Columbia Criminal Defense Blog
What qualifies as lawful search and seizure in a car?
When the police pull you over—and you find yourself waiting for the officer to walk up to your window in a state of fear and stress—it’s easy to believe that officer has the power to do anything. However, it’s important to know that there are laws in place to protect...
What if children are present during a DUI stop?
Your life is hectic as a parent and beyond stressful. From shuttling kids to and from school, sports, extracurriculars, helping them with homework, managing doctor’s appointments, and caring for sick children, you rarely have a moment to yourself. Not to mention the...
How can college drug charges impact financial aid?
College life presents many situations in which a college student can face criminal charges: parties where underage students drink, the temptation to drink and drive, and getting in trouble with the law due to drug possession, sale, or use of illegal drugs. Students...
Can you refuse to take field sobriety tests?
You may be familiar with field sobriety tests from movies and television shows. You see a cop pull someone over for drunk driving and make the driver walk a straight line or stand on one leg. You may even practice saying your alphabet backward in case it ever happens...
South Carolina cop charged with hitting cuffed suspect
Most residents of Columbia have at least once made the two-drive southeast to Charleston to enjoy its horse-drawn carriages, cobblestone streets, architecture and restaurants. The city’s carefully cultivated image as a tourist destination took a hit recently when a...
What consequences can your child face from the college for a DUI?
If your child gets a DUI, he or she will have to deal with the legal consequences. These consequences can include losing a license, jail time, fines and a criminal record. But how can a DUI affect your child’s enrollment in college? The University of South Carolina...
What happens if I refuse a breathalyzer test?
If you are pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving, the law presumes you have given your consent to a test of your breath, blood or urine for the presence of alcohol. Refusing to submit to a “breathalyzer” test is not proof of the offense of driving under the...