Most of the time in Illinois, a DUI is charged as a misdemeanor. If you are a first-time DUI offender and you are convicted, it is a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and up to $2,500 in fines. Depending on your specific situation, a misdemeanor DUI charge could bump to a felony charge, which carries harsher penalties. Any DUI that is classified as a felony is called an aggravated DUI and can range from a Class 4 felony to a Class X felony.

Class 4 Felonies

While these are the lowest felony offenses, they are still serious charges. If you are convicted of a Class 4 felony, you can face one to three years in prison. Examples of Class 4 felonies as they pertain to DUI include:

In Illinois, after an offender has served a prison term for a felony conviction, he or she must then must serve a term of supervised release. This means a period during which the offender is supervised and monitored by a parole officer, who ensures that the offender complies with the conditions of the release.

What Is Supervised Release?

Mandatory supervised release is required for any offender who is sentenced to prison, other than those who receive a life sentence. At sentencing, the judge must include a term of supervised release. However, if the offender was sentenced before February 1, 1978, then he or she will be eligible for parole instead of supervised release.