Need South Carolina DUI information and help?
An experienced South Carolina DUI Lawyer can make THE difference for you
If you were arrested for drunk driving in South Carolina, you are probably concerned about the serious criminal allegations you now face. Nobody wants to have to spend time in jail, and you are probably worried about having your license suspended or revoked, and having a criminal record. Do you know what impact this case will have on your career, your family and your future. If you are like most folks charged with a South Carolina DUI, you are probably intimidated and overwhelmed by the arrest and court process.
You have every right to be cautiou. If you weren't worried you wouldn't be normal because the charges you face can cause you great discomfort now, and affect your future.
Find help now by selecting the county where you were arrested:
 South Carolina DUI Laws
Under South Carolina DUI Law, it is against the law to drive or physically control a vehicle if you are under the influence of alcohol or any drug which makes you incapable of driving safely.
The legal limit for alcohol in South Carolina is 0.08 or more alcohol concentration. In addition, the state has separate DUI laws for people under 21 years of age, for school bus drivers, for drivers of commercial vehicles, and for cases involving injury or death by impaired driving (or boating) conduct.
Any driver who commits a DUI with a child under 16 years of age in the vehicle can be charged with Child Endangerment in addition the the regular drunk driving charge.
 South Carolina DUI Penalties
South Carolina DUI punishments: Even a first offense South Carolina DUI conviction carries up to thirty days for the lowest level, and between 30 and 90 days in jail for a first offense with an alcohol level of 0.16 or greater. Second offense expose you to up to a year in jail. Third offenses exposes you to up to 3 years in jail. Fourth offenses range up to 5 years in jail.
In addition to the jail time, all South Carolina DUI sentences include mandatory, court-ordered drug or alcohol abuse treatment programs.
If the driver causes an injury or death of another person, the sentences range up to 15 to 25 years in prison, plus a 5 year license suspension after the prison terms is up. For people convicted of child endangerment in addition to DUI, the time behind bars can be increased by 50-percent, and the drivers license suspension extended for an additional 60 days.
In addition to the court imposed punishments, there are hosts of potential collateral effects on your life. These can include losing a professional or occupational license, being deported or having travel restrictions to other countries if you are a US Citizen, and having severe difficulties getting all kinds of insurance, including auto, life, health and disability.
South Carolina DUI License Suspensions and Driving Sanctions
In addition to going to jail and paying heavy fines as part of an South Carolina DUI conviction, it is also possible to lose your driver's license administratively for either failing a chemical test or refusing to take one. Learn more about the South Carolina DUI license suspension laws and implied consent laws, and what you and your attorney can do to eliminate or lessen the impact of your DUI case on your ability to legally drive.
Your South Carolina DUI case may not be as bad as it seems
Were you given a chemical test? South Carolina DUI testing is not foolproof, and is prone to a host of errors that could result in false highs or false positives. You owe it to yourself to have your case examined by an experienced SC DUI lawyer who knows how to analyze the data provided during your chemical test analysis. A good lawyer will be able to find any errors that might exist and use them to your advantage.
In addition, there are many other things that can, and do, go wrong for the State's case against you. For example, if a witness is proven to be a liar or is not available for cross examination, it can result in the whole case against you being thrown out of court. Without the help of an attorney, you may never discover weaknesses in the case against you such as missing evidence, unavailable forensic or law enforcement witnesses and many other things. You may also never know if there are legal defenses to your case.
You owe it to yourself to consult with an experienced South Carolina DUI lawyer to determine whether you have a case. In many ways, you can't afford not to have an attorney guide you through the South Carolina DUI court process. There is simply too much at stake to bury your head in the sand or pretend that this will go away by itself or that it won't hurt you in the long run to just plead guilty and be done with it.
Get started on the right track now by selecting the county of your arrest:
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