Greenville Criminal Law Blog

Did peer pressure lead to a DUI for your college student?

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Friday, February 7, 2020.

Sending your child off to a South Carolina college was likely an event that left you with mixed emotions. You most likely felt pride, concern, sadness, happiness, excitement and apprehension for the new chapter in life your child was starting. You may have anticipated phone calls telling you about college life and learning that your child was excelling in his or her classes.

What you may not have expected, however, was for your child to inform you that he or she had received a DUI charge. Undoubtedly, you felt shocked at first and then possibly angry. How could your child have made such a poor decision? Peer pressure may have played a role.

Lawmakers look to revise unfair asset forfeiture laws

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.

You may be fully aware of the possible consequences for a conviction of drug charges, especially distribution or trafficking. You might expect fines, imprisonment, community service and other penalties. Certainly, the burden of a criminal charge on your record will follow you the rest of your life.

However, what you may not expect after an arrest for certain criminal offenses is the confiscation of your property. Asset forfeiture is a common practice in South Carolina. State law allows law enforcement to collect any items they believe you may have obtained through the profits of the crime for which police have arrested you. Recently, however, some are protesting the practice of asset forfeiture as contrary to state and U.S. constitutions.

The stress of being a doctor can lead some to alcohol

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Monday, January 6, 2020.

You may have known from the time you were young that you wanted to be a doctor. You studied hard all through your school years and looked forward to the time when you could gain practical experience in helping people with their medical concerns. In the beginning of your career, you may have been bright-eyed and eager to touch the lives of others.

Unfortunately, over the years, you came to closely understand just how demanding and difficult it is to be a doctor. You may feel that you have little social life because you spend most of your time at the hospital. Even when you do have time off, you likely lack energy to do anything fun. You may even suffer from mental issues of your own, like depression, due to the strain of the job.

Can the First Step Act benefit you?

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Thursday, January 2, 2020.

When the federal government enacted the First Step Act, many who were in prison for non-violent crimes rejoiced along with their families. The First Step Act promotes long-overdue reforms in the criminal justice system, including adopting common sense sentencing guidelines and more appropriate options for those convicted of drug-related offenses.

If you are currently serving time in a federal prison, you may wish to obtain more information about the FSA. To be considered for eligibility, you must take certain steps. Having a legal advocate guiding you through these steps may improve your chances of success.

An investigation for wire fraud may have you feeling on edge

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Thursday, December 5, 2019.

Conducting any type of business can come under scrutiny from time to time. Employees may have complaints, or the Internal Revenue Service may feel the need to conduct an audit over financial matters. While these can be stressful and difficult to address, your situation can become more distressing if you are accused of criminal charges.

You may believe that you conduct your business affairs in accordance with the law, but for some reason, you have come under suspicion of law enforcement. Particularly, they suspect that you or your company has committed wire fraud. As a result, an investigation is underway looking into your activities.

When healthy competition turns to a "study drug" addiction

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Friday, November 8, 2019.

Some would say that a little competition is healthy. It forces people out of their comfort zones, and allows them to push themselves harder and grow in order to succeed. In the academic world of secondary education, it could ultimately help students reach their goals for the future.

That is, until that competition becomes unhealthy. More and more college students turn to "study drugs" to give them an edge. Supposedly, these drugs help students focus and stay awake so they can study longer and harder. Unfortunately, that rarely lasts.

What can increase the penalties of a DUI conviction?

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

You may think that driving home after having a couple drinks is no big deal. However, when you are facing DUI charges and the consequences and penalties that follow, you may have a different opinion. A simple first offense DUI conviction can leave you with long-lasting struggles in many areas of your life, but there are other factors that can quickly increase your troubles.

South Carolina laws, like many other states, allow for courts to enhance DUI sentences when certain factors exist. Because of this, that first-offense DUI has the potential to derail your life for the foreseeable future.

What should you know if charged with tax evasion?

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Wednesday, October 9, 2019.

If you are facing charges of tax evasion, you may be tempted to underestimate the serious nature of this type of criminal offense. White collar crimes, which are offenses that often involve financially motivated criminal activity, can result in penalties that can change the course of your life. It is in your interests to take these charges seriously and start fighting for your future.

Most white collar crimes, such as tax evasion, involve the theft of information or money. They can seem like victimless crimes since they lack an element of violence, but the government takes these cases very seriously. Failing to pay your taxes could land you behind bars, and it is in your interests to know what you're up against and how you can prepare an effective, thoughtful defense strategy.

Understanding the options of plea bargaining

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Friday, September 27, 2019.

If you are facing criminal charges, especially in federal court, you may have great concern about how your case will turn out. This may be particularly true if the prosecution seems to have significant evidence against you. In fact, the prosecution team may seem rather confident that they will get a conviction once the judge and jury hear the facts of the case.

Whether you are facing white collar crimes, drug charges or other felony offenses, you may understand that a conviction can mean serious, life-changing consequences. If you are facing multiple charges, it is possible you may be looking at decades behind bars. In situations like these, the prosecutor may approach you with a deal.

Binge drinking is a serious problem

On behalf of Ryan Beasley Law on Tuesday, September 10, 2019.

Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking alcohol designed to get you drunk and your blood alcohol content above the legal limit. Binge drinking is a common, excessive and potentially deadly act in the United States.

The last study conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2015, found that those ages 18-24 and 25-34 binge drank the most at 25% and 27% respectively. The third-place winner may be an age group that surprises you; 20% of 35-44-year old’s reported binge drinking.