DUI Defense for Healthcare Professionals

Even those with the best intentions can still be arrested and charged with DUI. This includes healthcare professionals who are passionate about helping others, who have dedicated a great deal of time and money to obtain their licenses and build a career and who have helped care for countless people are not immune to finding themselves charged with driving under the influence. Our DUI defense and professional license defense attorneys frequently represent doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals charged with DUI in Illinois. Our ultimate goal is to protect your rights and minimize the potential impact on your livelihood.

The mission of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) includes ensuring the competence of professionals licensed to provide services in Illinois and protect the public. As a result, the IDFPR takes licensees charged with DUI seriously. The IDFPR has the power to investigate and discipline licensed professionals including doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacy technicians and veterinarians who are charged with DUI. Their main objective in such cases is to determine whether the individual has a more serious underlying problem involving alcohol or drugs that could jeopardize the health and safety of patients and the public.

If charged with DUI, your first call should be to your defense attorney. Your attorney should be able to evaluate the specific circumstances of the case and lay out an appropriate strategy and determine the best course of action.

For physicians, the law states that the IDFPR “may revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action as the Department may deem proper with regard to the license or permit of any person issued under this Act, including imposing fines not to exceed $10,000.”

The various grounds for disciplinary action provided by law include, “a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, finding of guilt, jury verdict, or entry of judgment or sentencing, including, but not limited to, convictions, preceding sentences of supervision, conditional discharge, or first offender probation, under the laws of any jurisdiction of the United States of any crime that is a felony.” It also provides for discipline for the habitual or excessive use or abuse of drugs or alcohol, “which results in the inability to practice with reasonable judgment, skill or safety.”

For nurses, the Act states that the IDFPR “may refuse to issue or to renew, or may revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand, or take other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action as the Department may deem appropriate, including fines not to exceed $10,000 per violation, with regard to a license for any one or combination of the causes set forth.”

The various grounds for disciplinary action include, “Conviction by plea of guilty or nolo contendere, finding of guilt, jury verdict, or entry of judgment or by sentencing of any crime, including, but not limited to, convictions, preceding sentences of supervision, conditional discharge, or first offender probation, under the laws of any jurisdiction of the United States: (i) that is a felony; or (ii) that is a misdemeanor, an essential element of which is dishonesty, or that is directly related to the practice of the profession.

Your attorney should evaluate the facts specific to your case as they affect your professional license, the requirements under the law and the charges themselves before providing you with a recommendation as to how to proceed.

Under certain circumstances you may be treated more favorably for self-reporting a DUI. In fact, taking a proactive approach and self-reporting may help avoid a presumption by the IDFPR that a DUI arrest or conviction is suggestive of chemical dependence or other addiction, which, for example, would require a monitoring program pursuant to a disciplinary order. However, there are other considerations if you are considering self-reporting, including, for example, at what point in the process it is prudent to self-report.

If you are a medical professional charged with DUI, your defense attorney should have a comprehensive understanding of professional license rules and procedures. The DUI attorneys at The Davis Law Group, P.C. also concentrate in the area professional license defense. As a result, we have the ability to provide knowledgeable, well-rounded legal representation to our clients.

If you are a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional that has been arrested for DUI, contact our attorneys today to arrange a free consultation. We can be reached at (847) 390-8500 or via the contact form on our website.