South Carolina’s DUI Laws
What is a Felony DUI in South Carolina?
For any Charleston DUI lawyer, defending a felony DUI is much more challenging, and the stakes are higher than defending a municipal or magistrate level DUI such as a DUI 1st. In South Carolina, felony DUI is the bodily injury or the death of another person....
What is a Reasonable Legal Fee for Lawyers in South Carolina?
In a recent family court case I was involved in, a lawyer who has practiced law for 3 years and who has filed only 4 family court cases in Charleston asked the court to award $300 per hour for legal fees. To put this lawyer’s hourly rate into perspective, many family...
Does a High Breath Test Reading Mean You’re Guilty of DUI in South Carolina?
As Charleston DUI lawyers, we are sometimes asked whether a person is guilty of DUI if they gave a high reading (above .08) on a breath test. The short answer to this question is "no,' you are NOT automatically guilty. If a driver blows a 0.05% or less, then he or she...
What are the Alternatives to a Criminal Conviction in South Carolina?
As criminal defense lawyers in Charleston, South Carolina, one of the most important things we try to do for our clients is keep their records clean. Convictions on your criminal record can haunt you for the rest of your life and cost you student loans, possible jobs,...
What is the Cost of a DUI in South Carolina?
As DUI defense attorneys in Mt. Pleasant and Charleston, we're often asked how much it costs if you're charged with a DUI. We recently saw some billboards around that had a picture of a State Trooper holding a breathalyzer up to a person being arrested for DUI. The...
How to Defend a DUI South Carolina
As a DUI defense lawyer in Charleston, South Carolina, I'm oftentimes asked about the "process," from start to finish, after someone is arrested for DUI. This article provides an overview of the process for someone charged with a DUI 1st offense. If it is a DUI 2nd...
What Happens If You Refuse a Breath Test in South Carolina?
Driving in South Carolina is a privilege, not a right. By driving on the roads of South Carolina, a person has impliedly given consent to submit to breath, blood, or urine testing for the purpose of determining the presence of alcohol, drugs, or both if the person is...
How to Prepare for Court in South Carolina
As attorneys in Charleston, South Carolina, we write many articles about the law concerning personal injury claims, criminal defense, family court, and so many other legal topics. However, it occurs to us that sometimes we may overlook the “basics.” One of these...
What Happens If You Are Arrested for a DUI in South Carolina?
Being arrested for DUI in South Carolina can be an intimidating experience leaving you with a lot of uncertainty about what happens next. If you've been arrested for a DUI 1st in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, or elsewhere in South Carolina, here are some of the main...
How to Expunge Your Criminal Record in South Carolina
Our criminal defense lawyers in Charleston, South Carolina often get asked about the expungement of criminal records. Whenever we successfully defend someone accused of a crime, we follow up by having our client’s record expunged. However, many times we get calls from...
Blood Alcohol Limits Infographic ▪ Charleston DUI Lawyer
Under South Carolina law, the legal blood alcohol (BA) limits are: (1) Less than .05 - It is conclusively presumed that the person was not under the influence of alcohol. (2) Greater than .05 but less than .08 - No inference whether the person was under the influence...
What Are Field Sobriety Tests in South Carolina?
In most of the DUI or DUAC cases that our Mount Pleasant DUI lawyers handle, Field Sobriety Testing (FST) is the primary method a police officer uses to establish probable cause. Most officers use the three (3) “standardized” tests proscribed by the National Highway...
