DUI

Being charged with driving under the influence (DUI) in South Carolina is a serious matter with serious consequences. If you are convicted, you may lose your authorization to drive, be required to pay outrageous insurance premiums and even spend time in jail. When your liberty is on the line, you need a serious attorney to defend you aggressively in court. The Clarkson & Hale, LLC forges its reputation as an innovator in the field of DUI defense and is known for going the extra mile to ensure that clients in Columbia, West Columbia and Lexington and throughout South Carolina get the best possible results.

What should I do if I get pulled over for drunk driving?

• Remain calm. Police officers can interpret nervousness in your voice as a sign that you are hiding something or are intoxicated. Whether you have consumed alcohol or not, remaining calm is a good way to ensure that police officers do not question your sobriety.
• Always have a clean center console or glove box. Fumbling through these compartments to find your registration or insurance can be misinterpreted as intoxication. Keeping the glove box or center console neat and clean allows you to grab your identification swiftly and present it to a police officer.
• Do not consent to a search of the car. Any evidence found in your car could be used to support a DUI conviction, so do not allow the officer to perform a search.
• Do not take the test. Many DUI defendants have been found not guilty due to a malfunctioning breath analyzing machine or an improperly administered blood or urine test.
• Contact a DUI attorney immediately.

How do I get my driver license back?

According to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, license reinstatement requirements include:

• $100 in reinstatement fees
• SR-22 insurance certificate, an insurance that you must maintain for three years
• Enrollment in the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program
• Re-examination of driving tests, and there is a $2.00 charge to complete the knowledge portion of the exam

Standing up for your rights

Attorney Eric C. Hale does not allow the police or the prosecution to run roughshod over your rights. Eric and his staff work together with the client to find out the whole story, and we keep you informed throughout every step of the process. We know that cases can end and sentences can be reduced when there has been police misconduct, so we scrutinize every piece of evidence the police submit in your case to make sure that they followed proper protocols and procedure. The Law Office of Clarkson & Hale, LLC understands South Carolina’s DUI laws and is diligent in building defenses that make sense legally, logically and scientifically. We fight the prosecution at every turn to ensure that you are treated with the respect you deserve and that you get the results you desire.

When your driving privileges and record are at stake, contact a Columbia attorney immediately

For your initial consultation, call the Law Office of Clarkson & Hale, LLC or contact the firm online.