CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY

Summerville · Moncks Corner · Goose Creek · Charleston

How do I get something taken off my criminal record?

Many people ask me “How do I get something taken off my record?”.  In South Carolina, as with most states, this process is called an “expungement.”  Regardless of what a friend of a friend has told you about expungements, the process is statutorily driven, meaning you...

Should I Use the Public Defender

“I’m not getting the public defender, I want a real lawyer.”  Often times I heard this phrase or something similar come from defendants when I asked as a prosecutor in South Carolina, “do you want to apply for the public defender?”  Believe it or not, public defenders...

Carrying Handguns in Vehicles in South Carolina

Despite what some folks may believe, there are still quite a few people that carry handguns in their vehicles.  The question of legality arises regardless of whether you have a concealed weapons permit (“CWP”). In this article, I’m going to break down...
What goes into a Prosecutor’s Recommendation?

What goes into a Prosecutor’s Recommendation?

What are the factors that go into a prosecutors recommendation? As a prosecutor of many years, I made thousands of sentence recommendations. Here’s what goes into it. Let’s go through an example. Defendant is charged with Burglary in the 1st degree for breaking into...

What is a Preliminary Hearing

In any criminal case in South Carolina, a defendant is entitled to a preliminary hearing if the charge is “not triable by a magistrate.”  What this means is that for any criminal offense in General Sessions Court, the defendant may request a preliminary...

Point system for traffic offenses in South Carolina

I wanted to put together a list of the traffic offenses and points that are associated with the charges.  Below is the table of offense that are subject to the “point” system. 56-1-710  Conviction means a plea of guilty, nolo contendere or, bail forfeiture. 56-1-720 –...