South Carolina Criminal Offenses and Penalties

How much jail time can I get? This seems to be the first question that anyone asks when they get charged with an offense.  A criminal statute usually list prison times in terms of a range or maximum penalty.  So for example, burglary in the 1st degree carries 15 years to life.  While most charges can be suspended to a probationary sentence, some cannot.  Burglary in the 1st...

When we think of a “violent” offense we think of someone getting beaten, shot, or otherwise seriously injured.  That type of injury is a good indicator of what might be or might not be a violent offense in South Carolina.  As is true...

You don't need to be an attorney to know what an armed robbery is. But when folks hear the word "strong-arm" robbery many times I see confusion. This confusion is not unique to victims or defendants, but can be found in law enforcement and among some attorneys (and even prosecutors) as well. 

Armed robbery is prohibited by section

Many people ask, "what is the difference between Burglary in the first degree, second degree, and third degree?". I want to attempt to make some clarification of the different charges of Burglary...

This is a continuation of the previous article relating to penalties for South Carolina offenses that are not drug related.  This article provides the penalty ranges for drug offenses.  Some...

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 Section 16-23-20 and discuss the permissible ways to carry in a vehicle....