Hiring a DUI Lawyer in South Carolina
What a first DUI can cost in South Carolina, how criminal lawyers charge, your right to a public defender, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in South Carolina: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Under South Carolina Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c) (Rule 407, SCACR), a contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client stating how the fee is determined, including the percentage(s) for settlement, trial or appeal; litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery; and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly notify the client of any expenses the client will be expected to pay, and at the end the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the remittance and how it was determined. Rule 1.5(d) bars fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement (though a contingency fee may be charged to collect past-due alimony or child support), and contingent fees for defending a criminal case. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The South Carolina Bar's Resolution of Fee Disputes Board (created by Rule 416, SCACR) resolves fee, cost and disbursement disputes between clients and Bar members. It will not take disputes of $50,000 or more or fees that must be approved by a court or other tribunal, and a dispute cannot be filed more than three years after it arose. Apply with the Bar's Application for Resolution of Disputed Fee, attaching copies (not originals) of supporting documents. For low-level misunderstandings not involving ethics violations, the Bar's Client Assistance Program can help. Rule 416 limits: https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-416/rule-2/ |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The South Carolina Bar's Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (Rule 411, SCACR) reimburses losses caused by a Bar member's dishonest conduct when the lawyer has died, been disbarred or suspended, resigned, been declared incompetent, gone bankrupt, left the state or cannot be found, or become a judgment debtor for that conduct. Payments are a matter of grace, not right, up to $40,000 per claim and $200,000 total per attorney. The application must reach the Bar within three years after you discovered (or should have discovered) the dishonest conduct, and no application is considered more than six years after the conduct. Application: https://www.scbar.org/for-the-public/quicklinks/help-with-your-attorney/ |
South Carolina rules to know first
| First-offense DUI penalties | First offense: a $400 fine or 48 hours to 30 days in jail (the court may allow 48 hours of public service instead of the minimum jail). With an alcohol concentration of 0.10 to under 0.16: a $500 fine or 72 hours to 30 days. At 0.16 or more: a $1,000 fine or 30 to 90 days. The DMV suspends the license; for a first offense the person must enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program and get an interlock-restricted license, with the device installed for six months. Court costs and assessments added to fines were not confirmed. |
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| Refusing a breath test | Refusing a chemical test leads to a DMV suspension of six months for a person with no DUI convictions or alcohol-related suspensions in the prior ten years (testing at 0.15 or more brings a one-month suspension). Longer suspensions apply with priors. The officer issues a notice of suspension; within 30 days the person may request a contested case hearing before the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings and either enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program or obtain a temporary alcohol license ($100). |
| Hardship license | During a points suspension, a person who is employed or enrolled in college and lives more than one mile from work or school may apply for a special restricted driver's license to drive only to and from work or school and in the course of work or school, with set times and routes. The fee is $100. After a DUI, driving is generally through an ignition interlock restricted license. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The South Carolina Bar's Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) connects you with a lawyer by type of law and location. Call (803) 799-7100 (9 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m., Monday-Friday) or use the online referral service 24/7. Each participating lawyer agrees to charge no more than $50 for a 30-minute consultation; beyond that, or if you hire the lawyer, normal fees apply. LRS lawyers do not take pro bono cases. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The South Carolina Judicial Branch's attorney search lets you search for attorneys licensed to practice law in South Carolina by first name, last name or bar number; a successful search gives the attorney's name, phone number, address and email address. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about South Carolina lawyers go to the Supreme Court's Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC); the South Carolina Bar does not license, investigate or discipline attorneys. A complaint must be in writing and signed by the person making it, fully identify the lawyer, describe what happened in detail with copies of supporting documents, and include your contact information; the ODC form is optional. File by mail to Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Post Office Box 12159, Columbia, SC 29211, or by hand delivery to 1220 Senate Street, Suite 201, Columbia, SC 29201. Email is not accepted. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | People who cannot afford a lawyer may qualify for help from South Carolina Legal Services, which offers an online intake form (through LawHelp.org/SC) to check eligibility for legal aid. The SC Bar also points to SC Free Legal Answers, a virtual clinic where qualifying users can post civil legal questions to volunteer lawyers. LSC lists South Carolina Legal Services as its South Carolina grantee. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in South Carolina · Do I need a lawyer?
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.