At best, South Carolina's grand jury system is antiquated, unnecessary, and a waste of time. At worst, it's a tool that prosecutors use to push weak cases to trial even after a judge says there isn't enough evidence. It's time for the US - or at least SC - to catch up...
The Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) in Myrtle Beach regularly violates suspects' constitutional rights by forcing their way into homes without knocking or announcing themselves, according to report from a US magistrate. A U.S. magistrate judge said in a document filed...
Police and prosecutors often portray themselves as the protectors of crime victims, noble defenders whose first priority is to safeguard the wellbeing of the people. Although that’s how it should be, and it’s certainly how many police and prosecutors see themselves,...
Every small business needs a business law firm that is prepared to aggressively prosecute and defend lawsuits on their behalf, but how does a small business avoid lawsuits? A lawsuit can bring down a business. That’s one reason responsible business owners keep the...
A friend sends you an email titled "You need to see this." You open it up, expecting a funny video or maybe a story about the latest outrageous antics of your least-favorite politician. Instead, it's a photo of you. And not just any photo - the lighting is bad, the...
To some law enforcement officials in SC, the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure is an inconvenient obstacle to doing their job. They are always looking for ways to get around it and search people and their property with no warrant and...
A 16-year-old Texas girl died after removing her seatbelt to take a selfie. Just seconds after she unbuckled and snapped the photo, the car she was riding in ran off the road and flipped. The girl was ejected from the vehicle and died instantly; everyone else in the...
Every so often, people ask me: What is the difference between "domestic violence" and "criminal domestic violence" in South Carolina? There is no difference. The "criminal" was dropped from the charge when SC lawmakers passed a new domestic violence law in 2015, but...
Horry County police arrested a woman after her newborn baby tested positive for marijuana. Fortunately, this is a rare move by police - if they arrested every pregnant woman who uses marijuana, the jails would be overflowing with mothers and soon-to-be mothers....
A much-anticipated bill that will overhaul South Carolina’s expungement laws has passed the House and Senate, and is now waiting for the governor’s signature. The new SC expungement law makes some major changes, including: Expanding the list of drug offenses that can...