Absolutely. Depending on your home state’s traffic laws, a speeding ticket in Myrtle Beach or anywhere in SC could be more serious than it would be for a local. Or, it could be easier for you to walk away with no points. The answer depends not just on your home state,...
Libel & Slander: What is the Difference in SC?
Imagine that your business starts dropping off - at first, you aren’t sure what the problem is, but then, you learn that your competition has been telling potential customers that you are selling shoddy goods and ripping people off. Or - you find that multiple...
Civil vs. Criminal Law: 5 Key Differences
The glove. The white Bronco. The slow-speed car chase on the 405 freeway. We watched the O.J. Simpson trial unfold in criminal court in 1995. But right after the criminal trial, OJ also had his day in civil court for the same scenario. How could this be? Civil and...
The Hidden Costs Paid by DUI Accident Victims
When we think of the victims of drunk drivers, we usually imagine the things we can see - blood, mangled bodies, demolished cars. When most people think of compensation for drunk driving victims, the first things they think of are most likely doctor bills, medical...
Does Texting While Driving Really Cause Car Wrecks?
Would you drive the length of a football field at 55 mph with your eyes closed? Well, texting while driving is about the same. When you send a text or dial a number on your phone, you are not paying attention to the road. Period. So, for the five seconds or more that...
Stay Out of the Left Lane Unless You are Passing…
If you ask your friends to list their biggest highway pet peeves, slow driving in the left lane will probably be near the top. But it's not just annoying and frustrating - slow driving in the left lane is illegal, and it's dangerous. South Carolina law requires...
Can I Get My Case Dismissed Based on the IADA?
It's been almost 16 years since Jack Abbot Murray’s murder. His family has waited for justice, but the men suspected of killing Murray will not be tried. Earlier this month, a judge dismissed the charges against Shannon Devon Patton and Daniel Joseph Newton because...
Murder Conviction Reversed in Columbia SC
In Smalls v. South Carolina, the SC Supreme Court reversed a defendant’s conviction for murder based on ineffective assistance of counsel by his criminal defense lawyer at trial. The basis for the reversal was: The defendant’s attorney failed to cross-examine a...
Why do Insurance Companies Deny Claims in SC?
Insurance adjustors are trained to deny claims. When that doesn't work, they fall back on other training - how to minimize a payout on a claim, how to talk you out of hiring an attorney, and how to bully you into accepting a settlement that doesn't come close to what...
How Will Robot Cops Affect Criminal Defense in South Carolina?
The problems: Police shootings, racial profiling, excessive force, corruption. The solution: Robot cops. At least, that's what some people think. As self-driving cars become more common on the roadways, Ford has filed a patent for a law-enforcement version - a...