Can I plead no contest for DUI?

Often times those without any prior experience with the South Carolina Court System will be confused as to their options after being charged with a crime. This is frequently true for those who have been arrested for DUI.

Many times people will wonder if they can simply report to Traffic Court and plead "no contest" for their DUI charge. The short answer to this is yes. You are allowed to plead "no contest" to any criminal charge in South Carolina. The reason the Court and the police will be happy to allow you to plead "no contest" is that in almost all circumstances there are no benefits for the defendant.

A "no contest" plea is exactly the same in all respects. It will be taken by the Court as a guilty plea and you will face the same criminal record, fine, license suspension, insurance rate increase and possible jail sentence as someone who plead guilty or was found guilty after a trial. The Court will not listen to your side of the story after you plead "no contest" and then find you "not guilty."

To learn your options to seek to avoid a DUI conviction contact the  Lexington DUI Attorney at the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC, at (803) 359-3301.