Short Answer: Maybe. Ask an attorney if you may qualify for a diversion program.
Long Answer: Completing community service hours through a formal diversion program or as part of an agreement approved by the prosecuting attorney/officer may allow you have your charges dismissed and expunged.
According to South Carolina criminal code statutes, criminal charges generally have consequences that include only fines and/or jail time, no community service. In other words, criminal statutes in South Carolina do not point alleged offenders to community service as an express option for each and every charge that may be eligible. Experienced attorneys can help you discover which options may apply to your unique circumstances.
Each judicial circuit (or group of counties) offers diversion programs as alternatives to active prosecution. Diversion programs are designed to allow criminal defendants to complete combinations of education, therapy, and community service to have their charges dismissed and expunged. Some of these programs include, but are not limited to:
- Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI)
- Alcohol Education Program (AEP)
- Traffic Education Program (TEP)
- Drug Court
- Conditional Discharge
Each program has its own qualifications and no case qualifies automatically. If you have been charged with a crime, please contact Attorney Blackwelder to review your case and see what we can do to help clear your criminal record.
