Town of Lexington DUI Cases
The Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC, is very active in defending clients charged with DUI by the Town of Lexington Police Department. Attorney James Snell is the past-president of the Lexington County Bar Association, and has experience in representing clients charged with DUI and companion offenses in the town court.
Obtain Our Free DUI Defense Report - If you or a loved one has been charged with any DUI offense in or around the Town of Lexington it is important that you understand the charge and available legal options. For this reason Attorney James R. Snell, Jr., has written a free report that is available for download that contains the information that you need to know before any court date. You can request your free copy here.
Town of Lexington Court Procedures
All Town of Lexington DUI arrests are made by the Town of Lexington Police Department. You know your case is here if your ticket says the court address is 111 Maiden Lane. If you were arrested outside the Town of Lexington your case may be referred instead to the Lexington DUI Court.
When someone is arrested by the Town of Lexington they will first be taken to the Lexington County Jail, located at 521 Gibson Road. This is where they will be offered a breath test and will be held for bond court. Normally defendants are held for a minimum of 10-12 hours before being released.
You will be given a court date, usually set in just a couple of weeks. This is for a bench trial, which is an opportunity for defendants to plead guilty or to have the judge immediately decide the case (before the defense has an opportunity to obtain or review the evidence). For a variety of reasons we do not recommend that our clients who would like to be found not-guilty or receive a reduction in their charge (such as to reckless driving) appear on that date.
Once we are retained we will immediately notify the court that you are contesting your case. This will cancel the initial court date, meaning that you don’t have to miss work or school that day. We will also file discovery motions to request the information we need from the police department to assist in reviewing your case and preparing your defense.
What Happens Next
After we receive the information from our discovery requests our office will make a copy of all materials received and send them to you for your review. Next, our DUI lawyers will begin the evaluation process, to identify both the strengths and weaknesses in the case.
James R. Snell, Jr., and at least one additional lawyer from our firm will review everything in your case from the activation of the officer’s blue lights through the administration (or refusal) of any breath, blood, or urine test. The lawyers in our office who conduct DUI reviews are members of the National College of DUI Defense and have completed a course of study in DUI Detection & Field Sobriety Testing using the NHTSA curriculum (the same curriculum that police officers are trained to follow).
Our lawyers will review your case separately, and then confer to make sure that nothing has slipped through the cracks. Next we will schedule an appointment to have you meet with us in person (or by telephone if you are from out of the area or have scheduling difficulties). This way you will be prepared to decide if you would like to pursue any available plea-bargains (such as a reduction in charge), or if you would like to contest your case in court.
Frequently Asked Questions on DUI
- How quickly can I get my license back? - If your license was suspended as a result of any breath test or refusing a urine or blood test we can help you get your license back. This is accomplished by filing a request with the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings in Columbia. We will have an employee hand-carry your petition so that it can be processed as quickly as possible. Depending on what time you retain our office this can even be prepared and submitted the same day we are hired. This can result in you being eligible for an unrestricted Temporary Alcohol License in just a few days.
- Can a Town of Lexington DUI be reduced? - Yes. Depending on the circumstances of your arrest your charges may be eligible to be reduced. In the past several years we have had cases in this court reduced to reckless driving, or other moving or non-moving offenses. DUI charges are normally reduced after the case has been evaluated by our office, and we have discussed the specifics with the prosecutor.
- Can you help with other charges received such as open container or marijuana? - Yes. We normally can include charges made as part of the DUI arrest for no additional fee. These charges can either be negotiated as part of the DUI case, or can be challenged in court if not otherwise dismissed or reduced to your satisfaction.
- Can I get PTI for DUI in the Town of Lexington? - No. South Carolina state law specifically prohibits obtaining PTI for a DUI charge. There is no exception for a first-time offense.
- If I hire you for my DUI can you guarantee I won’t be convicted? - No. Although this office has achieved dismissals, not-guilty verdicts, and reductions in many DUI cases, past-results should not create an expectation for new clients. Additionally any lawyer that ever promises or guarantees a specific result for a criminal case is not being honest. Everyone charged with DUI, no matter what lawyer is hired, is at risk of a DUI conviction. What we can do is promise to fight for you in court if your case is not dismissed or reduced to your satisfaction.
Our policy is that if your DUI is not dismissed or reduced to your satisfaction, then we will not hesitate to fight it in court. Contact us today.
