Reasons Why You Should Hire A Criminal Defense Attorney

Attorney Patrick C. Sharpe of Columbia, SC, understands that no one wants to go to jail. This is why his law office is explaining why South Carolina residents should never try to go through a criminal case alone. Each citizen needs a private criminal defense attorney to represent them and protect their legal rights.

(Columbia, SC January 2022) Regardless of the type of criminal charges a citizen is charged with, it is vitally important that the resident hires a criminal defense lawyer to help them navigate through the legal process of South Carolina laws.

There are several kinds of criminal charges that the Law Office of Sharpe & Leventis, LLC can help with. One of the most common reasons to be arrested is for driving under the influence. Citizens should note that the charge is for driving under the influence, not drunk driving. Driving while drunk is certainly a criminal offense, but it is not the only criminal offense covered by this law.

A person can be charged with driving under the influence if they are under the influence of drugs along with separate charges for drug possession and use.

Also, South Carolina residents who are under the age of 21 can be charged with DUI if they drive with a blood alcohol concentration over .02%. People tend to think that all drivers can have a BAC of up to .08% so it may come as a surprise to a younger person when they are arrested with a BAC under .08%.

Residents will also need a criminal attorney when they have been charged with assault. In South Carolina, assault is defined as “unlawful touching of another.” There are several different degrees of assault. A citizen will need the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney to make sure they have been charged within the parameters of the law.

If law enforcement officers make any mistakes in the assault charges, the skilled criminal attorney can work toward getting the charges reduced or dismissed.

Assault charges often come up in domestic violence cases. A person can be charged with simple assault if they touch someone and they don’t have a weapon, and the victim is not severely injured. In this case, the criminal attorney at the Law Office of Sharpe & Leventis, LLC will advise that a simple assault is considered a misdemeanor.

Besides giving rise to assault charges, domestic violence is a crime of its own. South Carolina has three degrees of domestic violence. Each is based on the fact that the accused harmed or tried to harm a member of their household.

A resident of South Carolina will also need a criminal defense lawyer if they have been accused of a weapons charge. Weapons charges can be either felonies or misdemeanors depending on the circumstances. An experienced and knowledgeable defense attorney will work to get weapons charges reduced or dismissed.