DUI
The license fight and the criminal case run on separate tracks, and the license side moves first. I handle both.
DuPage County, IllinoisFormer ProsecutorCriminal Defense
DuPage County Criminal Defense Attorney Patrick Weiland
For eight years I prosecuted DUI and felony cases for the DuPage County State's Attorney, and I supervised the felony trial division. Then I spent five more as Downers Grove's village prosecutor. Now I defend people charged with DUI, felonies and misdemeanors, and I know how the case against you gets built because I spent 13 years building them.
Felony trial division supervisorPracticing since 1997DuPage, Kane, Will, Kendall and Cook
13 yrsProsecutor in DuPage County, 1997 to 2010
10,000+DUI cases handled as a prosecutor
6 yrsFelony prosecutor, then felony trial supervisor
HundredsTrials taken to verdict
5Counties served: DuPage, Kane, Will, Kendall, Cook
What I Learned on the Other Side
I Know Where These Cases Are Weakest
A prosecutor's file is only as strong as the stop, the search, the testing and the paperwork behind it. I spent a decade reading those files from the inside. Now I read yours.
How Charges Get Decided
I made charging and plea decisions for years, so I know which facts move a case toward reduction, diversion or dismissal and which ones a prosecutor won't bend on. We use that early to decide where to push.
How Officers Are Trained
I taught at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy. I know what officers are taught to write in a report, how a stop or search is supposed to be handled, and what it looks like when it is not.
How Trials Are Built
I tried felonies up to first-degree murder and supervised other trial prosecutors. Every case I take is prepared as if it is going in front of a jury, because that preparation is what gives a negotiation its weight.
Case Types
Charges I Defend
I defend people charged with crimes in DuPage County and the surrounding counties, from a first misdemeanor to the most serious felonies.
Felonies
A felony puts your freedom, your record and your career at stake. I spent six years prosecuting them and now defend them from the first hearing to trial.
Misdemeanors
A misdemeanor can still mean jail, a permanent record and a lost job, so I prepare it the way I prepare a felony.
After an Arrest
What Happens Next
Criminal cases in DuPage County follow a familiar path. Knowing it ahead of time helps you make better decisions at each step.
- First days
First Appearance
Illinois no longer uses cash bail. A judge decides whether you are released and on what conditions. Having a lawyer there matters.
- First court date
Formal Charges
The charges are formally filed and you enter a plea of not guilty. Felonies go through a grand jury or a preliminary hearing.
- Weeks
Discovery
I request the police reports, any body camera and squad video, lab results and witness statements, then look closely at how the case was put together.
- Months
Motions and Negotiation
Motions can keep improperly gathered evidence out. Negotiation can reduce charges or open the door to supervision or diversion.
- Final step
Resolution or Trial
Many cases resolve by agreement. When one shouldn't, trial in front of a judge or jury is a real option, and I prepare for it from the start.
Your Career Is on the Line Too
A criminal charge can trigger reporting duties and licensing reviews that move on their own schedule. Every case and every licensing board is different, so from the first call I ask what your job requires and plan the criminal case with that in mind.
Jobs where a charge can have licensing or reporting effects:
- Nurses and health care workers
- CDL drivers
- Teachers
- Security clearance holders
- Pilots
- Real estate and financial licenses
Reviews
What People Wrote About Pat
I was in need of some serious legal assistance recently. It really was not looking good for me. Pat Weiland is the best. He personally advocated for me to the state and I got my best possible outcome. I honestly can say Pat is a friend now. He turned a terrible situation around completely.
Pat Weiland is probably one of the nicest most knowledgeable and helpful Lawyers servicing DuPage county…. I have had my fair share of run in with Law Enforcement and just got my case resolved. Thank you sir!
Pat helped my brother, and now he’s helped me with my case at a reasonable price. I highly recommend him.
Where I Practice
From Wheaton to the Surrounding Counties
My office is in Oakbrook Terrace, off Butterfield Road. DuPage County cases are heard at the DuPage County Courthouse and Administration Building in Wheaton, the same building where I spent my career as a prosecutor.
- DuPage County18th Judicial Circuit, Wheaton
- Kane County16th Judicial Circuit, St. Charles
- Will County12th Judicial Circuit, Joliet
- Kendall County23rd Judicial Circuit, Yorkville
- Cook CountySuburban district courthouses
Free Case Review
Talk to Pat Before Your First Court Date
Tell me what happened and ask what comes next. If you have them, bring your ticket, your notice of summary suspension and any paperwork you were given at release.
(630) 261-9098Have your court date handy when you call. We start there.