bail

What Happens if You Can’t Afford Bail After an Arrest?

The Constitution of the State of South Carolina guarantees bail for non-violent offenders, and throughout the state’s history, it has expanded that assurance by creating a statutory right to bail for all non-capital offenses. Equally importantly, that statute creates a presumption that favors release on recognizance (OR) without bail.

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courtroom

What Is the Difference Between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Degree Murders?

South Carolina has an unusual murder statute, as it does not define separate murder charges; in fact, the state law never uses terms like “capital murder,” “first-degree murder,” or “second-degree murder.”

Nevertheless, the statute defines three punishment levels for murder, which roughly correspond to the punishments other states associate...

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prosecutor sitting at table

Ask the Attorney: How Does the Prosecutor Decide to Drop Charges or Take a Case to Trial?

Suppose that you are charged after allegedly stealing items from a business, but you later repay the merchant for the allegedly stolen goods. Or suppose that you are charged with domestic violence after a heated argument with your partner, but the two of you later work the matter out in counseling. 

Ask the Attorney: How Does the Prosecutor Decide to Drop Charges or Take a Case to Trial? Continue reading…