A DUI is a serious criminal offense in South Carolina. The legislation governing DUI offenses in this jurisdiction is very stringent. This means that whether you are a first-time offender or have multiple DUI offenses in your record, you may find yourself with potential penalties or even serving jail time. Therefore, it is imperative to take proper measures to ensure you avoid these potential penalties.
That being said, if you have been arrested for a DUI offense in South Carolina, there are some critical steps to help you navigate through the experience and also mitigate the consequences of your DUI. Here is a brief elucidation of the essential steps to take after a DUI arrest.
What Should You Do after a DUI Arrest?
Stay Silent but Remain Cooperative
Put briefly, the police officers tend to make recordings of the conversation you have before and after making the arrest. This is to the effect that the prosecutor will have sufficient evidence in court to support the charges levied against you.
You can avoid this by exercising your right to remain silent after the DUI arrest. This means that you shouldn’t commit to answering any questions (other than identifying yourself). Also, volunteering to provide any information could lead to self-incrimination. In other words, you could potentially harm your case once you attempt to defend yourself against being arrested.
Contact an Attorney
An attorney is one of your most valuable assets once you are arrested. This is attested to the fact that an attorney sets out to defend you by weakening the prosecutor’s evidence. In other words, a qualified attorney can help lower the charges or have them dropped altogether.
Additionally, having a DUI attorney can help you restore your driving privileges. This is because you will have ample access to necessary counsel from your attorney that effectively helps you challenge your driver’s license suspension.
What are the Potential Consequences of a DUI Arrest?
Owing to the stringent penalties in South Carolina’s jurisdiction, you may find yourself facing multiple problems after a DUI arrest. Some of these include:
A suspended license: The problem with a DUI is that it leads to an automatic suspension of your driving license. This means that you won’t be able to use your vehicle until your driving privileges are restored. As a consequence, you have to use other alternative means that may inconvenience you.
A ruined criminal record: Maintaining a good criminal record may end up being a daunting task after a DUI conviction. This can jeopardize your job, especially where your current employment depends on you maintaining a good criminal record.
Passing future background checks can be affected: A criminal conviction places you at risk of having an unsuccessful background check. Therefore, you may end up not having your job application approved, or a financial application rejected based on your record.
Bottom Line
Navigating through a DUI charge can be a daunting task, and at times it becomes scary, especially for first-time offenders. Therefore, before you enter a plea of not guilty, it is imperative to avoid making assumptions that may prove costly.
That said, a qualified DUI attorney can effectively help you challenge the evidence tabled against you in a court of law. In essence, you have a chance of avoiding all those severe penalties associated with a DUI offense. Contact Bailey Law Firm today and let us help you.