South Carolina considers driving under the influence of alcohol to be a crime. Even with the first offense, a judge can sentence the person up to 30 days in jail. The driver’s license is suspended for six months, and the total monetary penalty is nearly $1,000. To fight the charge, the defendant may hire a criminal defense attorney in Charleston, SC.
Some men and women have never been stopped for DUI and don’t know of anyone who has been. These individuals may be startled to realize that the stop leads to an arrest. They may have been aware of some consequences, like the steep fine and license suspension, but never expected handcuffs.
People driving in this state cannot legally have blood alcohol content of .08 or higher. They will be considered intoxicated. Drivers under the legal drinking age of 21 are allowed to have .02 BAC. This covers the possibility of using liquid cough medication or mouthwash containing alcohol. Trying to claim that BAC of .08 or more is related to cough medicine is not an effective defense.
A criminal defense attorney in Charleston, SC, knows the strategies that can lead to case dismissal or the charge being reduced. In some cases, the district attorney could be convinced to reduce the charge to reckless driving.
Even if there is no way to avoid conviction, legal representation by a skilled DUI lawyer helps minimize penalties to the most lenient allowed by state law. Anyone interested in hiring a DUI attorney may visit http://phippsfirm.com for contact details.
