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Lexington Domestic Violence Attorney

Columbia Criminal Defense Lawyer

The Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC, located in Lexington, South Carolina, represents clients charged with all levels of South Carolina's domestic violence law. Attorney James Snell is the author of, Challenging CDV, which is the book written on how to effectively defend against a DV arrest. We have a state-wide practice in domestic violence defense, and are sought after and retained by clients from throughout South Carolina.
Get to Know Us

We make a point to protect your rights and future at all costs. This starts with understanding your case as immediately as possible.

Help For Your Life

If you have been arrested for domestic violence you have found the right law office to help you. We have defended hundreds of individuals charged with all levels of domestic violence. Our clients have included men and woman, old and young, medical professionals, school teachers, police officers, accountants, and nearly every other profession you can think of.

We understand that when you are arrested for domestic violence it can seem like your entire world has turned around. Clients from all over travel to meet with us to get the answers that they need to know to begin to rebuild their lives.

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What May Happen if Charged with Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a criminal matter. All cases are those brought by the state, which are prosecuted regardless of whether or not anyone is pressing charges.

There is an important difference between being arrested for domestic violence and being convicted. When someone is arrested that only means that they have been charged.

It is important to hire a lawyer at this stage. We help our clients who have been charged avoid the risks of an unnecessary conviction in court. A conviction is where the judge can set a sentence (including jail or a high fine), and place the charge permanently on a criminal record.

While no lawyer can promise or guarantee a result, if our client's charge is not ultimately dismissed or favorably reduced (to our client's satisfaction), then we will not hesitate to fight it in court.

Our process involves a two prong strategy: We will investigate and challenge the conduct of the law enforcement decision to make the arrest in the first place. We also look for opportunities to resolve cases outside of court through reduced charges or counseling programs. Either way, it is always our client's decision how they seek to resolve their case.

  • Established in 2004
  • Free Consultations
  • Same-Day Attention
  • Team Approach
  • Published Authors on Domestic Violence Defense
  • Experts Regularly Brought in on Cases
  • Long, Winning Record in Criminal Defense
  • Warm, Compassionate Staff on all Cases

Take Advantage of Our Informational Videos

  • Criminal Domestic Violence

    CDV - Learn more about Criminal Domestic Violence here.

  • CDV - Learn more about the differences between a conviction and an arrest.

    Criminal Domestic Violence part2

  • Reasonable Doubt - Learn more here.

    Learn more about reasonable doubt and how it can effect your verdict.

  • Super Lawyers
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • Better Business Bureau - Accredited Business
  • Top 100 Trial Lawyers - The National Trial Lawyers
  • 10.0 Superb Avvo Rating - Top Attorney Domestic Violence

Modifying No-Contact Bond Restrictions

When our clients are placed under a no-contact bond restriction we are able to immediately begin the process to request it to be lifted. No-contact bond restrictions are dangerous to everyone charged, as any violation, no matter how slight, can lead to an immediate return to jail, but now with no possibility of making bond.

If a no-contact bond applies to you it is important that you have no contact with your partner. The law does not make exceptions for married couples, co-workers, or people with children in common. No contact means no contact. Don't risk a return to jail, contact us to begin the process to legally get your life back on track.

Domestic Violence Offenses

South Carolina now recognizes four distinct DV charges. These include:

  • DV 3rd Degree
  • DV 2nd Degree
  • DV 1st Degree, and
  • DVHAN

These aren't the same as the prior CDV charges that you may have been familiar with. In fact, under the current law penalties have increased by a factor of thirty-six (36) times for many first offenses! Many cases where there is no actual physical injury and no prior complaints of domestic violence now face a real possibility of an actual prison sentence.

We help our clients regardless of what court their case is assigned to. Services are available in every county, in every Magistrate, Municipal, or in the Court of General Sessions.

In addition to the domestic violence charges, we also are available to represent clients in any related criminal charge. This includes offenses such as:

  • Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child
  • Kidnapping
  • Spousal Sexual Battery
  • Assault 3rd Degree

We approach domestic violence defense in a way much different than other types of criminal charges. Understanding how and why domestic violence is different from other types of assaults or incidents is a critical part of a defense strategy. We have seen favorable results in domestic violence cases from a variety of circumstances. No matter what your situation is no case is hopeless. Our attorneys have found that an investigation into the facts of a domestic violence case, along with the availability of an aggressive courtroom defense, can result in outcomes far more favorable than was first thought possible.

Major Case Defense

Attorney James Snell also has significant experience in represent clients in major domestic violence related felonies. This includes charges up to and including murder. We can provide a fully comprehensive defense that includes all the necessary experts and investigators to defend any charge.

Mental Health and Domestic Violence

A significant number of domestic violence arrests stem from mental health issues or psychotic brakes. We have seen many situations where police were called by a concerned family member trying to get someone help, only to have them carted off the jail instead. In other instances we have seen were family members were arrested based on false accusations made during a mental health breakdown. In any event, when we see that mental health circumstances play a significant role in a domestic violence case we regularly include the services of trained forensic psychologist (Ph.D. level) to evaluate the circumstances of the arrest as part of our service.

Services We Offer for Domestic Violence Charges

If you have been charged with domestic violence you should consult with an attorney before appearing in Court. If you fail to do so you could find yourself convicted before having any meaningful opportunity to challenge your arrest or present your side of the story.

Possible Sentences for DV Charges

We want to work hard to ensure that our clients can avoid an unnecessary domestic violence conviction, and to otherwise seek a reduction in the severity of charges or sentencing. For many though the first question is how much jail time does the charge carry. Here are the sentence ranges for South Carolina domestic violence charges:

  • DV 3rd Degree, up to 90 days
  • DV 2nd Degree, up to 3 years
  • DV 1st Degree, up to 10 years
  • DVHAN, up to 20 years

There is no charge to meet with our South Carolina Defense Lawyer about your case. To schedule your appointment call the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC, directly at (803) 359-3301. Initial appointments are scheduled in-person only at our office located in 123 Harmon Street, Lexington. The hiring of a lawyer for a serious criminal matter is an important decision and we do not recommend it be attempted over the telephone.

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