ADAM NORRIS
Attorney at law llc
Criminal Defense Questions, Answered
These are the questions Adam hears most often, from both sides of his career. If your question isn't here, call. There's no charge for asking.
No, not without an attorney. Innocent people talk themselves into charges every day, because innocent explanations can sound like admissions once they're in a report. Be polite, provide identification, and say you'd like to speak with a lawyer before answering questions. That request cannot be used against you.
Yes, and often it's first offenses where a lawyer changes the most. Diversion programs, conditional discharges, and negotiated outcomes that protect your record are frequently available for first-time charges, but they aren't automatic, and pleading guilty at your first court date can forfeit them permanently.
Magistrate and municipal courts handle lower-level offenses with smaller maximum penalties. General Sessions is South Carolina's circuit-level criminal court, where more serious charges are prosecuted, indicted by a grand jury, and tried. The court your case lands in shapes its timeline and stakes, and Adam has prosecuted and defended in both.
PTI is a South Carolina diversion program for certain first-time offenders. Complete its requirements, which can include community service, counseling, and restitution, and the charge is dismissed and becomes eligible for expungement. PTI is a one-shot opportunity, meaning a person cannot enroll more than once and admission is not guaranteed. Ultimately, whether you get to participate in PTI is up to the prosecutor assigned to your case. Presenting that prosecutor with a compelling argument for PTI is part of what Adam does.
Not directly. In South Carolina, the State controls the prosecution, not the complaining witness, especially in domestic violence cases. A reluctant witness affects the case, but only the prosecutor can dismiss it, which is why the negotiation between your attorney and the Solicitor's Office matters so much.
Magistrate-level cases can resolve in weeks to a few months. General Sessions cases commonly take many months and sometimes longer, depending on the county's docket. Slow isn't always bad. Time often works for the defense, and Adam will tell you honestly whether speed or patience serves your case better.
It depends on the charge and the court, and Adam quotes fees up front after learning the basics of your case. Consultations with Adam are always free. What's certain is that the cost of a conviction, in fines, insurance, lost work, and a permanent record, usually dwarfs the cost of a defense.
For many first offenses and lower-level charges, jail is avoidable, and Adam's job is to protect every alternative: dismissal, diversion, probation, or reduced charges. No honest lawyer promises an outcome, but he will give you a straight assessment of the realistic range in your case, and then fight for the best end of it. His #1 priority is to get you out of jail and keep you out of jail.
