
Matt Hoffman
Former Lake County Assistant State's Attorney
25+ Years in Lake County
Former Felony Prosecutor

Work with a Former Lake County Traffic Prosecutor
Work with a Former Lake County Traffic Court Prosecutor
The HoffmanLaw Office defends commercial driver's license holders ("CDLs") against traffic tickets and alleged moving violations at the Lake County, Illinois traffic courts located in Mundelein, Park City, Round Lake Beach and Waukegan. Call The HoffmanLaw Office at (847) 587-5000 for a free consultation.
25 Years in the Lake County Courts
My name is Matt Hoffman. I'm a former Lake County traffic court prosecutor and former Lake County Assistant State's Attorney. I've been working on traffic tickets issued to CDL holders in Lake County since 1999.
I understand the unique issues that arise in traffic court prosecutions against CDL drivers. I work to achieve effective resolutions in CDL cases that not only keep my clients on the road, often to earn a living, but also to keep their driving records as clean as possible.
Respecting the Commercial Driver & Defending CDL Careers
As an attorney, I prosecuted Lake County CDL traffic tickets during the six years I spent as a Lake County Assistant State's Attorney from 1995 to 2005. And I've been defending CDL drivers against Lake County traffic tickets since 2005.
I work to leave no stone unturned in my CDL cases and I fight hard for the CDL drivers I'm privileged to represent.
I have total respect for someone who earns their living by driving, and I endeavor to do all I can when working on CDL traffic tickets to protect CDL driving records and preserve viable careers.
For a free, zero-obligation consultation on your case, call me or fill out the form on this website. If you attach images of your ticket or tickets to that form, I'll be happy to review them.
Core Differences Between a Regular Illinois Driver's License & an Illinois CDL
Core Differences Between a Regular Illinois Driver's License & an Illinois CDL
There are core differences between a regular Illinois driver's license and an Illinois commercial driver's license, especially as to how dispositions on traffic tickets issued to these two different types of driver's license holders are recorded on their driving records by the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State ("Secretary of State").
For this reason, careful navigation of the outcomes of CDL traffic tickets, especially of alleged moving violations and even more importantly of separately-designated "serious traffic violations," in Lake County traffic court becomes of paramount significance to the CDL licensee.
A first focus may be given to how the Secretary of State treats a disposition of "court supervision" on a moving violation for a regular Illinois driver's license holder versus an Illinois CDL.
Different rules apply to how the Secretary of State handles court supervision for Illinois regular driver’s license holders compared to Illinois CDL license holders.

Supervision on a Regular Illinois Driver's License
Supervision on a Regular Illinois Driver's License
For an Illinois regular, non-CDL driver's license holder, court supervision for a moving violation is a type of disposition where the driver is found guilty of the charge, ordered to fulfill certain conditions, but is not actually convicted of the offense as long as those conditions are met.
The driver's successful completion of the court supervision period leads to a dismissal of the charge.1
Also, that disposition of court supervision is recorded on the private and confidential page of the driver's Illinois driving record, which is a page that generally is not visible to insurance.2
For an Illinois regular driver's license holder, because a disposition of court supervision is not a conviction for the offense, as a general rule (there are exceptions to this rule) court supervision will not trigger the suspension of their driver's license.
Supervision as a Conviction on an Illinois CDL
Supervision as a Conviction on an Illinois CDL
In contrast, the rules that govern most moving violations charged against Illinois CDL holders are far more strict. Under Illinois law, court supervision for moving violations does not prevent a CDL holder from having a moving violation placed on their publicly visible driving record.
The Secretary of State treats and reports such violations as convictions, even if the outcome of the case was court supervision in court.
Specifically, and in relevant part, the Illinois law governing commercial motor vehicle operators states that a "conviction" means "a plea of guilty" or "the payment of a fine or court cost regardless of whether the imposition of a sentence is deferred and ultimately a judgment dismissing the underlying charge is entered."3
As is recalled from above, for a regular Illinois driver's license holder, court supervision is, indeed, a deferred judgment of conviction that ultimately leads to a dismissal of the underlying charge.
But for an Illinois CDL holder, and per the immediately preceding statutory language, that simply is not the case.
For an Illinois CDL driver's license holder, the Illinois Secretary of State views court supervision on a moving violation as a conviction for the offense.
That is, in many ways, the complete opposite of the effect of court supervision on a regular, non-CDL Illinois driver’s license holder.
How this Works in Practice
As a practice observation, as a lawyer who's been working on Lake County CDL traffic tickets for more than 25 years, I’ve found the Secretary of State applies these rules very consistently.
I've read and examined countless Illinois CDL "court purposes" driver's abstracts over the years that contain the letters "SC" on their left columns for various moving violations recorded against CDL drivers in the past.
As an example, let's say the CDL driver was given court supervision for speeding in the range of 11-15 over the speed limit and completed that period of court supervision successfully.
Even though the resolution of the case in court was emphatically "court supervision," the Secretary of State recorded that supervision on the CDL holder's driving record as an “SC.”
"SC" stands for "supervision / conviction." Even though this hypothetical driver was granted court supervision by the judge, the Secretary of State did not recognize that supervision for the CDL.
If, in this hypothetical situation, a change were made, keeping all the facts the same but changing the driver from an Illinois CDL licensee to an Illinois regular driver’s license holder, the court supervision reported by the court to the Secretary of State would have been recorded on the private and confidential page of the driver’s driving record as a "55," which is the code for court supervision.
In this different scenario, applying to the non-CDL license holder, the traffic ticket never would have been reflected in any way on the conviction page, as long as this driver fulfilled the requirements of their sentence of court supervision.
Lake County Court Diversion not Allowed for CDLs
The CDL driver who sends a guilty plea to a moving violation into the Lake County courts with a request for court supervision and online traffic safety school arguably sets the wheels in motion for an "SC" to hit their Illinois driving record if that guilty plea is somehow accepted in this manner.
However, under the rules of the Lake County circuit court, such mailed-in, or "court diversion" guilty pleas in CDL cases are not even allowed.

Disqualification of Illinois Commercial Motor Vehicle Driving Privileges
Disqualification of Illinois Commercial Motor Vehicle Driving Privileges
Now that we have reviewed how dispositions of court supervision for most Illinois moving violations are counted by the Secretary of State as convictions against Illinois CDL driver's license holders, we may turn to an analysis of how convictions can lead to the outright disqualification of Illinois commercial driving privileges.
In this regard, not only does court supervision, or simply a straight-up conviction for the charge, tarnish an Illinois CDL driving record, but these results also can lead to disruptions in the CDL holder's lawful ability to drive a commercial motor vehicle.
Moreover, if commercial motor vehicle driving privileges are disqualified, a "DQ" will be entered on the driver's Illinois driving record, memorializing that disqualification.
Protecting the Illinois CDL Driving Record
From my perspective as a Lake County traffic court and CDL driver defense lawyer, there are always multiple considerations in my defense of any CDL case.
Among the most basic of these considerations are: (1) How might the resolution of the ticket or tickets "look" on an Illinois CDL driving record moving forward? and (2) How might the resolution of any particular ticket or tickets lay the predicate for, or even cause, a commercial motor vehicle driving disqualification?
I consider these questions to be serious questions that require serious, thoughtful answers– especially when I am tasked with defending the working CDL driver whose career may be on the line in Lake County traffic court.
CDL Disqualification Based on 2 Convictions within a 3 Year Period
An Illinois CDL holder will be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for at least 2 months if the driver is convicted of two "serious traffic violations" committed in a commercial motor vehicle ("CMV"), a non-CMV, or any combination of the two arising from separate incidents within a single 3 year period.4
Serious traffic violations include:
• Speeding 15 miles per hour or more above the legal speed limit;
• Reckless driving and related violations;
• Tickets involving improper or erratic traffic lane changes;
• Following another vehicle too closely;
• Texting while driving; and
• Use of a hand-held mobile telephone while driving.5
The minimum 2 month disqualification just-described will be imposed if the conviction for a serious traffic violation committed in a non-CMV would result in the suspension or revocation of the CDL holder's non-CMV driving privileges.
CDL Disqualification Based on 3 Convictions within a 3 Year Period
More than 2 convictions for serious traffic violations committed in separate incidents within a 3 year period will only lead to longer disqualification time.
Specifically, an Illinois CDL holder will be disqualified from driving a CMV for at least 4 months if the driver is convicted of 3 "serious traffic violations" committed in a CMV, a non-CMV, or any combination of the two arising from separate incidents within a single 3 year period.6
The minimum 4 month disqualification just-described will be imposed if the conviction for a serious traffic violation committed in a non-CMV would result in the suspension or revocation of the CDL holder's non-CMV driving privileges.
In both the 2 and 4 month minimum disqualification periods just described, if all the convictions occurred in a non-CMV, the disqualification will occur only if the convictions would result in the suspension or revocation of the CDL holder's non-CMV privileges.

Legal Strategies & Solutions
Legal Strategies & Solutions
When I defend a CDL driver in Lake County traffic court, I analyze the entire case in an effort to set the stage for the best possible outcome.
Review of the Traffic Tickets
I review the charging documents, namely the ticket or tickets issued to my CDL driver client.
I know even from my former years spent as a Lake County Assistant State’s attorney and Lake County traffic court prosecutor that not every case is charged correctly and that the police make mistakes.
Also, I look at the degree of the charges. Are we dealing with the petty offense of improper lane use or a class A misdemeanor speeding ticket?
I devise strategies that are tailored to the defense of different types, and different degrees, of moving violations, always with a view on how these charges could appear later on an Illinois CDL driving record.
Review of the Facts of the Case
I review and analyze the facts of the case, discussing with the driver what actually happened out on the street. My CDL clients are my "eyes and ears" on what happened out on the roadway and provide me a window into what actually happened when they were pulled over and issued citations.
Often I review the global atmosphere of the traffic stop with my CDL client. What does this mean? I may want to know what the interaction was like between my CDL client and the reporting police officer who issued the ticket.
Was their interaction controlled and appropriate given the stressful circumstances for the driver, or was their interaction heated and combative? I want to know these things because they can influence the outcome of a case in court, and most certainly can influence the manner in which a prosecutor approaches the case.
Review of the Driving Record
My CDL client's driving record often also is of crucial importance to an analysis of the case. The record I use in the courtroom for Illinois CDL holders is their "court purposes" driver's abstract.
Although a driving record has no direct bearing on the alleged facts of a case, it can have an enormous impact on the resolution of the case in court.
It is a very basic statement to say that, in my strong opinion, an excellent prior driving record speaks very highly of the CDL driver now defending a ticket charging a Lake County moving violation.
I employ my CDL client's driving record in the courtroom, often as evidence of mitigation when I am attempting to negotiate with prosecutors for specific, known results.
Review of the Driver's Unique Life Situation
Often I will also consider my client's background and unique life situation in working to resolve a CDL case. Does my CDL client drive for a living? Is driving a commercial vehicle a core function of their career? Do they support themselves or their family by driving a commercial vehicle? What is going to happen if their CDL is taken away?
These last factors can be very potent, human factors I might bring out in advocating for my CDL clients in Lake County traffic court. As a defense attorney, I view a core part of my calling to be vigorously presenting my client in the factually-accurate best-possible light.

Negotiation or Trial
Negotiation or Trial
Structurally, and from the defense perspective, there are different ways to attempt to resolve a Lake County CDL traffic ticket in the courtroom. I think the two most basic ways are by negotiating or fighting the charges through trial.
In negotiating or attempting to negotiate for a result, it may be possible to achieve an outcome that minimizes the detrimental effect of the ticket or tickets on the CDL holder.
I believe all the factors outlined immediately above are relevant to these kinds of plea conversations.
There is, of course, no requirement that the CDL driver, through their attorney, attempts to negotiate for a result.
If negotiating does not work, or the CDL holder simply wants a trial, the burden of proof always is on the prosecution, and the CDL driver is presumed innocent of the offense unless and until found guilty.
As a lawyer who's worked in the Lake County court system since 1999, I have more than 25 years of Lake County trial court experience, and this includes years of significant, complex jury trial experience in Lake County felony court.
Statutory Sources:
1. 730 ILCS 5/5-1-21. 2. 625 ILCS 5/6-204. 3. 625 ILCS 5/6-500(8). 4. 625 ILCS 5/6-514(e). 5. 625 ILCS 5/6-500(26)(A). 6. 625 ILCS 5/6-514(e).
Why HoffmanLaw?
Why HoffmanLaw?

Analysis.
The HoffmanLaw Office always is focused on the presumption of innocence. Building on this presumption, The HoffmanLaw Office performs a systematic and searching ANALYSIS of the facts alleged in your Lake County CDL traffic ticket case. This intensive analysis may expose weakness in the prosecution's evidence and develops powerful defense arguments and strategies.

Preparation.
The HoffmanLaw Office strives to know completely the facts and law of your case. In traffic court, good results do not often emerge by chance. They come through intense PREPARATION that lays the groundwork for success. When you select The HoffmanLaw Office as your legal advocate, you team yourself with a philosophy of extreme preparation.

Results.
The HoffmanLaw Office views every time it appears in court with you as an opportunity to achieve RESULTS. Whether it is negotiating during a pretrial conference, cross-examining a witness, or delivering a closing argument at trial, The HoffmanLaw Office strives to be your best advocate at all times.