Former Police Officer on Your Side

South Carolina traffic Attorney Peter J. Nosal is a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer who has extensive experience with traffic related offenses and now uses the knowledge and experience gained as a police officer to successfully defend and negotiate traffic tickets on behalf of our clients.

“What can I expect after being pulled over?”  

Hopefully you will never need this information, but if you are visiting our site then you or someone you know likely has been pulled over and given a South Carolina uniform traffic citation. The most important thing you can do if you are pulled over is be polite to the officer even if he does give you a ticket. Do not say anything incriminating about your traffic ticket or about yourself.

If you have an attitude and tell the officer that you will see him in court, you WILL see him in court. Officers prosecute their own tickets in South Carolina, and as a former police officer, I know first hand that officers remember drivers who were jerks. My job as your lawyer is to get the officer on your side when I appear before the judge in order to get your ticket dismissed, reduced, or changed to a 0-point offense. Remember that even if you believe you were wrongfully accused, remaining courteous and respectful will help me beat your ticket.

If you are given a citation, don’t pay the speeding ticket without knowing the affects on your license and insurance. Paying the fine is pleading guilty. You will be given a court date, time, and location on your ticket. If you wait until after the court date to contact us, in many circumstances it is too late. If you fail to appear or pay the fine, you will be convicted in your absence, so Contact  Us for a FREE consultaiton BEFORE your Court Date.  Unlike some other states, it is extremely difficult to get cases reopened after they have been processed in South Carolina. While I can still help in these circumstances, it is a more costly and time consuming to pull the ticket back and resolve the issue.

License points & Insurance Information

“How will my traffic ticket affect my license and insurance?”

CDL License Defense

“How will my traffic ticket affect my ability to work?”

When commercial drivers are convicted of committing traffic violations, it can be devastating to their job and livelihood.  South Carolina Speeding tickets, reckless driving, failure to obey traffic control device, wrong lane, being overweight, over-length, over-width, failure to stop, and careless driving can put your CDL in jeopardy.  We can represnt you in any South Carolina county and are experiencd in handling traffic tickets for CDL drivers. Keeping points off your CDL is our first priority, and in most cases we can save you time and money by keeping you on the road without you having to appear in magistrates court.

South Carolina Speeding Ticket – Out of State License

“What happens if get pulled over in South Carolina and live out of state?”

South Carolina reports speeding tickets to all fifty states, so a speeding ticket in South Carolina will likely have serious consequences on your Driving Record. Every state DMV treats out ot state traffic tickets differently, but most will have similar impact on your license. Failing to show up for court or pay a South Carolina traffic ticket will likely result in your license being suspended by your home state DMV. However, for most traffic tickets we are able to appear on your behalf and resolve your case without the inconvenience of you having to appear in the local South Carolina magistrate court.

Florida Drivers

After speaking with many Florida drivers and Florida Attorneys, South Carolina processes speeding tickets very different than Florida. There are no ticket clinics or online driving schools where you can quickly reduce or dismiss your ticket. In South Carolina the police officers prosecute their own tickets, and you must show up in court or hire an experienced traffic violations lawyer to fight your ticket.

North Carolina Drivers 

North Carolina  has some of the strictest traffic laws in the United States, and unfortunately drivers who plead guilty and pay a South Carolina speeding ticket could find themselves receiving a letter from the North Carolina DMV that their driver’s license has been suspended. Speeding 15+ mph over the speed limit is a violation that will result in a suspension of your North Carolina driver’s license.  If you have a North Carolina license and  are being charged with a speeding ticket in South Carolina, you need an experienced traffic ticket law firm who knows the laws of both states. Our office is located in Fort Mill, SC, just across the North Carolina border, and we have traffic ticket lawyers licensed in both states, and we are very experienced with handling traffic tickets for North Carolina drivers.

Common Speed Traps and Misconceptions

“Yes, I was speeding but I wasn’t going as fast as the officer said…”  

We get this comment frequently from potential clients, and it is not a valid argument in court anyway you look at it. Speeding is a strict liability offense in South Carolina and if you argue you were only going 75/55 instead of 83/55 you are still guilty of speeding and will loose in court. However, a skilled South Carolina speeding ticket lawyer can present your case in a way to mitigate the damages of your speeding ticket.

“I was going with the flow of traffic and everyone else was speeding…”

This is another frequent comment that holds little to no merit in court. Speeding is a strict liability offense, and the fact that you got caught and others did not an argument that is not going to help you get out of your ticket.

“I was singled out for having out of state tags…”

I will not deny that some officers may write more tickets to out of state drivers than to local residents; however, that is still not going to help you on your court date.

“Society Hill is a South Carolina Speed Trap…”

Many small towns in South Carolina such as Society Hill, Pageland, Ridgeland, Nichols, Mullins, Marion, Latta, Yemassee, Fort Lawn, etc. do write a large number of speeding tickets and other traffic violations that generate revenue for their local municipalities; however, the judges in these towns are well aware of the reduced speed zone, and a sudden reduction in the speed limit does not excuse speeding in these jurisdictions.  We advise our clients to be mindful of the speed limit when driving through small towns in South Carolina. However, if you do receive  a Society Hill, Nichols or Pageland ticket, call us today to learn how an experienced South Carolina traffic ticket attorney can fight your ticket for you.

Suspended or Revoked License

“I did not even know my license was suspended…”

Driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license is considered a serious criminal charge in South Carolina and could result in possible conviction with jail time.  Many people often find themselves needing to drive to school or work and run the risk of being caught continuing to drive with a suspended license. Our experienced traffic ticket lawyers will defend your current revoked license charge, and also take the time to work with you to clear up the past offenses in order to get your license reinstated.

Published by Pete Nosal

South Carolina Traffic Ticket Lawyer: (803) 351 – 3597