DUI Defense

At Bernstein and Bernstein, we are here to help you if you have been charged with driving under the influence (DUI). The repercussions of a DUI conviction can include jail time, heavy fines, a suspended license and even more serious penalties depending on the case. A DUI conviction can have a devastating impact on your life by limiting your job opportunities, restricting your ability to drive and causing your insurance to increase dramatically.  Considering all the potential DUI penalties, drunk driving is a very costly and traumatic offense.  By hiring our DUI defense attorneys, you can know that you are doing everything possible to help calm your fears and prevent a severe setback in life.

It is important to know that just because you are arrested and charged for DUI does not always mean you will be convicted.  Our DUI defense lawyers examine the manner in which the arrest was handled and often prove that the results of the chemical tests you submitted were inaccurate or that the officer's recollections of the arrest were erroneous.  Additionally, our attorneys can frequently negotiate a plea bargain that reduces a drunk-driving charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. A driver who agrees to this type of plea bargain faces far fewer penalties than a driver convicted of a felony.

In South Carolina, it is the responsibility of the prosecutor to prove that an individual was under the influence of alcohol while driving.  The levels of punishment for DUI convictions in South Carolina can vary.  The penalty for a first offense DUI conviction may include a $400 fine and a jail term of up to 30 days. A second DUI conviction may be punishable with a fine of up to $5,000 and up to 1 year in jail. A third DUI conviction may result in the defendant paying a $6,300 fine and spending up to 3 years in jail. Four or more drunk driving convictions may require the defendant to spend 5 years in jail.

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence - DUI, contact Bernstein and Bernstein for experienced legal representation to ensure that your rights are aggressively defended.