Charleston Municipal and Magistrate Court Criminal Lawyer
Municipal and Magistrate Courts handle Charleston, SC area criminal misdemeanor charges. These offenses carry the potential penalty of up to one year in jail. Many Municipal and Magistrate Court charges have a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail or a fine. Sometimes the accused is issued a ticket for the offense and given a court date. Many people do not realize that paying the fine is equivalent to pleading guilty. Paying the fine without proper legal representation sometimes can create dire consequences to the individual. Many Municipal and Magistrate Court offenses can result in a suspension of the person's driving privileges. The following is a list of a few Municipal and Magistrate Court charges in which a conviction will result in a suspension of driving privileges in South Carolina.
- Dishonored check
- False ID
- Driving Under Suspension (DUS)
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI or DWI)
- Failure to stop for a blue light
- Leaving the scene of an accident
- Unlawfully passing a stopped schoolbus
It is important to contact me or another Charleston attorney prior to paying any fines in Municipal or Magistrate Court because such payment could result in a driver's license suspension. Also, in the electronic world in which we live, any conviction in Charleston Municipal and Magistrate Court will be on your permanent record and follow you in the future.