Spartanburg DWI/DUI Lawyer

In Spartanburg, South Carolina, driving a vehicle is an offense if your blood alcohol content is 0.08% (or above). The law also prohibits driving under the influence of impairing substances, whether legal or illegal drugs. 

If law enforcement alleges that you have committed a DWI/DUI offense, refusing to take a test is illegal and can worsen your case. There are three chemical tests you can be asked to take: 

• Blood test
• Urine test
• Breath test

These tests all have specific requirements for administration, and if performed incorrectly, your lawyer may be able to use it to your advantage.

Many questions pop up when facing DWI/DUI charges. Will the law revoke your driver’s license? Will you face jail time? What exactly are the penalties for this offense? 

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the following are the possible consequences if the law finds you guilty: 

• First-time Offender: A fine of up to $ 400, 2-30 days in prison, six months of driver’s license suspension
• Second-time offender: A fine ranging from $ 2100-$5100, Five days–one year of jail time, one year of driver’s license suspension
• Third-time Offender: A fine ranging from $3,800-$6,300, 60 days–three years in prison, two years of driver’s license suspension
• Forth (and subsequent) offender: Jail time from one to five years, permanent revocation of your driver’s license

Your personal conviction penalty depends on your specific case.

With a skilled lawyer, it is possible to win a DWI/DUI case. Such cases are tough, but they are winnable, even if the prosecution has strong evidence against you. While some cases are complicated and cannot be won outright, an experienced attorney can identify ways to make the case more likely to come out in your favor. 

Depending on the circumstances, a Spartanburg DWI/DUI lawyer can help your case in one of the following ways: 

Case Dismissal or Charges Dropped

When this happens, everything goes back to normal as if you were never arrested—no court battles and no offense goes on your record. 

The Law Finds You Innocent

An attorney from King Law can leverage skills and experience to help you walk away free. After all, not every piece of evidence is admissible in court. 

Reduced Charges

If there is no other way to defend you, a DUI attorney may be able to negotiate a favorable deal. As a result, you get a lenient sentence. For example, a lawyer can negotiate a plea deal with the prosecutor to change DUI charges into reckless driving, which carries more lenient penalties.

Cases with the strongest evidence against the defendants can still favor them. If you believe the prosecution has everything it needs to prove you guilty, all is not lost. A DWI/DUI defense attorney in Spartanburg can develop defenses to fight the charges. Common defenses include: 

• Identifying discrepancies in your case
• Proving a violation of your rights
• Identifying strong evidence that contradicts what the prosecution has against you
• Unreliable chemical tests from lab technicians involved in the case

The above defenses are just examples. An attorney from King Law will thoroughly analyze your case to develop the best, personalized defenses. The defenses can substantially weaken the prosecution’s case. Remember, you do not have to prove your innocence to win a criminal case. You just need to create a reasonable doubt in the prosecutor’s argument against you.

A DWI/DUI case that involves an accident, death, or injury has severe consequences. If the law finds you guilty, the penalties may include: 

• 30 days to 15 years in prison and a mandatory fine ranging from $5,100 to $10,100 if the injury involved is severe 
• One year to 25 years in prison and a mandatory fine ranging from $10,100 to $25,100 if death is involved

If your case involves these aggravating factors, do not fret. At King Law, a Spartanburg DWI/DUI attorney will help you during this difficult moment. We defend our clients with all possible means to help ensure they get the best possible results. 

For example, we may be able to get you a favorable plea bargain if your case is so complicated that it cannot be won outright. That way, you get a more lenient penalty than you could get without the plea bargain. This could mean reducing jail time and the fines involved.

If the law finds you guilty, you may have to pay three types of fees: 

• Fines: These are fees the law prescribes for DUI/DWI convicts. Typically, they come with a minimum and maximum. A lawyer at King Law can help keep your fines down. 
• Court assessment costs: You only pay these if the law finds you guilty. These fees are related to processing your case, and the amounts are non-negotiable. A lawyer may be able to create a defense strategy that proves you innocent or prevents your case from reaching trial.
• Sentence-related fees: This includes costs pertaining to programs you may have to attend, such as alcohol education programs as the law may mandate in some cases. 

Speak with a Spartanburg DWI/DUI attorney for an estimate of what this may cost you in your specific case.