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This year’s 4th of July celebration will look eerily different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Communities across South Carolina have already canceled their fireworks in order to help prevent the spread of the virus. Nonetheless, countless South Carolina residents will celebrate America’s independence by congregating with friends and family. Of course, this also means consuming…

South Carolina’s stay-at-home order (Executive Order No. 2020-21) was issued by Governor Henry McMaster to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The social distancing guidelines urging residents to stay home — unless they must travel for essential purposes — has saved countless lives. These safety measures didn’t come without consequences, however. Many adults are either…

Being pulled over by police unexpectedly can be a frightening situation, especially if you weren’t aware of the reason for being stopped. It could have been anything from a broken taillight to a minor traffic infraction. If a police officer suspects that you have been drinking, you may be probed for further evidence. It’s critical…

Under South Carolina law, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.08 percent or greater. Some people are under the impression that having a BAC below the legal limit is safe. Police can’t arrest them. This is a dangerous assumption that could potentially lead to a DUI arrest. Even if…

Innocent people are in prison for crimes they didn’t commit. They spend years, decades or even a lifetime behind bars. How big is the problem? According to the Chicago Tribune, between 2-10 percent of convictions are wrong. An estimated 46,000-230,000 innocent people face incarceration. Why do innocent people get incarcerated in America? The Tribune cites…

Imagine spending 11 years in prison because a police officer lied and said you were driving under the influence. It’s a nightmare scenario that happened to a man named Revat Vara. According to a USA Today Network investigation, Vara was pulled over for missing a front license plate. He was arrested for DUI after a…

Drinking alcohol and driving is dangerous, but so are the machines police use to arrest people for DUI. A New York Times investigation found that machines used to test alcohol-blood levels of allegedly impaired drivers in the United States are often unreliable. The supposedly sensitive scientific instruments — commonly called breathalyzers — used by “virtually…

Does a police officer who stops you for a broken taillight have a right to see what’s inside your trunk without a warrant? What if you were pulled over in South Carolina for speeding? Can the officer force you to open your glove compartment to see what you have inside, even if he or she…

Most people charged with DUI in South Carolina face the possibility of being convicted for a misdemeanor for the first three offenses. Misdemeanor DUI penalties range from two days up to five years in jail and fines up to $10,000 — depending on how high a person’s BAC level was at the time of an…

Having a criminal conviction on your record can make it difficult to find a job. If you were convicted of a felony, you lose your right to serve on a jury, pursue a professional license, own a gun, or hold public office. By receiving a pardon, you’re cleared of the legal consequences of your criminal…