The US is a federal country. Essentially what this means is that the country is a collection of smaller political entities; States. Of course, this is not news to many Americans. One consequence of this system is that states are free to create their own laws as it pertains to many topics. Crime, for example, falls into this realm of uniquely creating laws based upon a particular state’s determination. For example, in Washington State, it is illegal to kill bigfoot (Who knew?!) And in Oklahoma, it is illegal to eavesdrop. Even South Carolina has had some weird laws in its books. Railroad companies for example are liable for some instances of horse scaring.
Some crimes are well… crimes throughout the country. Murder, drunk driving, purchasing illegal drugs, etc. These are the crimes most people think about when they hear “crime” and most people expect the punishments to be more or less standardized even if each state has their own legal codes. Certainly, most states have similar punishments for the worst of crimes but still, there are major differences. One noticeable crime which is prosecuted with extra severity depending on the state it is committed in is burglary.
South Carolina has some of the strictest laws in the country when it comes to burglary. This is unsurprising to some folks because South Carolina has some of the highest burglary rates in the US. What does it mean that one state prosecutes burglary more strictly than another state? For example, in Kansas, a person charged with the most severe form of Burglary faces a maximum prison term for this is 11 years. However, in South Carolina, a person charged with the most severe form of Burglary faces a minimum sentence of 15 years with a potential maximum sentence of life.
It’s safe to say that you do not want to be convicted of burglary in South Carolina, or any state for that matter. It’s also safe to say that you should not try and defend against a burglary charge without experienced legal counsel.
Attorney Ashley Cornwell has the knowledge and experience to fight for your rights! Contact us today.
