If you’ve been charged with a crime in South Carolina, there is a lot at stake, and simply waiting to see what happens will not do you any favors. You’re facing serious legal and social consequences that can tremendously impact your future, and you shouldn’t put off consulting with an experienced South Carolina criminal defense attorney.
Standard Criminal Charges in South Carolina
South Carolina has a vast array of criminal charges, but most fall into basic categories like the following:
- DUI charges
- Sex offenses, including sexual assault
- Domestic violence charges
- Drug crimes – at both the state and federal levels
- Financial crimes, including those related to fraud
- Sexual exploitation of minors
- Drug crimes that relate to possession, manufacture, and distribution
- White-collar crimes
Regardless of the criminal charge, you must have a resourceful criminal defense lawyer.
Invoke Your Miranda Rights from the Start
The best way to help ensure that your case leads to a favorable resolution is by retaining a diligent criminal defense lawyer from the start, which is your constitutional right. You also have the right to remain silent, which is always in your best interest.
If you’ve been arrested or detained by the police, you must only share basic identifying information about yourself. From here, you should let them know you want an attorney and are invoking your right to remain silent. However, anything you say from this point on can still be used against you, which means you will need to refrain from talking to protect your rights as fully as possible.
These are the rights bestowed by the Miranda warning that the police are required to read to you upon your arrest or detention. If they fail to do so, it can dramatically alter the course of your case.
The Difference Having Legal Counsel Can Make
Having a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer on your side from early on can make a profound difference in the outcome of your case in all the following ways:
- Ensure you understand the charges against you and how best to protect your rights throughout the legal process.
- They are familiar with the criminal justice system and the major players in your case, which means they are well-prepared to strategize the best path forward.
- Turn to their legal know-how and skill to have the charge against you dropped or, barring that, lessened – when a plea deal is considered beneficial.
- They will build a solid defense on your behalf and will be well-prepared to take your case to court if doing so is deemed the best course of action.
A Criminal Defense Lawyer Who Cares
The persuasive South Carolina criminal defense attorneys at Beasley Tomlinson Law have a wealth of experience handling even the most challenging cases. We’re located at 12 Whitsett Street, Greenville, SC 29601, and we’re pleased to serve Greenville, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Easley, Simpsonville, Pickens, Greer, and Duncan – as well as Greenville County, Spartanburg County, Pickens County, and Florence County. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 864-775-5787 today.
