On March 21, 2011, Chief Justice Toal of the South Carolina Supreme Court ordered nearly every Municipal and Magistrate Court in South Carolina to dispose of and set for trial all pending driving under the influence (DUI) and driving with an unlawful alcohol concentration (DUAC) cases within 120 days. This order also applies to DUI and DUAC cases before Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester County Magistrates and to the municipalities of Charleston, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Goose Creek, Hanahan, Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palms, and Summerville.
The Supreme Court has also asked the family courts and circuit courts to be more lenient in granting continuances to DUI defense lawyers to allow them to be more available to the municipal and magistrate courts for DUI cases. The Supreme Court has also requested that DUI lawyers to make every effort to honor required court appearances to assist in the backlog of DUI and DUAC cases.
Our attorneys at Futeral & Nelson are closely monitoring the impact this 120 day deadline is having on all DUI and DUAC cases, and we are working swiftly on negotiations and trial preparations to defend our clients.
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