Criminal Defense Attorneys in North Charleston, SC

North Charleston arrests for DUI or other criminal charges can put a job, a clearance, or your freedom at risk. A licensed South Carolina criminal defense attorney serving North Charleston will review your case at no cost.

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How we match your North Charleston criminal defense case

When you submit a North Charleston criminal defense matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A criminal defense matter needs someone who handles criminal defense work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under South Carolina law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in South Carolina who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

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DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Criminal Defense cases in North Charleston

More about legal help in North Charleston →

With Joint Base Charleston, the busy I-26 and Rivers Avenue corridors, and multiple overlapping police agencies, North Charleston sees a steady volume of traffic stops, DUI arrests, drug charges, and assault allegations. Serious charges are prosecuted in the Charleston County Court of General Sessions, while lesser offenses and traffic matters start in municipal or magistrate court, and some cases involving federal property or interstate conduct move to federal court instead. What happens in the first days, especially any statement to police, often shapes the whole case. DearLegal matches you with a South Carolina-licensed attorney who handles criminal defense cases in North Charleston, with a free review.

Felony and serious charges from North Charleston are prosecuted in the Charleston County Court of General Sessions; minor offenses begin in municipal or magistrate court.
Because the city crosses county lines, an arrest can land in Dorchester or Berkeley County courts rather than Charleston County.
Conduct on federal property, including military installations, can be charged federally or handled through military channels rather than in state court.

South Carolina criminal defense rules at a glance

North Charleston cases run under South Carolina law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the South Carolina page.

Read the full South Carolina criminal defense guide →

Felony Statute of Limitations: No limit
No general statute of limitations for criminal cases in South Carolina
Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations: No limit
No general statute of limitations for criminal cases in South Carolina
Sentencing Structure: Felony Classes
Felony Classes A-F and Misdemeanor Classes A-C under § 16-1-90 et seq.; mandatory minimums for trafficking, certain firearm offenses, third DUI; Three Strikes (§ 17-25-45) — mandatory life without parole for third serious/violent felony
Expungement / Record Sealing: S.C. Code § 17-22-910
S.C. Code § 17-22-910 et seq. — limited expungement (first-offense fraudulent check, certain drug offenses after completion of conditional discharge, PTI completion). Youthful Offender Act (§ 24-19-10) provides separate framework. No automatic sealing/Clean Slate.
Bail / Pretrial Release: Bail
Bail under § 22-5-510; constitutional right to bail with exceptions (S.C. Const. Art. I, § 15); first-appearance bond hearings within 24 hours of arrest
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

Exhibit D

How much do North Charleston criminal defense attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

South Carolina · Criminal Defense

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Criminal Defense matters in South Carolina are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Criminal defense attorneys in South Carolina work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under S.C. R. Prof. Conduct 1.5(d) and ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Misdemeanors and most felonies are flat-fee; complex cases use hourly billing. The South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense and circuit public defender offices represent indigent defendants.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

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Exhibit F

North Charleston criminal defense questions, answered

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It depends on severity and location. Serious charges are heard in the Charleston County Court of General Sessions, while traffic offenses and lower-level misdemeanors typically start in North Charleston municipal court or a magistrate court. Arrests in parts of the city inside Dorchester or Berkeley County go to those counties. An attorney will confirm the forum from your paperwork.

You are not required to answer questions, and informal explanations often become the strongest evidence against you. You can decline politely and ask for a lawyer without that being held against you at trial. Let an attorney handle contact with investigators and negotiate what, if anything, you say.

Some outcomes and diversion programs can lead to expungement, but eligibility depends on the offense, your history, and how the case ended, and many convictions cannot be removed. Decisions made early, including plea choices, affect that later option. An attorney can weigh record consequences before you resolve the case.

No. Politely decline and ask for an attorney. SLED (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division), South Carolina Highway Patrol, and local departments use trained interrogation. Anything you say is admissible. Invoke your Fifth Amendment right to silence and S.C. Const. Art. I, § 12 right against self-incrimination.

Yes. South Carolina Class A misdemeanors carry up to 3 years and $5,000 fines. Magistrate court misdemeanors (under 30 days, under $500 fine) still carry collateral consequences. PTI under § 17-22-50 — completion leads to dismissal and expungement — is a first-offender lifeline. DV (Criminal Domestic Violence, § 16-25-20) and DUI convictions trigger major collateral consequences.