Majority of those surveyed view possession as a health issue, not a criminal offense A recent poll released by the Drug Policy Alliance shows that a strong majority of South Carolina voters are in favor of decriminalizing drug possession. The survey results focused on the distinction between drugs as a criminal offense and as...
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Criminal Defense Attorney Columbia, South Carolina
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Columbia College Students Can See a Career Derailed by DUI
For students at Columbia College, drinking is often a part of campus life. Unfortunately, this can result in accusations of drunk driving. People who are under the age of 21 and who drink while on campus could be caught up in zero tolerance laws. Even a single drink could result in a blood alcohol concentration...
Read More »Columbia DUI Defendants Need to be Aware of Problems in Crime Labs
Scientific evidence is often a key part of a prosecutor's case when a defendant is accused of impaired driving. Defendants may have toxicology testing performed in order to determine if the motorist was too drunk to be behind the wheel or if the defendant had drugs in his or her system. Juries often give a...
Read More »Will Supreme Court Respect Rights of DUI Defendants?
In most cases where laws change or courts issue rulings, the rights of DUI defendants are abridged. Legislatures take drunk driving very seriously and advocacy groups are aggressive about pushing for ever-tougher laws aimed at punishing people who get behind the wheel drunk. Even the United States Supreme Court has failed to provide protection to...
Read More »Changes Underway in Sentencing for Non-Violent Drug Cases in the Federal System
Late October saw the start of the largest release of federal prisoners in the history of the United States. Across the country the federal prison system is releasing convicts from federal penitentiaries who are serving sentences for non-violent drug crimes. These prisoners are being released because of a July 2014 change in sentencing laws that...
Read More »Avoid a DUI Arrest in Columbia over the Holidays
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving has been dubbed "Black Out Wednesday" for many, according to the Wall Street Journal. The night before the Thanksgiving holiday has become a time when many people go out drinking with friends to celebrate the season. Police are aware of this trend, however, and typically step up enforcement significantly over the...
Read More »Defense Attorney Matt Bodman Named to 2015 Legal Elite of the Midlands for Criminal Law
The Bodman Law Firm is proud to announce attorney Matt Bodman was named to the 2015 Legal Elite of the Midlands in the practice area of criminal law. According to Columbia Business Monthly magazine, which honored the leading attorneys in its October 2015 issue, the "Legal Elite" list represents the best attorneys in 20 categories....
Read More »Arrested for DUI After a Columbia Football Party
If you attend a South Carolina Gamecocks game at Williams-Brice Stadium or are among the legions of fans rooting for the Atlanta Falcons or Carolina Panthers at a local bar, there is a good chance you will consume alcoholic beverages. Study after study has shown football and alcohol go hand-in-hand. This means police are aware of...
Read More »Columbia Drivers with a CDL Need Effective DUI Defense
A DUI can have a profound impact on your career opportunities. As a result of a DUI, you may be disqualified from jobs requiring a clean driving record and your criminal history can show up on background checks if you are convicted. For those with a commercial driver's license (CDL), however, a DUI can literally be...
Read More »Expungement Workshops Not Best Approach to Clearing Criminal Record
In South Carolina, there are more than 20,000 people who are currently incarcerated. The vast majority of inmates are not sentenced to life, and will eventually be released and will need to find jobs and move on to a brighter future. Unfortunately, as News 13 reports, criminal records of people who have been formally arrested,...
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