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Hire A Trusted Charleston DUI Lawyer To Safeguard Your Rights

If you are facing a DUI charge, we understand that you are probably overwhelmed. For a lot of our clients, the first time they ever found themselves in trouble with the law is because of a DUI charge. An experienced Charleston DUI lawyer can ensure that your rights are protected and minimize the negative impact on your future. Our DUI attorneys regularly defend clients in Mount Pleasant, the City of Charleston, Charleston County and the surrounding communities.

What To Expect If You’ve Been Arrested For A DUI In Charleston County

DUI arrests are routine for law enforcement in Charleston County and throughout South Carolina. If it’s your first encounter with law enforcement, it is anything but routine. A typical DUI charge includes:

  • The traffic stop
  • Field sobriety testing
  • The arrest
  • Processing with data masters at the police station
  • Subsequent court hearings

By hiring a DUI lawyer to represent you, you will have someone on your side to protect your rights and speak on your behalf for any of the subsequent court proceedings after your arrest.

Why You Should Hire A DUI Attorney

A lot of people charged with drunk driving simply assume that they will be convicted. However, before you plead guilty, it is wise to speak to a DUI attorney to make sure that you understand all your options. There may be ways to contest the charges and protect your criminal record and driver’s license.

At Young & Young, Attorneys at Law, our founding attorneys are former prosecutors and experienced criminal defense lawyers. They know what evidence to look for in a DUI/DWI case. Our attorneys can review the police report and test results and quickly assess your case. If the prosecution’s case against you is weak, you may be able to argue for the charges to be reduced or dismissed altogether. If the prosecutor does not negotiate fairly, we will be prepared to take the case to trial. Our DUI lawyers represent adults, college students and juveniles in Charleston and the surrounding communities.

Reinstating A Suspended Driver’s License

In South Carolina, a DUI/DWI conviction or refusing a breathalyzer test will result in a driver’s license suspension. Furthermore, if you lose your license and are later pulled over while driving with a suspended license, you can be taken to jail and face an even longer license suspension.

You don’t want to risk more penalties. Our DUI lawyers can help you get your license back. Reinstating your driver’s license is a lengthy process that is best handled by an experienced attorney. We can defend you against DUI/DWI charges and represent you at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) administrative license hearing as well. As former prosecutors, we can identify weak points in the state’s case against you. We know what questions to ask and what arguments to make at each step of the case.

Challenging Breath And Field Sobriety Tests

Failing a breath test does not necessarily mean that you will be convicted of DUI/DWI. After years of prosecuting cases for South Carolina, we have seen enough fact patterns and cases to quickly analyze whether the state has a good case. We will examine the breath test and standardized field sobriety tests you were given to determine if the results are admissible. If they are not, we will argue for the evidence to be suppressed. This may lead to reduction or dismissal of the charges.

In South Carolina, arrests, field sobriety tests and breathalyzer tests are supposed to be videotaped. If they were not or the recording is too poor to view, we can argue that your rights were violated.

The Impact Of A DUI/DWI Charge On Your Criminal Record

DUI/DWI offenses are not traffic violations; they are misdemeanors that will remain on your criminal record permanently. You can be charged with a felony under certain circumstances, including a third or higher DUI/DWI offense or a drunk driving offense that causes an accident or injury.

The penalties for conviction of a first-offense DUI/DWI in South Carolina may include:

  • Jail time or probation
  • Suspension of your driver’s license
  • Fines, fees and court costs
  • Alcohol abuse screening and education
  • Installation of an ignition interlock device on your vehicle

Subsequent DUI/DWI convictions will result in increased penalties such as mandatory jail sentences and the permanent loss of your driver’s license.

Consult With A DUI Accident Lawyer For Free

Our DUI attorneys offer free, initial consultation appointments to discuss your case. To schedule your free consultation call us at 843-619-7755. You may also contact us online.