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Resources, Education, & News Blog

‘Just passing through’

Lots of people arrested in the Greenville area don’t live here. They are drawn to Falls Park, to Bon Secours, to Centre Stage, the Greenville Zoo, or our Shakespeare festival. Or they are just passing through, and they happen to have bad luck here.

Some visitors are convinced that local law enforcement is on the lookout for out-of-state plates. But these arrests typically have nothing to do with license plates. They involve behavior that gets out of hand, and police have no alternative to arresting you.

First offenses

People are pulled over for driving under the influence, traffic violations, getting into a pushing contest, disorderly conduct, possessing pot, underage drinking, petty theft. Many are young and it is their first offense.

Being charged with a crime in an unfamiliar area, they have no clear idea what to do. They do not especially want to return to Greenville. They don’t know how the local courts work. It is a situation that provokes deep anxiety, as conviction can affect their driving records, their criminal records and their college and work status.

The right kind of lawyer

What they should do is work with a defense lawyer here in the area that cares about visitors and will work to make their bump with the law as painless as possible.

We will use every tool at our disposal to have charges against you dropped or diminished. Most students are first offenders, and we stress your past records. If you committed a minor crime, such as possession, we have pre-trial diversionary programs.

For many offenses, such as speeding and reckless driving, you may not have to return to Greenville at all.

Defense strategies

We also pursue such options as probation before judgment and expungement of your criminal record – to minimize the pain and stigma of this youthful experience with criminal justice.

We hope you pass through Greenville without event. Most people do. But if you should find yourself in legal difficulties here, work with a local, caring law firm that get you through this experience intact. We are on your side.