Practice Areas: DUI-DWI, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury; view more
Licensed in Illinois since: 1984
Education: DePaul University College of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2005 - 2007, 2009, 2011 - 2025 Call today:
866-229-9112
Free Consultation Ramsell & Kunowski, LLC
128 South County Farm RoadSuite F
Wheaton, IL 60187 Visit website
Details
The managing lawyer and founding attorney of the law firm of Ramsell and Associates, LLC, Donald J. Ramsell has 40 years of experience defending his clients in DuPage County, Illinois, and throughout the state. Mr. Ramsell focuses his practice in the area of criminal law, defending his clients against allegations of driving under the influence as well as a broad variety of other criminal matters that range from minor misdemeanors to major felonies.
Mr. Ramsell completed his undergraduate education at the Loyola University Chicago, from where he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1981. He then attended the DePaul University College of Law, from where he graduated with his Juris Doctor in 1984. Mr. Ramsell was subsequently admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1984 and is also admitted to practice law in the states of Wisconsin and Arizona.
Since founding Ramsell and Associates, LLC, in 1986, Mr. Ramsell has defended people who have been charged with DUI offenses or other crimes. Over his years of practice, he has earned a reputation in both Illinois and across the country as a leading criminal defense lawyer. Mr. Ramsell has been recognized with a peer review rating of AV Preeminent* through Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest rating given through the organization.
Mr. Ramsell has represented his clients in multiple landmark cases. He argued a roadblock case before the Supreme Court of the United States and has appeared before the Illinois Supreme Court on behalf of his clients five times, helping to shape the law. Mr. Ramsell is board certified in DUI defense by the National College of DUI Defense. He has authored numerous books and has been recognized in multiple national publications, including the Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Criminal Defense: DUI/DWI, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury - General: PlaintiffFocus areas
Arrest & Arraignment, Assault, Assault & Battery, Criminal Domestic Violence, Criminal Fraud, Criminal Law, DUI/DWI, Drug & Alcohol Violations, Expungement, Felony, Misdemeanor, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Motor Vehicle Offenses, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Sex Offenses, Traffic Violations, Trucking Accidents
- 70% Criminal Defense: DUI/DWI
- 20% Criminal Defense
- 10% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 1984, Illinois
Professional Webpage: https://www.dui-illinois-attorney.com/Attorneys/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit, 1986-present
- Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1989-present
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers DUI Committee
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- President National College For DUI Defense 2022-2023, 2024
- Illinois Association of Criminal defense Lawyers, Board Member
- United States Supreme Court, 1989-present
- Illinois Supreme Court, 1984-present
- National Association of Bar Presidents
- Northwest Suburban Bar Association
- President DuPage County Criminal Lawyers Association, 2000
- American Bar Association
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Jurisprudence Section, Member, 2011
- Northern District of Illinois, 1985-present
- U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society
- Kane County Bar Association
- President DuPage County Bar Association, 2002
- Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
- Regent, National College For DUI Defense, 2010
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- "Impeaching 10,000 Breath Alcohol Tests: The Solution is the Solution," DWI Journal, February 1989
- "Freedom of Information Act and Breathalyzer Repair Records", Illinois State Bar Association, April 1997, Springfield and Oak Brook, IL
- DUI Information, DuPage County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Monthly Dinner, November 15, 2007
- Jury Trial Techniques in DUI Cases, Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, Traverse City, Michigan November 3, 2007
- "Impeaching Infrared Absorption Breath Test Devices," DWI Journal, March 1988
- Joint Civil/Criminal Law Seminar, DuPage County Bar Association, January 1996
- Alcohol Testing Issues, ISBA, Springfield Illinois March 3, 2007
- "Cross Examination of the Breath Alcohol Test Operator, Testimony of the Observation-Period Requirement," DWI Journal, August 1987
- "Update on DUI Law", DuPage County Bar Association, October 1995
- "Illinois Field Sobriety Testing," IICLE, March 2007, Peoria, Illinois
- "A Practical Guide to the New DUI Laws" Illinois Bar Journal, July 1986
- Law Practice Management Seminar, DuPage County Bar Association, September 1995
- Breath Testing Machines, Blood Testing, Rules and Regulations,ISBA, October 28, 2006, Rockford, Illinois
- Civil/Criminal Joint Seminar, DCBA, April 1995
- NWSBA Seminar: DUI Tricks and Traps, Northwest Suburban Bar Association, Rolling Meadows IL 10/18/06
- Criminal Law Seminar, Kane County Bar Association, March, 1995
- Pretrial Substantive Motions in DUI Cases, Chicago Bar Association, April 27, 2006
- Criminal Law Seminar, DuPage County Bar Association, Sept.1993
- "Illinois Search and Seizure Law for Vehicles," ISBA, March 2006, Chicago and Oak Brook, Illinois
- DuPage County Bar Association, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994
- Ill. Dept. Public Health Breath Test Operators Conference, 1986-87-88
- "Illinois Field Sobriety Testing; Illinois Breath and Blood Defenses,"IICLE, March 2006, Peoria and Chicago
- "Defending DUI Refusals in Jury Trial Cases - Practical Tips," DWI Journal: Law & Science Vol. 23, No. 2 pp.3-8, February 2008
- Illinois Traffic Law Issues and Update, ISBA , September 2005, Collinsville, Illinois Hot Topics in Traffic Law, Chicago Bar Association, May 2005
- Chapter Author, Inside the Minds: Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence, (2008) Aspatore Books ISBN 978-0-314-97967-4
- Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois DUI Issues, 2005
- "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
- Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Illinois DUI Testing, 2005
- "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
- "DUI & Field Sobriety Testing: A Practical Guide for Defense Attorneys and Prosecutors" Chicago Bar Association, March 3, 2004
- "Illinois DUIs and Wisconsin OWIs: The Acronym is the Least of the Differences, " (reprint) The Docket (Lake County Bar Association), Sept. 2007 Vol. XIV No. 9
- "DUI Defense and Jury Trials" West Suburban Bar Association, October 2003
- "Handling OWI Cases for those !@#! Illinois Drivers," Wisconsin Lawyer, March 2007
- "DUI Forfeitures and Blood Testing" Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Champaign, IL, June 2003
- "Alcohol Monitoring Ankle Bracelets in DUI Cases (SCRAM)," ISBA Traffic Law & Courts Newsletter, Vol. 16, No. 3, March 2007
- "Field Sobriety Testing" 38th Illinois Traffic Conference, Bradley University, June 2003
- "Using the Confrontation Clause to Win DUI Cases", Illinois Traffic Law & Courts Newsletter, January 2005
- "DUI and Blood Draws: A Practical Guide for the Defense" Chicago Bar Association, March 2003
- "Illinois v. Lidster: A View from the Inside" DCBA Bar Brief, DuPage County Bar Association, April 2004
- "Standardized Field Sobriety Testing" Panel Discussion, Illinois State Bar Association, March & April 2003, Oak Brook and Springfield, IL
- "Field Sobriety Testing", Chapter Author, Defending DUI and Related Cases, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education 2004
- "Moderator, Illinois State Bar Association Field Sobriety Testing Panel, March & April 2003
- "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
- "Field Sobriety Testing" Illinois State Bar Association, April, 2002, Springfield, IL
- "Every Lawyers Guide to DUI" Illinois Bar Journal, June 2002
- "Field Sobriety Testing" Illinois State Bar Association, March 2002, Oak Brook, IL
- "Field Sobriety Testing" DuPage County Bar Association, February 2002
- "Field Sobriety Testing; Science v. Law" DuPage Bar Brief, March 2002
- Criminal Law Seminar, DuPage County Bar Association, January 2002
- Author, Illinois DUI Law and Practice Guidebook, West Publishing, 2018
- "Field Sobriety Tests in Illinois: Valid Psychophysical Tests or VoodooScience?", ISBA Traffic Laws & Courts Newsletter, Vol. 11, No. 2, February 2002
- NHTSA Certification Course Instructor, Wheaton, IL, 2002
- Co-Author, Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence, 2d ed., Aspatore Publshing, 2009
- Illinois DUI Fact Book 2001-2002, Contributing Author
- Illinois Public Defenders Conference, 2002
- Chapter Author, Intoxication Test Evidence, 2d Edition, Thomson West, 2011
- "Recent Developments in DUI Law" DCBA Brief, June 2000
- Illinois Attorneys for Criminal Justice, 2002
- NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing March 15-17, 2002, Wheaton, IL, Instructor
- "Effective Closing Arguments in DUI Cases" Illinois Bar Journal, May 2000
- "DUI Defense" DuPage County Bar Association, September 2001
- NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing October 2002, Wheaton, IL, Instructor
- "Breathalyzer Logbooks - What they don't and won't tell you", ISBA Traffic Laws & Courts Newsletter, Vol. 8, NO. 3, April 1999
- "Pre-Trial Motions, Requests to Admit, and Bill of Particulars in DUI Cases", Illinois State Bar Association, March 2001 Oak Brook, Springfield, IL
- "BAIID/SCRAM Devices," CLE Fest St. Louis, Illinois State Bar Association, Saint Louis Missouri June 26, 2008
- "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
- "Practice Tips for the Prosecution and Defense of DUI", Illinois State Bar Association, February & March 2000
- Mastering Scientific Evidence (Defense Attorney Mock Trial) Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, March 27-29, 2008 Dallas Texas
- "Foreign Substances and Breath Testing", ISBA Newsletter, January 1997
- Kane County Violent Crimes Defense Seminar, Office of the State Appellate Defender, August 1999, Geneva, IL
- Illinois Jury Trials involving Scientific Issues, IICLE DUI Advocacy Seminar, Peoria IL March 17-18 2008
- "Summary Suspension Issues and Use of Experts in DUI Jury Trials" DCBA Brief, October 1993
- "Closing Arguments in DUI Cases", Illinois State Bar Association, February and March 1999, Oak Brook and Bloomington, IL
- Illinois DUI Jury and Bench Trial Techniques, Illinois State Bar Association, March 8, 2008, Oak Brook, Illinois
- "A Practical Approach to A Successful Summary Suspension Hearing" DCBA Brief, September 1992
- "Secretary of State Hearings and Breath/Blood Alcohol Testing", Kane County Bar Association, February 1998
- D.U.I. Issues, Illinois Public Defender Association Spring Seminar, Springfield Illinois, November 17, 2007
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Board Certified in DUI Defense, NCDD/ABA Standards, January 2005
- Instructor Course, Nashville, Tennessee
- Gas Chromatography - American Chemical Society, 2009
- National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration Field Sobriety
- Board Certified DUI Defense, National College For DUI Defense, 2005
- National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration Field Sobriety Student Course, San Francisco, California
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- People v. Diaz 247 Ill. App. 3d 625 (2d Dist. 1993)
- People v. Trimarco, 364 Ill.App.3d 549, 846 N.E.2d 1008, 301 Ill.Dec. 405, Ill.App. 2 Dist., April 11, 2006
- City of Naperville v. Schiavo 327 Ill. App. 3d 230 (2d Dist. 2002)
- People v. Kilpatrick 216 Ill. App. 3d 875 (2d Dist. 1991)
- People v. James Kelly 344 Ill.App.3d 1058 (2d. Dist. 2003)
- People v. Hruza 312 Ill. App. 3d 319 (2d 2000)
- People v. Madsen 196 Ill. App. 3d 220 (2d Dist. 1990)
- People v. 1995 Ford Van, VIN 1FTJE34GOSHA15603, 348 Ill.App.3d 303, (2d Dist., May 07, 2004)
- Village of Bloomingdale v. Meline 309 Ill. App. 3d 389 (2d 1999)
- People v. Tritthardt 195 Ill. App. 3d 167 (2d Dist. 1990)
- People v. Rosinski 813 N.E.2d 1078, Ill.App.2Dist., 2004.
- People v. Aleliunaite, 379 Ill.App.3d 975, 885 N.E.2d 463, 319 Ill.Dec. 192, Ill.App. 2 Dist., March 12, 2008
- People v. England 188 Ill. App. 3d 9 (2d Dist. 1989)
- People v. Gallegos 293 Ill. App. 3d 873 (3rd Dist. 1997)
- People v. So Young Kim, 368 Ill.App.3d 717, 859 N.E.2d 92, 307 Ill.Dec. 92, Ill.App. 2 Dist., November 16, 2006
- People v. Kamide 254 Ill. App. 3d 67 (2d Dist. 1993)
- People v. Burke 220 Ill. App. 3d 839 (1st dist. 1991)
- People v. Lendabarker 268 Ill. App. 3d 170 (2d Dist. 1991)
- People v. Rozela 345 Ill.App.3d 217 (2d. Dist. 2003)
- People v. Poncar 323 Ill. App. 3d 702 (2d 2001)
- People v. Krueger 208 Ill. App. 3d 897 (2d Dist. 1991)
- People v. Cortez, 361 Ill.App.3d 456, 837 N.E.2d 449, 297 Ill.Dec. 366, Ill.App. 2 Dist., Oct 14, 2005
- People v. Petty 311 Ill. App. 3d 301 (2d Dist. 2000)
- People v. Ramsell, 266 Ill.App.3d 297, 301, 203 Ill.Dec. 825, 640 N.E.2d 975, 978 (1994)
- People v. Hernandez 02-03-1098 (Rule 23 Decided 11-03-04)
- People v. Carpenter, N.E.2d, 2008 WL 4119058, Ill.App. 2 Dist., September 04, 2008
- People v. Phillipi 186 Ill. App. 3d 353 (2d Dist. 1989)
- People v. Bavas 251 Ill. App. 3d 720 (2d dist. 1993)
- People v. Brown, 374 Ill.App.3d 385, 871 N.E.2d 931, 313 Ill.Dec. 204, Ill.App. 2 Dist., June 29, 2007
- People v. Baltzer 327 Ill.App.3d 222, 261 Ill.Dec. 247, 762 N.E.2d 1174 (2d Dist. 2002)
- People v. Simac 236 Ill. App. 3d 1096 (2d Dist.1992)
- People v. Feddor, 355 Ill.App.3d 325, 823 N.E.2d 217, 291 Ill.Dec. 207, Ill.App. 2 Dist., Feb 02, 2005
- People v. O'Neill 329 Ill. App. 3d 213 (2d Dist. 2002)
- People v. Bulman 212 Ill. App. 3d 795 (1st Dist. 1991)
- People v. Blankschein 337 Ill. App. 3d 526 (2d Dist. 2003)
- People v. Gemeny 313 Ill. App. 3d 902 (2d Dist. 2000)
- People v. LaRosa 198 Ill. App. 3d 862 (1st Dist. 1990)
- Illinois v. Lidster Illinois v. Lidster, 540 U.S. 419, 124 S.Ct. 885, 157 L.Ed.2d 843 (2004)
- People v. Thill 297 Ill. App. 3d 7 (2d Dist. 1998)
- People v. Spence 188 Ill. App. 3d 761 (2d Dist. 1989)
- People v. Synnott 811 N.E.2d 236, Ill.App. 2 Dist., 2004.
- People v. Mizaur, 376 Ill.App.3d 1066, 877 N.E.2d 1185, 315 Ill.Dec. 856, Ill.App. 2 Dist., October 25, 2007
- People v. DiPace 354 Ill.App.3d 104, 108, 288 Ill.Dec. 839, 818 N.E.2d 774 (2d Dist. 2004)
Representative Clients:
- Ramsell has represented judges, police officers, elected official, pilots, and all other occupations in defense of traffic-related matters.
Educational Background:
- Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice, Loyola University, 1981, 1984
Pro bono/Community Service:
- DuPage County Bar Foundation President, 2003
Videos:
- Donald Ramsell discusses his qualifications in the field of DUI defense., I wrote the Book on Illinois DUI Law, 2009
Honors/Awards:
- Certification Gas Chromatography, American Chemistry Society, 2009
- Intox ECIR Fundamentals Seminar, 2006
- NHTSA and IACP DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Course, Robert LaPier and Associates, 2001
- Dean's Award, National College For DUI Defense, 2010
- Outstanding Author, DuPage County Bar Association, 1992
- Standardized Sobriety Test Instructor Course, LaPier and Associates, 2001
- Preeminent AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell, 2012
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Obtained a reversal of a DUI client's conviction, and a new trial, in a case before the Illinois Suprme Court involving the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, known as HGN., 2010
Industry Groups:
- National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National College For DUI Defense
Office location for Donald J. Ramsell
128 South County Farm Road
Suite F
Wheaton, IL 60187
Phone: 866-229-9112
Selections
19 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2005 - 2007, 2009, 2011 - 2025
