Is it important that I remember the actual details of my DUI arrests?

As a license reinstatement lawyer for the past 17 years in Illinois I have represented hundreds of people in front of the Illinois Secretary of State in an effort to reinstate their driving privileges after losing their license because of a DUI conviction. I always tell my clients that the most important thing you can do to guarantee success for yourself is to memorize the facts of what actually happened on the night of their DUI arrests.
 
 I always prepare a worksheet that is approximately 12 to 16 pages long that contains every question Secretary of State would normally ask at a license reinstatement hearing. I have found that just because a DUI occurred 10 years ago does not mean that the client can testify that they don't remember how much they had to drink that night. How can you remember what you drank 12 years ago? We typically order a report from the Secretary of State that will indicate what the blood alcohol content was when the person was arrested. Therefore, if a person blew a .09 breathalyzer score, we can determine how much alcohol they consumed based on their weight and the approximate time that they consumed alcohol.
 
 Most importantly, if the evaluator says you consumed six beers and you testify to the Secretary of State at your administrative hearing that you only had four beers, you have a very good chance of getting denied based on the fact that you are minimizing your drinking pattern to the Secretary of State and that the amount you reported drinking is inconsistent with what you told your evaluator. The amount of alcohol you consumed and your drinking pattern must be consistent!
 
 
 – Posted by license reinstatement lawyer John W. Callahan