Put an experienced lawyer to work for you!
Let’s be honest. No one plans on being arrested and charged with a crime. It’s both terrifying and confusing. Not to mention, it’s one huge disruption to your life that comes with serious potential consequences.
So where do you turn?
Now, more than ever, you need a criminal defense attorney who understands the legal system and knows how to work within it to get you the best possible outcome. Consider criminal defense attorney Kent Collins.
Kent is a former prosecutor and understands how both sides of the law work. That means he knows what to expect which is critical to building your defense.
For example, he knows…
- The benefit of seeking a pretrial intervention (which may result in no conviction and expungement of your record).
- Or the possibility of a plea bargain, which means you would face lesser penalties in a criminal case for pleading guilty to a lesser charge.
- Or ultimately, Kent knows when we should take your case to trial and fight to defend you in a court of law.
People call Kent when they want to:
- Avoid paying costly fines
- Minimize (or possibly eliminate) jail time
- Maintain their right to bear arms
- Get their side of the story heard by the prosecutor, judge and jury
- Protect their reputation within the community
- Maintain their professional license and more
And they continue to call on him when they’re facing charges for property crimes, assault & battery, drugs, DUI, shoplifting, burglary, sex offenses, violating probation, murder or most any other type of criminal offense in South Carolina.
TYPES OF CRIMINAL CASES WE ROUTINELY HANDLE
- Armed Robbery
- Arson 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Assault and Battery 1st degree, 2nd degree and 3rd degree
- Assault upon a Correctional Employee
- Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature
- Attempted Murder
- Breach of Trust
- Breaking into a Motor Vehicle
- Burglary 1st degree, 2nd degree and 3rd degree
- Criminal Sexual Conduct
- Disorderly Conduct, Public Intoxication
- Domestic Violence (DV/CDV)
- Domestic Violence of High & Aggravated Nature (DVHAN)
- Driving Under Suspension
- Drug Offenses (All Types)
- Drug Distribution
- Drug Manufacturing
- Drug Possession With Intent to Distribute (PWID)
- Drug Trafficking
- DUI/DUAC
- Failure to Stop for a Blue Light
- Fake ID / False ID
- Felony DUI, Death; Felony DUI Great Bodily Injury
- Firearms related charges (All Types)
- Forgery, Financial Transaction Fraud, Forgery, Theft
- Grand Larceny
- Habitual Traffic Offender
- Leaving the Scene of an Accident
- Malicious Injury to Person Property / Real Property
- Manslaughter
- Murder
- Petty Larceny
- Pointing or Presenting a Firearm
- Reckless Driving
- Reckless Homicide
- Resisting Arrest
- Sexual Assault
- Shoplifting
- Simple Assault
- Strong Arm Robbery
- Threatening the Life of a Public Official or Public Employee
- Trespassing
- Unlawful Carrying of a Pistol
- Vandalism
READY TO SPEAK WITH AN ATTORNEY?
Get your case evaluated by a real attorney at no cost to you.
CLIENTS HAVE SAID
Frequently Asked Questions
How are criminal charges filed?
Criminal charges are filed using a multi-step process detailed below.
1. The first thing that happens is your arrest. The police must have probable cause to arrest you. In most cases the police will have an arrest warrant prior to your arrest, but if you are arrested for a charge the police allegedly witnessed you commit then there won’t be an arrest warrant first. An example of this may be DUI, fleeing and evading, or assault and battery.
2. Following an arrest, the police department forwards the incident to the prosecutor, called the “solicitor” in South Carolina, for their office to decide whether to “indict” for a criminal charge.
3. The indictment then either goes forward or not depending on a grand jury determination of probable cause. If the grand jury finds probable cause, the indictment will go forward and is called a “true bill.” A formal charge will be filed against you in criminal court. If there is not a finding of probable cause the indictment will not go forward and is called a “no bill.”
Can criminal charges be dropped by the victim?
Once a criminal charge is filed against a defendant, the victim doesn’t have the final say as to whether the charge should be pursued or dropped, the solicitor/prosecutor does. If a victim decides not to cooperate it may result in the charge being dropped if victim cooperation is vital to the prosecutor’s case, but this is definitely not guaranteed.
Do criminal convictions show up on a background check?
Criminal convictions do show up on background checks, and you may be surprised to hear that pending charges also show up. Having a criminal record that shows up on a background check can cause you some real trouble. You may have a difficult time keeping your job, finding new employment in the future, and qualifying for educational opportunities.
This difficulty is the reason why you should never just plead guilty to your criminal charge. Criminal charges can sometimes be reduced or even dismissed. Always speak to an experienced criminal attorney to find out your options.
Can criminal charges be removed from my record?
While expungement is never guaranteed, you may apply for the following charges to be removed from your record:
- Minor convictions that carry a 30 day maximum sentence and/or a $1,000 fine;
- Charges for which you were found not guilty at trial;
- Charges that were dismissed by the solicitor/prosecutor;
- Certain nonviolent first-time convictions
There are also special expungement rules for some criminal charges, including youthful offenders, convictions involving fraudulent checks, convictions for failing to stop for a blue light, and certain drug possession and possession with intent to distribute convictions.
READY TO SPEAK WITH AN ATTORNEY?
Get your case evaluated by a real attorney at no cost to you.