I was pulled over in Aiken County, SC (in a borrowed car, that I put my car insurance on) for failure to maintain lane. The officer told me why she pulled me over, then asked me why I was nervous, as I was handing her my information. I said "because I got pulled over". Then she asked if she could search the vehicle. I said yes, hesitantly, then I let her know that I did have drugs in my purse (pills and cocaine). Her partner came and searched me when they asked me to step out of the car, while the first officer searched my things. Once she pulled everything out and placed it on the car, she walked to me and said I was being arrested then handcuffed me, without reading me any rights. The second officer immediately took me to the car and brought me to jail. I was charged with two misdemeanors and this is my first offense.
My charges are:
Drugs/possession of cocaine, 1st offense ; CDR Code: 3011 ; Offense Statute: 44-53-0370(d)(3) ; Penalty Statute: 44-53-0370(d)(3)
Drugs/ poss. of narc. in Schedule I(b),(c), LSD & Schedule II- 1st offense ; CDR Code: 0176 ; Offense Statute: 44-53-0370(c) ; Penalty Statute: 44-53-0370(d)(1)
A criminal defense lawyer is a lawyer (mostly barristers) specializing in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal activity. Some criminal defense lawyers are privately retained, while others are employed by the various jurisdictions with criminal courts for appointment to represent indigent persons; the latter are generally called public defenders. The terminology is imprecise because each jurisdiction may have different practices with various levels of input from state and federal law or consent decrees. Some jurisdictions use a rotating system of appointments with judges appointing a private practice attorney or firm for each case. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_defense_lawyer
If you're facing criminal charges (You were detained and imprisoned by the police), You have the right to remain silent. You should remember, that anything you say can and will be used against you in a court. You have - just like anyone else - the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an criminal defense attorney, you may qualify for a court-appointed lawyer.
- How to Become a Criminal Defense Lawyer? - wikihow.com
- Tips on how to find the right lawyer to handle your criminal case - nolo.com
- Various ways that private criminal lawyers charge for their work - nolo.com
How to find and compare top criminal defense law firms that provide legal aid for DUI and other criminal cases? Search Super Lawyers directory, compare criminal attorneys on Justia or browse detailed Avvo reports on Criminal Defense Attorneys across United States.
