Criminal Defense

Information coming soon.

IL, Dec 1984
Bar Number: 6188973

DUI Defense Certification by the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD).

United States Supreme Court - 1989 to present
U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit - 1986 to present
Northern District of Illinois - 1985 to present
Illinois Supreme Court - 1984 to present
Wisconsin Supreme Court - 1989 to present

U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society
National Association of Bar Presidents
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
National College of DUI Defense
Illinois State Bar Association
DuPage County Bar Association
Kane County Bar Association
Northwest Suburban Bar Association
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
American Bar Association

I have presented to DUI attorneys in New Orleans, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois, Nevada, Massachusetts, Missouri, the Bahamas and nationwide through webinars at Thomson-West Publishing.

Illinois DUI Law and Practice Guidebook, West Publishing (2009 to 2010)

"Scientific Evidence Standards in DUI Cases," Chapter Author, Inside the Minds: Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence, Second Edition (2009) Aspatore Books ISBN 978-0-314-90467-6

"Preliminary Breath Screening Devices and Their Limitations," Chapter Author, Inside the Minds: Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence, Second Edition (2009) Aspatore Books ISBN 978-0-314-90467-6

"Using the Sixth Amendment to Discover What You Need to Win Your Drunk Driving Case," Parts 1 and 2 DWI Journal: Law & Science, Volume 24, Nos. 3-4 March 2009

"The Use of Defense Experts at Trial," Chapter Author, Inside the Minds: Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence, Second Edition (2009) Aspatore Books ISBN 978-0-314-90467-6

"Defending DUI Refusals in Jury Trial Cases - Practical Tips" DWI Journal: Law & Science, Vol. 23 No. 2 pp.3-8 (February 2008)

"DUI Attorney: Both Lawyer and Scientist," Chapter Author, Inside the Minds: Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence, (2007) Aspatore Books ISBN 978-0-314-97967-4

"A Review of Recent U.S. Supreme Court Cases and their Application to DUI/DWI Fact Scenarios and Issues," DWI Journal: Law & Science, Volume 22, No. 9 September 2007

"The Effect of 9/11 on the United States Supreme Court - The Shrinking of Fourth (and Fifth) Amendment Freedoms in Response to Terrorism," Adelphia Law Journal, Volume 15, pp. 9-50 (2007)

"Illinois DUIs and Wisconsin OWIs: The Acronym is the Least of the Differences," (reprint) The Docket (Lake County Bar Association) September 2007 Vol. XIV No. 9

"Handling OWI Cases for those !@#! Illinois Drivers," Wisconsin Lawyer, March 2007

"Alcohol Monitoring Ankle Bracelets in DUI Cases (SCRAM)," ISBA Traffic Law & Courts Newsletter, Vol. 16, No. 3, March 2007

"Using the Confrontation Clause to Win DUI Cases," Illinois Traffic Law & Courts Newsletter Jan. 2005

"Illinois v. Lidster: A View from the Inside," DCBA Bar Brief, DuPage County Bar Association April 2004

"Field Sobriety Testing," Chapter Author, Defending DUI and Related Cases, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education 2004

"Are all Breath Tests Taken in Illinois Between 1986 and 2000 Invalid? Two Recent Developments Suggest That They Are," ISBA Traffic Laws & Courts Newsletter, Vol. 12, No. 2, November 2002

"Every Lawyers Guide to DUI," Illinois Bar Journal, June 2002

"Field Sobriety Testing; Science v. Law," DuPage Bar Brief, March 2002

"Field Sobriety Tests in Illinois: Valid Psychophysical Tests or Voodoo Science?" ISBA Traffic Laws & Courts Newsletter, Vol. 11, No. 2, February 2002

Illinois DUI Fact Book 2001 to 2002, ISBA, Contributing Author

"Recent Developments in DUI Law," DCBA Brief, June 2000

"Effective Closing Arguments in DUI Cases," Illinois Bar Journal, May 2000

"Breathalyzer Logbooks - What They Don't and Won't Tell You," ISBA Traffic Laws & Courts Newsletter, Vol. 8, NO. 3, April 1999

"Criminal Trial Case Study, The Trial of a DUI," DCBA Brief, January 1998

"A Practical Guide to Summary Suspension Law," Illinois Bar Journal, August 1997

"Foreign Substances and Breath Testing," ISBA Newsletter, January 1997

"Summary Suspension Issues and Use of Experts in DUI Jury Trials," DCBA Brief, October 1993

"A Practical Approach to a Successful Summary Suspension Hearing," DCBA Brief, September 1992

"Impeaching 10,000 Breath Alcohol Tests: The Solution is the Solution," DWI Journal, February 1989

"Impeaching Infrared Absorption Breath Test Devices," DWI Journal, March 1988

"Cross Examination of the Breath Alcohol Test Operator, Testimony of the Observation-Period Requirement," DWI Journal, August 1987

"A Practical Guide to the New DUI Laws," Illinois Bar Journal, July 1986

Illinois v. Sandoval (DUI dismissed based upon Speedy Trial violation)
Illinois v. McKown (DUI Field Sobriety Test Accuracy and Reliability)
Illinois v. Lidster (DUI and Roadblock case)

3

Illinois

Ramsell & Associates has represented over 13,000 persons accused of Illinois DUI, criminal or traffic offenses in DuPage, Cook, Kane and other counties throughout Illinois.

Ramsell & Associates was first established in 1986. At that time, the firm was one of the first in Illinois to concentrate in DUI defense. Since then, we have defended over 13,000 clients.

Illinois Attorney General, Supreme Ct. Rule 711 Clerk
American National Bank, Trust Division
Jeffrey D. Schultz, Workers Compensation Associate

Donald Ramsell has the proud distinction of having argued Illinois v. Lidster, a DUI/roadblock case, before the United States Supreme Court. In the past 24 years, his law firm has defended over 13,000 drivers. He is Board Certified in DUI Defense; the NCDD State Delegate for Illinois and a Sustaining Member of the National College for DUI Defense. Don is also a Certified Standardized Field Sobriety Test Instructor.

In 2009, Donald's book, "Illinois DUI Law and Practice Guidebook" was published by West Publishing in 2009. Also, the second edition of Ramsell's co-authored national book, "Inside the Mind: Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence" published by Aspatore Books, was released. Also in 2009, Don argued two DUI cases before the Illinois Supreme Court, and he successfully completed a course in gas chromatography.

In November of 2009, Don Ramsell successfully argued that the Illinois DUI Vehicle Forfeiture statute was unconstitutional. This ruling has made front page headlines in the largest legal newspaper in Illinois.

In 2008, Don was added as a contributing Board Member to the nationally acclaimed 'DWI Journal: Law & Science'. Also in 2008, Donald Ramsell completed reliability hearings ordered by the Illinois Supreme Court regarding the sobriety test known as 'horizontal gaze nystagmus'.

Donald is a Past President of the DuPage County Bar Association (2,000 Members) a past ABA Delegate, and Past President of the DuPage County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Don is also a former Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Traffic Law Section Council and an ISBA State delegate. Don has appeared on Oprah Winfrey, ABC's 20/20, Nancy Grace, Hannity & Colmes, and his cases have been featured in London's Financial Times and mentioned in over 229 newspapers worldwide.

In 2006, Ramsell successfully fought and obtained orders compelling the ISP Breath Testing Section to begin downloading and turning over the internal memory of the breath testing machines, which has revealed numerous errors in breath testing equipment being used across Illinois.

In 2005, Chicago Magazine© first named Donald Ramsell an "Illinois Super Lawyer". He has been so identified again in 2006 2007 and 2009. Also, Donald Ramsell became the first Illinois attorney ever to become Board Certified in the area of DUI Defense under the American Bar Association's standards, through the National College for DUI Defense.

In 2004, the Chicago Sun Times identified Mr. Ramsell as one of the top 5 DUI Defense Attorneys in the State of Illinois.

In 1999, after a two year investigation, Ramsell discovered that the Department of Public Health had failed to perform critical testing on breath testing equipment, causing test results to be suppressed across the state. Later that same year, the IDPH was forced to turn over control of the entire program to the State Police.

In 1998, Ramsell successfully proved that the Intoxilyzer 5000 (Series 6400 and 6600) breath testing instrument software had been rigged to produce false negative air blank results, causing all breath tests using that model to become inadmissible in the State of Illinois.

In 1988, Ramsell discovered that the statewide breath testing program was falsifying testing documents, again causing thousands of tests to become suspect.

In 1986, Donald J. Ramsell discovered that the statewide breath testing program was using questionable procedures in certifying breathalyzers, causing thousands of tests to become disputed, and forcing immediate changes in the program.

Offices Held:
President, DuPage County Bar Association 2002-2003
State Delegate, National College for DUI Defense 2005-Present
President, DuPage County Bar Foundation 2003-2004
President, DuPage County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association 2000-2001
ISBA Assembly Member 2004-Present
Chair, Judiciary Committee, DuPage County Bar Association 2003-2004
Chair, ISBA Traffic Law & Courts Section Council 2004-2005
Vice-Chair, ISBA Traffic Law & Courts Section Council 2003-2004
Delegate, American Bar Association 2002-2003
President-Elect, DuPage County Bar Association 2001-2002
Planning Committee Chairperson, DuPage County Bar Association 2001-2002
Second Vice President, DuPage County Bar Association 2000-2001
Member, Mental Health Court Committee, DuPage County Health Dept.2000-2001
Third Vice President, DuPage County Bar Association 1999-2000
Chair, Lawyer Referral Service Committee, DBCA 1999-2000
Chair, Membership Committee, DuPage County Bar Association 1999-2000
Director, DuPage County Bar Association 1998-1999
Chair, Entertainment Committee, DuPage County Bar Association 1998-1999
Member, Traffic Laws & Courts Section Council, ISBA 1997-Present
Chair, Judges' Nite, DuPage County Bar Association 1996-1997
Member, DCBA Judiciary Committee 1994-1996

Joan Farris

(630) 665-9599

Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Other hours by appointment only.

Yes

Polish

We are a flat-fee firm, who will put all of our fees in writing upon request.

We bill flat fees only, but our hourly rate would match the best lawyers in Illinois.

We offer free consultations in our office for up to one hour, and free phone consultations for up to 15 minutes, depending on the case.

All of our fees are competitive, quoted up front, and in writing upon request. Our retainers vary based upon the complexity of the case, the background of the accused, and the amount of work we anticipate performing. We will give a free fee quotation after an in-office consultation.