DuPage County Criminal Defense Lawyer

Fighting Aggressively For You, Your Rights & Your Future

Criminal Defense, DUI & Traffic Defense in DuPage County, Illinois

Defending Clients at the DuPage County Judicial Center in Wheaton

DuPage County cases are heard in the Circuit Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, and nearly all adult criminal and traffic matters are concentrated on one campus: the DuPage County Judicial Center at 505 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton. Angelillo Law, based in St. Charles just west of the county line, represents people charged with felonies, misdemeanors, DUI and traffic violations in Wheaton, Naperville, Downers Grove, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Warrenville, Winfield, West Chicago and communities across DuPage County.

Below we explain how the Judicial Center is organized, how DuPage cases usually proceed, how pretrial release works now that cash bail has ended, and what to expect with a DUI or traffic charge. This is general information rather than legal advice for your case. For advice about your situation, call (630) 688-7511 for a free consultation.

Finding Your Way Around the DuPage County Judicial Center

Unlike Kane County, DuPage does not send most traffic and misdemeanor cases to separate branch courthouses. Instead, the Judicial Center complex in Wheaton is organized by building and floor. Courtroom assignments change from time to time, so always confirm with your ticket, release paperwork or the Circuit Clerk’s online case search. As a general guide:

• 505 building, first floor — the Circuit Clerk’s office and the main traffic courtrooms.
• 505 building, third floor — the DUI and statutory summary suspension courtrooms.
• 505 building, fourth floor — felony and misdemeanor courtrooms, along with specialty courts such as Drug Court, Veterans Court and the Mental Illness Court Alternative Program (MICAP), and domestic violence calls.
• 501 building — First Appearance Court (Courtroom 1000), where people who were arrested and held in custody first see a judge.
• 503 annex — Adult Probation and the DUI Evaluation Unit on the first floor, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office on the second floor, and the Public Defender on the third.

Plan to arrive early. Weekday mornings are busy: many misdemeanor arraignments and summary suspension hearings are called at 9:00 a.m., and felony first appearances and pretrial calls often begin around 9:30 a.m. Parking and security screening take time, and missing a court date can lead to a warrant.

The Path of a DuPage County Criminal Case

DuPage County prosecutors handle a high volume of cases and prepare them carefully, so your defense should be organized from the first court date. A typical case moves through these stages:

1. First appearance or first court date. People held in custody appear in First Appearance Court; others receive a date on their ticket or release paperwork.
2. Charging decision. Misdemeanors are charged by complaint. Felonies require probable cause, found by a grand jury or a judge at a preliminary hearing.
3. Arraignment. You enter a plea of not guilty and the case is assigned to a courtroom.
4. Discovery and investigation. Your attorney obtains reports, video, lab results and witness information, and conducts an independent review of how the stop, search or arrest happened.
5. Motions and negotiations. Motions to suppress or dismiss can remove key evidence. Negotiations may lead to reduced charges, supervision, or a specialty court or diversion option for eligible clients.
6. Trial. If no fair resolution is offered, you have the right to a bench or jury trial, where the State carries the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Pretrial Release Under the SAFE-T Act in DuPage

Cash bail ended in Illinois on September 18, 2023, under the Pretrial Fairness Act. In DuPage County, most people charged with an offense are released while the case is pending, sometimes with conditions such as check-ins with pretrial services, no-contact orders, GPS or alcohol monitoring, or travel limits. For certain qualifying charges, the State may file a petition to deny pretrial release. The judge then holds a detention hearing, and the State must prove by clear and convincing evidence that detention is warranted.

Preparation for that hearing — gathering information about your work, family, residence and community ties, and proposing workable conditions — can make a real difference. Violating release conditions can lead to sanctions or revocation, so it is important to understand exactly what the court ordered.

DuPage County DUI and Summary Suspension Hearings

A DUI arrest in DuPage County usually starts two tracks at once: the criminal DUI charge and a statutory summary suspension of your driving privileges. A first offender who fails a chemical test typically faces a 6-month suspension, and a refusal typically brings a 12-month suspension, starting on the 46th day after notice. A petition to rescind the suspension must be filed within 90 days of notice, and summary suspension hearings are heard in the DUI courtrooms on the third floor of the 505 building.

Illinois also requires an alcohol and drug evaluation before sentencing in a DUI case, which in DuPage is commonly handled through the DUI Evaluation Unit in the 503 annex or an approved provider. Many first offenders can drive during a suspension with a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP). Commercial drivers face stricter rules. Learn more on our DUI defense page.

Traffic Court in DuPage County

DuPage traffic courtrooms are on the first floor of the 505 building. Tickets written along busy corridors such as I-88, I-355, Route 59 and Roosevelt Road all end up in Wheaton. Many tickets can be resolved with court supervision, which is not a conviction when completed successfully, but misdemeanor traffic charges — driving on a suspended or revoked license, speeding 26 mph or more over the limit, and reckless driving — deserve a closer look. See our traffic violations page and our guide to court supervision for a DuPage County traffic ticket.

Expungement and Sealing in DuPage County

Arrests and cases that ended without a conviction may qualify for expungement, and many convictions can be sealed after a waiting period. DuPage County petitions are filed with the Circuit Clerk at the Judicial Center, and the State’s Attorney and the arresting agency have an opportunity to object. Learn more about expungement and record sealing.

DuPage County Communities We Serve

We represent clients throughout DuPage County, including Wheaton, IL, Naperville, IL, Downers Grove, IL, Carol Stream, IL, Glendale Heights, IL, Warrenville, IL, Winfield, IL, West Chicago, IL. Keep in mind that some communities straddle county lines — parts of Naperville are in Will County, and parts of Aurora and St. Charles are in DuPage — and the location of the alleged offense generally determines the court. For cases west of the county line, see our Kane County criminal defense page, or browse all areas we serve.

Why DuPage Clients Choose Angelillo Law

You deal directly with Attorney Joseph S. Angelillo, who handles your case personally and keeps you informed at every court date. He has negotiated with prosecutors in both DuPage and Kane counties and will give you an honest assessment of your options. Our St. Charles office is a straightforward drive east to the Judicial Center in Wheaton. To discuss your DuPage County case, contact us or call (630) 688-7511. You can also read more about our criminal defense practice.

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Angelillo Law

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2325 Dean Street, Ste 800F

St. Charles, IL 60175

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