A DUI conviction in South Carolina is a serious matter. Under state law, convictions come with a mandatory jail sentence, the payment of stiff fines, and a required driver’s license suspension. Whether a person pleads guilty to these charges to accept responsibility in an attempt to lessen their penalties, or a court finds them guilty after a trial, people will need to accept these consequences.
Sadly, even after an individual has paid their debt to the criminal justice system and recovered their driving privileges, the DUI can follow them long into the future. This is because a person’s criminal record involving DUI in South Carolina is permanent. In addition, these convictions are public records that potential employers or apartment renters may view. As a result, it is crucial to take every possible step to avoid a DUI conviction.
DUI Cases Fall Under the Umbrella of Criminal Matters
Many moving violations that a person may commit while behind the wheel of a vehicle are simple, administrative matters. Even if they are to blame, the court cannot impose a penalty beyond the payment of a fine and the addition of points to a person’s driver’s license.
Drunk driving allegations are a key exception to this idea. Under South Carolina Code § 56-5-2930, even a first DUI conviction in South Carolina is a criminal offense. This means that courts may impose penalties that include jail time, the payment of fines, and mandatory license suspension. This also means that these convictions will appear on a person’s criminal record.
DUIs and Potential Expungement
In most examples, a conviction is a permanent mark on a person’s criminal record. In rare cases, a person may petition the court to expunge a conviction from their record and make it appear as though the incident never occurred.
Sadly, DUI convictions are not eligible for this process. As a result, receiving a conviction for a DUI has a permanent impact on a person’s future.
This could affect an individual’s life in many ways. Potential employers or landlords may be hesitant to hire or rent to a person with a DUI on public record. In addition, any subsequent allegations of alleged criminal behavior can use this conviction as an aggravating factor for future sentencing. Clearly, it is of vital importance to avoid conviction for DUI in South Carolina at all costs.
Contact the Team at Truslow & Truslow PA Now to Learn More About the Potential Impact of a DUI Conviction
While cases that allege DUI are among the most common that go before South Carolina’s criminal courts, the potential consequences of these charges are severe. Convictions can bring jail sentences, loss of driving privileges, and the payment of severe fines.
Sadly, the end of a criminal case may not be the end of a person’s troubles. Criminal records in South Carolina are permanent, and DUI cases are not eligible for removal from official court documents. As a result, a DUI will forever stay on a person’s record in South Carolina.
Truslow & Truslow PA wants to help people avoid this outcome. We are ready to explain every way in which a DUI conviction will affect their present and future. We then work to develop a powerful defense that aims to defeat the prosecutor’s case in court. Contact us now to get started.