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Donald J. Ramsell

Donald J. Ramsell

Managing Partner

Donald J. Ramsell is the only Illinois DUI defense attorney to appear and argue on an Illinois DUI case before the United States Supreme Court in its entire 213 years of existence.

In 2008, Donald Ramsell began hearings ordered by the Illinois Supreme Court regarding the validity and reliability of the police field sobriety test known as 'horizontal gaze nystagmus'. This issue is being carefully followed by prosecutors, judges, and DUI Defense Attorneys across the country.

In 2007, Ramsell was nominated and recognized as a Sustaining Member of the National College for DUI Defense.

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 named Donald Ramsell an "Illinois Super Lawyer". Since then, he has earned this distinction multiple times, most recently in 2025.

Also in 2005, 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.

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  • Donald Elite Lawyer 2020
  • Donald Super Lawyers 15 Year
  • Donald Super Lawyers 2025
  • Donald Elite Lawyer 2025

Education:

  • Juris Doctor, Law Degree, DePaul University, 1984
  • Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice, Loyola University, 1981

Offices:

  • 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

Past & Present Memberships:

  • U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society
  • National Association of Bar Presidents
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • National College of DUI Defense (Sustaining Membership Awarded - July 2007)
  • 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

Admittances:

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

Editor:

  • DWI Newsletter, Regional Editor
  • DuPage County Criminal Defense Lawyers Newsletter: 2000-2001

Board Membership:

  • DWI Journal: Law and Science, 2008-Present

Publications:

  • "Defending DUI Refusals in Jury trial Cases - Practical Tips," DWI Journal: Law & Science Vol. 23, No. 2 pp.3-8, February 2008
  • Chapter Author, Inside the Minds: Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence, (2008) 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), Sept. 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, January 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 2001-2002, 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

Media Features:

  • ABC's 20/20
  • The Oprah Winfrey Show
  • The Aaron Freeman Show
  • Justice Files, Discovery Channel
  • Chicago Tribune, Front Page of Metro Section
  • Daily Herald, Front Page
  • Chicago Sun Times, Front Page
  • Kane County Chronicle
  • Court TV
  • Hannity & Colmes, Fox News Channel
  • Washington Post
  • New York Times
  • CNN Headline News
  • Boston Globe
  • Houston Chronicle
  • Christian Science Monitor
  • WGN Television
  • WLS Television
  • WMAQ Television
  • WBBM Television
  • Fox Television, Chicago
  • MSNBC News Channel
  • CLTV News Channel
  • Road & Track Magazine, February 2002
  • Reason Magazine
  • Financial Times (US & London Editions), 2004
  • Lawyers Weekly USA, 2004
  • Over 229 Newspapers across America
  • Over 75 Radio Interviews across America

Seminars Presented:

  • "BAIID/SCRAM Devices," CLE Fest St. Louis, Illinois State Bar Association, Saint Louis, Missouri, June 26, 2008
  • Mastering Scientific Evidence (Defense Attorney Mock trial) Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, March 27-29, 2008, Dallas, Texas
  • Illinois Jury trials involving Scientific Issues, IICLE DUI Advocacy Seminar, Peoria IL, March 17-18, 2008
  • Illinois DUI Jury and Bench trial Techniques, Illinois State Bar Association, March 8, 2008, Oak Brook, Illinois
  • D.U.I. Issues, Illinois Public Defender Association, Spring Seminar, Springfield, Illinois, November 17, 2007
  • 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
  • Alcohol Testing Issues, ISBA, Springfield, Illinois, March 3, 2007
  • "Illinois Field Sobriety Testing," IICLE, March 2007, Peoria, Illinois
  • Breath Testing Machines, Blood Testing, Rules and Regulations, ISBA, October 28, 2006, Rockford, Illinois
  • NWSBA Seminar: DUI tricks and traps, Northwest Suburban Bar Association, Rolling Meadows, IL 10/18/06
  • Pretrial Substantive Motions in DUI Cases, Chicago Bar Association, April 27, 2006
  • "Illinois Search and Seizure Law for Vehicles," ISBA, March 2006, Chicago and Oak Brook, Illinois
  • "Illinois Field Sobriety Testing; Illinois Breath and Blood Defenses," IICLE, March 2006, Peoria and Chicago, Illinois
  • Traffic Law Issues and Update, ISBA, September 2005, Collinsville, Illinois
  • Hot Topics in Traffic Law, Chicago Bar Association, May 2005
  • Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois DUI Issues, 2005
  • Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Illinois DUI Testing, 2005
  • "DUI & Field Sobriety Testing: A Practical Guide for Defense Attorneys and Prosecutors" Chicago Bar Association, March 3, 2004
  • "DUI Defense and Jury Trials", West Suburban Bar Association, October 2003
  • "DUI Forfeitures and Blood Testing" Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Champaign, IL, June 2003
  • "Field Sobriety Testing" 38th Illinois traffic Conference, Bradley University, June 2003
  • "DUI and Blood Draws: A Practical Guide for the Defense", Chicago Bar Association, March 2003
  • "Standardized Field Sobriety Testing" Panel Discussion, Illinois State Bar Association, March & April 2003, Oak Brook and Springfield, IL
  • "Moderator, Illinois State Bar Association Field Sobriety Testing Panel, March & April 2003
  • "Field Sobriety Testing", Illinois State Bar Association, April 2002, Springfield, IL
  • "Field Sobriety Testing", Illinois State Bar Association, March 2002, Oak Brook, IL
  • "Field Sobriety Testing" DuPage County Bar Association, February 2002
  • Criminal Law Seminar, DuPage County Bar Association, January 2002
  • NHTSA Certification Course Instructor, Wheaton, IL, 2002
  • Illinois Public Defenders Conference, 2002, Illinois Attorneys for Criminal Justice, 2002
  • "DUI Defense" DuPage County Bar Association, September 2001
  • "Pre-trial Motions, Requests to Admit, and Bill of Particulars in DUI Cases", Illinois State Bar Association, March 2001, Oak Brook, Springfield, IL
  • "Practice Tips for the Prosecution and Defense of DUI", Illinois State Bar Association, February & March 2000
  • Kane County Violent Crimes Defense Seminar, Office of the State Appellate Defender, August 1999, Geneva, IL
  • "Closing Arguments in DUI Cases", Illinois State Bar Association, February and March 1999, Oak Brook and Bloomington, IL
  • "Secretary of State Hearings and Breath/Blood Alcohol Testing", Kane County Bar Association, February 1998
  • "Freedom of Information Act and Breathalyzer Repair Records", Illinois State Bar Association, April 1997, Springfield and Oak Brook, IL
  • Joint Civil/Criminal Law Seminar, DuPage County Bar Association, January 1996 "Update on DUI Law", DuPage County Bar Association, October 1995
  • Law Practice Management Seminar, DuPage County Bar Association, September 1995
  • Civil/Criminal Joint Seminar, DCBA, April 1995, Criminal Law Seminar, Kane County Bar Association, March 1995
  • Criminal Law Seminar, DuPage County Bar Association, Sept.1993
  • DuPage County Bar Association, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994. Ill. Dept. Public Health Breath Test Operators Conference, 1986-87-88

Awards:

  • Outstanding Author, DuPage Bar Association 1992 - 1993
  • Elite Lawyer, Founding Member, 2017 - Present
  • Selected to Super Lawyers, 2005 - 2007, 2009, 2011 - 2025

Columns:

  • DUI Corner, DuPage Bar Briefs

Certifications:

  • Board Certified in DUI Defense, NCDD/ABA Standards, January 2005
  • National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration Field Sobriety Student Course, San Francisco, California
  • National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration Field Sobriety
  • Instructor Course, Nashville, Tennessee

National Seminars Attended:

  • Team Instructor, National College for DUI Defense Summer 2008
  • National College for DUI Defense Winter Session 2008
  • Team Instructor, National College for DUI Defense Summer 2007
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - DUI 2007
  • National College for DUI Defense Winter Session 2007
  • National College for DUI Defense Summer 2006
  • National College for DUI Defense Winter Session 2006
  • National College for DUI Defense Summer 2005
  • National College for DUI Defense Winter Session 2005
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - DUI 2004
  • National College for DUI Defense Summer 2004
  • National College for DUI Defense Summer 2001

Experience:

  • Attended over 100 Criminal Defense and DUI Seminars
  • Defended over 10,000 DUI cases as an attorney
  • Tried over 500 DUI and Criminal Bench trials
  • Tried over 100 DUI and Criminal Jury trials
  • Written over 25 Appellate Briefs
  • 2001 Graduate, National College of DUI Defense Summer Session
  • Qualified as an Expert on Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

Published Appeals:

  • People v. Carpenter, --- N.E.2d ----, 2008 WL 4119058, Ill.App. 2 Dist., September 04, 2008
  • 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. Mizaur, 376 Ill.App.3d 1066, 877 N.E.2d 1185, 315 Ill.Dec. 856, Ill.App. 2 Dist., October 25, 2007
  • 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. 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. trimarco, 364 Ill.App.3d 549, 846 N.E.2d 1008, 301 Ill.Dec. 405, Ill.App. 2 Dist., April 11, 2006
  • 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. Cortez, 361 Ill.App.3d 456, 837 N.E.2d 449, 297 Ill.Dec. 366, Ill.App. 2 Dist., Oct 14, 2005
  • People v. 1995 Ford Van, VIN 1FTJE34GOSHA15603, 348 Ill.App.3d 303, (2d Dist., May 07, 2004)
  • Illinois v. Lidster Illinois v. Lidster, 540 U.S. 419, 124 S.Ct. 885, 157 L.Ed.2d 843 (2004)
  • People v. Hernandez 02-03-1098 (Rule 23 Decided 11-03-04)
  • People v. Rosinski 813 N.E.2d 1078, Ill.App.2Dist., 2004.
  • People v. Synnott 811 N.E.2d 236, Ill.App. 2 Dist., 2004.
  • People v. Rozela 345 Ill.App.3d 217 (2d. Dist. 2003)
  • People v. James Kelly 344 Ill.App.3d 1058 (2d. Dist. 2003)
  • People v. Blankschein 337 Ill. App. 3d 526 (2d Dist. 2003)
  • City of Naperville v. Schiavo 327 Ill. App. 3d 230 (2d Dist. 2002)
  • People v. O'Neill 329 Ill. App. 3d 213 (2d Dist. 2002)
  • People v. Poncar 323 Ill. App. 3d 702 (2d 2001)
  • People v. Hruza 312 Ill. App. 3d 319 (2d 2000)
  • People v. Gemeny 313 Ill. App. 3d 902 (2d Dist. 2000)
  • People v. Petty 311 Ill. App. 3d 301 (2d Dist. 2000)
  • Village of Bloomingdale v. Meline 309 Ill. App. 3d 389 (2d 1999)
  • People v. Thill 297 Ill. App. 3d 7 (2d Dist. 1998)
  • People v. Gallegos 293 Ill. App. 3d 873 (3rd Dist. 1997)
  • People v. Bavas 251 Ill. App. 3d 720 (2d dist. 1993)
  • People v. Diaz 247 Ill. App. 3d 625 (2d Dist. 1993)
  • People v. Simac 236 Ill. App. 3d 1096 (2d Dist.1992)
  • People v. Burke 220 Ill. App. 3d 839 (1st dist. 1991)
  • People v. Lendabarker 268 Ill. App. 3d 170 (2d Dist. 1991)
  • People v. Kilpatrick 216 Ill. App. 3d 875 (2d Dist. 1991)
  • People v. Bulman 212 Ill. App. 3d 795 (1st Dist. 1991)
  • People v. Krueger 208 Ill. App. 3d 897 (2d Dist. 1991)
  • People v. Madsen 196 Ill. App. 3d 220 (2d Dist. 1990)
  • People v. LaRosa 198 Ill. App. 3d 862 (1st Dist. 1990)
  • People v. Ramsell, 266 Ill.App.3d 297, 301, 203 Ill.Dec. 825, 640 N.E.2d 975, 978 (1994)
  • People v. tritthardt 195 Ill. App. 3d 167 (2d Dist. 1990)
  • People v. Spence 188 Ill. App. 3d 761 (2d Dist. 1989)
  • People v. Phillipi 186 Ill. App. 3d 353 (2d Dist. 1989)
  • People v. England 188 Ill. App. 3d 9 (2d Dist. 1989)

Trial Cases Reported:

  • People v. DiPace 354 Ill.App.3d 104, 108, 288 Ill.Dec. 839, 818 N.E.2d 774 (2d Dist. 2004)
  • People v. Baltzer 327 Ill.App.3d 222, 261 Ill.Dec. 247, 762 N.E.2d 1174 (2d Dist. 2002)
  • People v. Kamide 254 Ill. App. 3d 67 (2d Dist. 1993)

Certification Courses Taught:

  • Instructor, NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing March 15-17, 2002, Wheaton, IL
  • Instructor, NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, October 2002, Wheaton, IL
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