Introduction

Adams & Bischoff occupies a narrow but consequential niche in South Carolina criminal defense: the firm specializes in representing college students facing criminal charges and university disciplinary proceedings simultaneously, a dual-track situation that most criminal defense firms are not structured to handle. A criminal conviction and a university expulsion can both follow from the same incident, and the two proceedings operate under different rules, different standards of proof, and different timelines. The firm’s concentration in the Goose Creek area serves the student populations at nearby higher education institutions.

The firm operates from two locations: 422 Main St Suite C (phone 843-594-0352) and 171 Church St Suite 360 (843-594-0352). The firm can also be reached at (843) 920-4507.

Practice Areas

Student Criminal Defense

Students face a specific set of criminal charges more commonly than the general population, and Adams & Bischoff’s practice reflects that reality. The firm handles:

• Underage drinking
• DUI charges
• Drug possession and drug distribution
• Assault
• Sexual assault
• Theft
• Fraud
• Vandalism
• Hazing
• Disorderly conduct

Criminal penalties for students convicted of these offenses can include jail time, fines, and collateral consequences that directly affect daily life, including driver’s license suspension and mandatory counseling requirements. Beyond the immediate legal consequences, a criminal record can affect a student’s eligibility for financial aid, professional licensing in fields like law, medicine, and education, and long-term employment prospects.

The firm pursues charge reductions, plea agreements, pre-trial intervention program participation, and outright charge dismissals, selecting the strategy that best fits the specific facts and the client’s priorities.

University Disciplinary Representation

University disciplinary proceedings run parallel to and independently from criminal proceedings, and the outcome in one does not determine the outcome in the other. This independence creates both risk and opportunity. The risk: a student can face university penalties even if criminal charges are reduced or dismissed, because the evidentiary standard in university hearings is lower than the standard required in court. The opportunity: outcomes in each forum can sometimes be managed strategically.

University disciplinary penalties range from formal warnings and probation through suspension and expulsion, with additional consequences including loss of campus privileges and mandatory community service requirements. The firm represents students in these hearings, where the lower evidentiary standards make procedural knowledge and effective advocacy particularly important.

Location and Service Area

The firm maintains two office locations in South Carolina: 422 Main St Suite C and 171 Church St Suite 360. Services focus on the Goose Creek area and the surrounding region’s college student population.

Website: adamsbischoff.com/

Client Focus

The firm’s clients are college students who find themselves dealing with criminal charges, university disciplinary proceedings, or both. The population facing these situations is not limited to students who made catastrophic choices; it includes students charged with relatively minor offenses whose consequences are disproportionate if not handled correctly. An underage drinking charge handled poorly can trigger cascading effects on a student’s academic standing, financial aid, and professional trajectory long before they graduate.

The firm’s focus on this population means its attorneys understand the specific pressures and stakes that distinguish student cases from the general criminal defense caseload: academic calendars, institutional processes, and the particular impact that conviction or expulsion carries for a person at the beginning of their adult life.

FAQ

What makes university disciplinary proceedings different from criminal court?
University disciplinary hearings operate under a lower evidentiary standard than criminal courts, meaning that evidence that would be insufficient for a criminal conviction may still be enough to support suspension or expulsion. Representation at disciplinary hearings requires understanding these institutional processes and how to present an effective defense within their specific rules.

Can a student face both criminal penalties and university discipline for the same incident?
Yes. Criminal proceedings and university disciplinary proceedings are separate and operate independently. A student can be acquitted of criminal charges and still face university penalties, or vice versa.

What outcomes does the firm pursue in criminal cases?
Depending on the facts and the client’s situation, the firm pursues charge reductions, plea agreements, participation in pre-trial intervention programs, and charge dismissals.

What criminal charges does the firm most commonly handle for students?
The most common charges include underage drinking, DUI, drug possession and distribution, assault, sexual assault, theft, fraud, vandalism, hazing, and disorderly conduct.

What are the consequences if a student is expelled?
Beyond the immediate loss of enrollment, expulsion can affect eligibility for financial aid, transferring to other institutions, and in some professions, future licensing. The firm’s representation addresses both the immediate proceedings and the broader context of what is at stake for the client’s future.

Closing

Students who face criminal charges often do not realize that a university disciplinary process may already be running concurrently, operating under its own timeline and its own rules. Adams & Bischoff’s focus on exactly this intersection, two separate proceedings with separate standards and separate consequences arising from the same incident, reflects the kind of specialized knowledge that matters when the stakes include the trajectory of a person’s education and career, far beyond a fine or a probation term.