Columbia First-Offense DUI Lawyer

First-time DUI charges in Columbia can be scary experiences. If you do not know how to handle these types of cases, you may miss the opportunity to properly represent yourself in the court of law. This is why it is very important to contact an experienced DUI attorney. A Columbia first-offense DUI lawyer may be able to give you the proper legal representation you rightfully deserve.

Prosecution’s Attitude

The attitude of the prosecution is dependent upon the strengths and weaknesses of the case, the attorney involved, and the defendant involved. If the case has evidence that is very strong against a defendant, the prosecution may not be willing to negotiate. If the South Carolina first-time DUI defense attorney discovers constitutional violations, understands appropriate legal defenses, and is familiar with the statute, the prosecutor may be more willing to negotiate.

The defendant’s situation also matters, whether they have good mitigation, they could lose a scholarship, be kicked out of school, or lose a job. These types of things do play on prosecutors as far as whether to reduce a charge to reckless driving or to something else to make sure defendants don’t lose either the livelihood, scholarships, and/or school opportunity.

Building a Defense for a First-Offense DUI Charge

With South Carolina’s video recording statute, attorneys may be more inclined to see the dash cam video of the officer. If there is no video, that may prove to be beneficial for the defense. An attorney can make a motion to dismiss unless there is an affidavit. Attorneys may also want to see the SLED’s implied consent video of the breath test. One can go to SLED’s website and it will be downloaded or e-mailed to them for download. A skilled South Carolina attorney may want to watch both videos to understand the best indication of the strengths and weaknesses of the first offense DUI case. They may also want to read the incident report to try to identify all of the constitutional issues and legal defenses.

Mistakes to Avoid for Defendants

Some mistakes to avoid would be allowing either the search of a vehicle and answering any questions that the police might ask without an attorney being present. A person does not have to answer any police questions. An individual is allowed, and has the absolute right, to remain silent if the police ask questions.

The only information, if a person is a driver of a vehicle in South Carolina, that he or she has to provide is the driver’s license, insurance, and registration showing that the person paid his or her taxes. The driver’s license, insurance, and registration are the only things a person has to provide to the officer. The person does not have to answer “How much have you had to drink?” The person doesn’t have to answer “Where are you going?” or “Where are you coming from?” The person doesn’t have to answer any other questions. The person has an absolute right to request a lawyer and to demand that the person is not going to answer any questions. The follow-up mistake would be a consent of search of the vehicle.

The only information a person should provide to law enforcement if their driver’s license, insurance, and registration showing that the person paid their taxes. The driver’s license, insurance, and registration are the only things a person may provide to the office. The person does not have to answer other questions. It is recommended that is an individual finds themselves being questioned by a police officer, to contact an attorney immediately. An attorney serving South Carolina could be able to guide the individual through the questioning period of their first DUI charge.

Importance of Hiring a Columbia First-Offense DUI Lawyer

DUI charges can be very tricky situations a person with experience should handle. An experienced Columbia first-offense DUI lawyer may be able to help you build a strong defense. They can also help you become more informed about this type of charge as well as provide proper legal counsel. Do not hesitate to contact our legal team to learn more.