kladis By Hon. Joel Berg Traffic Laws and Courts, October 2016 In People v. Kladis, the Illinois Supreme Court approved extreme sanctions for the loss of video evidence. Many thought this a watershed moment in mandating the creation and preservation of video evidence. They were wrong. Subsequent cases illustrate both the narrow nature of the Kladis holding and how misunderstood that holding has been.
1 comment (Most recent October 10, 2016)
Evidence obtained after an illegal stop but subsequent to learning of an outstanding warrant for the detainee, is admissible By Stephen W. Baker Criminal Justice, September 2016 Illinois practitioners should be cognizant that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Utah v. Strieff is arguably at odds with numerous Illinois rulings to the contrary.
Secretary of State administrative code changes 2016 By Ted Harvatin Traffic Laws and Courts, July 2016 A look at the recent rule changes within the Secretary of State's purview. 
Legislative highlights for 2015 By Larry A. Davis Traffic Laws and Courts, June 2016 The 2015 99th Illinois General Assembly was one of the most productive and successful in recent memory for legislative initiatives supported by the ISBA.
Recent cases and cases of interest By Thomas M. Moran Traffic Laws and Courts, June 2016 Cases of interest to practitioners.
Warrantless entry into defendant’s home was not justified By David B. Franks Traffic Laws and Courts, June 2016 A summary of the recent case of People v. Swanson.
Big changes to driving eligibility effective January 1, 2016 By Tom Speedie Traffic Laws and Courts, May 2016 A discussion of the legislation that took effect in January of this year.
1 comment (Most recent April 26, 2016)
CDL and “masking” issue By Ted Harvatin Traffic Laws and Courts, December 2015 Federal regulations prohibit “masking” in order to avoid the CDL consequences.
Conviction for aggravated failure to report an accident resulting in death affirmed By J. Brick Van Der Snick Traffic Laws and Courts, December 2015 In People v. Moreno, Defendant was convicted after a bench trial despite the fact that the Defendant was “physically unable” to report the accident at a police station within 30 minutes because he had been taken to the hospital and was then taken into custody.
Iowa looks to launch an electronic driver’s license By David Clark Legal Technology, Standing Committee on, November 2015 Recently, Iowa Department of Transportation has launched a test pilot program to create an electronic driver’s license to work with smartphone technology.
1 comment (Most recent November 16, 2015)
Revisions to the Illinois Interlock Program, DUI and summary suspension statutes By Marc Christopher Loro Administrative Law, September 2015 Effective January 1, 2016, several legislative changes amend the Illinois Interlock program, DUI and summary suspension statutes.

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