Successful License Reinstatement Case Results

Missouri Client with 11 DUI Arrests — Full Clearance Granted on First Attempt

This is one of the most complex out-of-state reinstatement cases our firm has ever handled — and one we are most proud of. Our client was a Missouri resident who had accumulated 11 DUI arrests over the course of his lifetime. By any measure, this was an extraordinarily difficult case. Many attorneys would have advised this client that his situation was hopeless.

We disagreed.

The key to a case like this is meticulous preparation. With a history this extensive, the Illinois Secretary of State scrutinizes every detail — the client's drinking history, the pattern of offenses, the quality and depth of treatment, the sincerity of lifestyle changes, and whether the client presents as a genuine and credible risk to public safety. There is no margin for inconsistency.

We spent significant time preparing this client to testify truthfully and consistently about his entire alcohol history — from his first offense through his last — and to articulate in specific, credible terms the changes he had made in his life. We ensured his alcohol evaluation properly reflected the complexity of his history, that his treatment records were complete and well-documented, and that every piece of required documentation was in order before we walked into that hearing.

The result: the Illinois Secretary of State granted our client full clearance of his Illinois license hold on the very first attempt. He is now driving legally in Missouri.

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Florida Client — Lifetime Revocation Cleared, License Restored in Home State

Our client was a Florida resident who had been lifetime revoked in Illinois — the most serious classification of license revocation under Illinois law. A lifetime revocation means the state has determined that the individual poses such a significant risk that standard reinstatement timelines do not apply. These cases require extraordinary documentation and preparation.

Despite the severity of the revocation, our client had made genuine and lasting changes in his life. We worked with him entirely through video consultation — he never had to travel to Illinois. We prepared him thoroughly for the administrative hearing, ensuring his alcohol evaluation, treatment history, and testimony all met the elevated standards the Secretary of State applies in lifetime revocation cases.

Result: The Illinois Secretary of State granted our client full clearance of the Illinois hold. With that clearance in hand, he returned to the Florida DMV and obtained a valid Florida driver's license.

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Pennsylvania Client with 3 DUIs — Full Reinstatement via Remote WebEx Hearing

Our client was a Pennsylvania resident with three DUI convictions. Multiple DUI cases require a formal hearing before the Illinois Secretary of State and result in a significant risk classification — demanding a higher standard of proof that the client has addressed his alcohol dependency and is no longer a risk to public safety.

The client handled every aspect of this case remotely. All preparation sessions were conducted by video, all documentation was reviewed and organized by our office, and we appeared with the client at his formal hearing via WebEx — no travel to Illinois required at any point in the process.

Result: The Secretary of State found our client credible and granted full reinstatement on the first attempt.

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Arizona College Student — Out-of-State DUI Cleared, Driving Privileges Restored

Our client was a college student from Arizona who had an out-of-state DUI that triggered an Illinois hold on his driving record. For a young person starting out, the inability to drive legally can affect employment, education, and daily life in immediate and serious ways.

We worked with the client to navigate the Secretary of State's requirements for clearing an out-of-state hold — a process that differs in important ways from a standard in-state reinstatement case. The entire matter was handled remotely via video consultation and a WebEx hearing.

Result: The Illinois hold was successfully cleared, and the client obtained full driving privileges in Arizona.

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Out-of-State Client — Full Reinstatement on First Attempt After Previous Denial

This client came to us after having been denied driving relief at a prior hearing before retaining our firm. A prior denial makes a subsequent hearing significantly more difficult — the Secretary of State reviews the record of the previous hearing and scrutinizes whether the issues that led to the denial have been genuinely addressed.

We obtained the full record of the prior hearing, identified exactly where the case had fallen short, and built a comprehensive strategy to address each deficiency. We ensured the client's new alcohol evaluation properly addressed the prior issues, that his treatment history filled the gaps, and that he was prepared to testify in a way that was both consistent with the prior record and demonstrated genuine growth.

Result: The Secretary of State granted full reinstatement on the first attempt following our representation.

New Jersey Resident — Illinois Hold Cleared, Full Driving Privileges Restored

Our client was a New Jersey resident whose Illinois hold was preventing him from maintaining a valid driver's license in his home state. Like many out-of-state clients, he had no idea an old Illinois matter was still sitting in the national database blocking his record — until his home state DMV flagged it during a routine renewal.

We handled the entire case by video. We identified the specific Illinois requirements that needed to be satisfied, organized all required documentation, and appeared with the client at his Secretary of State hearing via WebEx.

Result: The Illinois hold was cleared and the client renewed his New Jersey license without further issue.

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