A sexual harassment or sexual misconduct accusation can put your job, reputation, freedom, and family life at risk before you ever have a chance to tell your side of the story.
What starts as a workplace complaint or disputed encounter can quickly become a police investigation, criminal charge, or court case with consequences that reach far beyond the original allegation.
That does not mean the accusation tells the whole story.
At Axelrod & Associates, the defense begins with understanding exactly what happened, what evidence exists, and what the state can prove. The firm’s Myrtle Beach sexual harassment defense attorney spent nearly a decade defending people accused of serious sex offenses through the Horry County and Georgetown Public Defenders’ Offices before taking more than 200 cases into South Carolina courtrooms.
That experience provides a firsthand understanding of how these cases are investigated, prosecuted, negotiated, and tried.
If you are facing an accusation in Myrtle Beach or anywhere in Horry County, getting legal advice from an Employment Lawyer early can help protect your position before you make statements or decisions that are difficult to undo.
Contact Axelrod & Associates, P.A. today to discuss what you are facing and what steps should come next.
If the matter is serious, your counsel should be exceptional.
A sexual harassment allegation does not automatically mean a criminal offense has occurred. But when an accusation involves alleged sexual contact, force, or other conduct covered by South Carolina’s criminal statutes, the consequences can become severe.
Criminal sexual conduct in the first degree is a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison when the statutory requirements are met. Second and third-degree charges carry different penalties, but each can have significant consequences.
Depending on the charge, a person may also face restrictive bond conditions, employment problems, professional consequences, and substantial limitations while the case is pending.
Some South Carolina sex offense convictions also trigger registration under the state’s sex offender registry laws. Depending on the offense, registration may last for years or for life, placing personal identifying information into a public system that can affect employment, housing, professional licensing, and family matters.
The consequences can continue long after a courtroom proceeding ends. That makes the defense strategy important from the beginning, including the decision about whether a negotiated resolution is actually in your best interests.
A criminal accusation can affect your life before a judge or jury ever decides what happened. An arrest may appear in background checks, an employer may learn about the allegation, and information posted online can spread well beyond the people involved.
A dismissed charge does not necessarily erase every practical consequence of an arrest or accusation. Depending on the circumstances, you may still have to address employment concerns, professional licensing issues, or questions from people who have only heard one side of the story.
The situation can become even more complicated when the accusation involves a visitor to Myrtle Beach. Someone arrested during a vacation may return home hundreds or thousands of miles away while the South Carolina case continues. Court dates, travel arrangements, bond conditions, and communication with the court can create additional challenges.
Early legal guidance can help identify what needs attention before evidence is lost, witnesses become harder to locate, or an avoidable mistake creates another problem.
Our Myrtle Beach sexual harassment lawyers defend people accused of a wide range of sexual misconduct allegations across Horry County, including:
The circumstances behind an accusation matter. A disputed encounter between people who knew each other can raise different issues from an allegation involving strangers. Prior communications, witness accounts, timelines, photographs, videos, and other evidence may all affect how the case should be evaluated.
The defense should be built around the actual facts rather than assumptions based on the accusation alone.
There is no single defense strategy for every sexual misconduct case. The process may involve several steps depending on the allegations and the evidence.
We start with your account of what happened.
A detailed conversation helps establish the timeline, identify potential witnesses, and determine what evidence may exist.
We obtain the available evidence.
That can include police reports, body camera footage, photographs, messages, recordings, witness statements, and other materials available to the defense.
We investigate independently.
When appropriate, that may involve locating witnesses, reviewing additional evidence, or working with a private investigator to examine information that was overlooked during the initial investigation.
We challenge evidence when the law allows it.
Depending on the circumstances, the defense may involve motions to suppress evidence, exclude certain testimony, or dismiss charges that cannot be supported.
We negotiate when a resolution makes sense.
Not every case needs to go to trial, but a meaningful negotiation requires knowing what the case is worth and being prepared to take it to trial if necessary.
A case does not have to reach a jury for trial preparation to matter.
Our Myrtle Beach sexual harassment attorney has tried more than 200 cases in South Carolina courts and previously spent nearly a decade representing people accused of serious offenses through the Horry County and Georgetown Public Defenders’ Offices. That experience provides insight into how prosecutors evaluate evidence, prepare witnesses, negotiate cases, and present allegations in court.
A defense prepared only for a plea can leave important questions unanswered. A defense prepared for trial requires the evidence to be examined closely from the start.
That preparation can also strengthen negotiations. When the defense has identified weaknesses in the state’s evidence and is prepared to present them in court, the solicitor’s office has to account for those issues when evaluating the case.
Even if the case resolves without a trial, the work done to prepare for one can help produce a more informed outcome.
The first few days can be important. Avoid making the situation harder while you are trying to understand what happens next.
Trying to explain everything immediately may feel like the fastest way to clear things up. In a criminal case, however, an incomplete or poorly worded statement can create problems that are difficult to correct later.
Adult criminal cases in Horry County are handled through the South Carolina court system, with felony matters proceeding through the Court of General Sessions at the Horry County Courthouse in Conway. Horry County is part of South Carolina’s 15th Judicial Circuit.
Bond proceedings and other early stages of a criminal case may occur separately from later General Sessions proceedings. The specific requirements depend on the circumstances of the arrest and the charge.
Myrtle Beach’s large tourism industry also means that some people facing charges in Horry County do not live in South Carolina. An arrest during a vacation can leave an out-of-state defendant trying to manage a South Carolina criminal case from home.
The important point is to address those requirements early rather than assume that returning home ends the matter.
South Carolina law separates criminal sexual conduct into different degrees, with the elements and potential penalties depending on the specific offense.
Under South Carolina Code Section 16-3-652, criminal sexual conduct in the first degree is a felony carrying a potential sentence of up to 30 years when the statutory elements are established. The prosecution must prove the elements of the particular offense beyond a reasonable doubt.
Second and third-degree criminal sexual conduct have different statutory requirements and penalties. Other sexual offenses may also apply depending on the conduct alleged.
Sex offender registration is governed separately under South Carolina Code Section 23-3-430. Whether registration is required, and how long it lasts, depends on the specific conviction and applicable law.
Because these laws can change, the charge listed in the indictment, warrant, or other charging document should be reviewed rather than relying on a general description of the accusation. The exact offense can affect the potential sentence, registration requirements, and available defense strategies.
It is wise to speak with a defense attorney before answering substantive questions about an accusation. Statements made during an investigation can become evidence later, even when you believe you are simply explaining what happened.
Returning home does not end a South Carolina criminal case. You may have continuing court obligations, and some proceedings may require you to return to South Carolina. An attorney can help determine which appearances require you to be present.
It depends on the specific offense. South Carolina law requires registration for certain qualifying convictions, and some offenses can result in long-term or lifetime registration.
Criminal sexual conduct statutes address specific types of alleged sexual conduct and carry potentially serious criminal penalties. Harassment offenses can involve unwanted communications or conduct and may carry different classifications and consequences. The exact charge matters.
Sometimes. The outcome depends on the evidence, the applicable law, the circumstances of the investigation, and other factors. Problems with witness testimony, timelines, physical evidence, or the investigation may affect whether charges can be reduced or dismissed.
An internal workplace investigation can sometimes lead to police involvement. It is important to understand that statements made during an employer’s investigation may have consequences beyond the workplace. Legal advice can help you understand how to respond before providing a detailed account.
An accusation can create employment consequences even before a criminal case is resolved. Whether an employer can lawfully take a particular action depends on the circumstances, employment relationship, applicable policies, and other legal issues.
It is still important to speak with a lawyer. The statement becomes part of the evidence that must be evaluated, but it does not determine the outcome by itself. The circumstances surrounding the statement and the evidence supporting it also matter.
It can. Prior communications, the history between the parties, witnesses, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged encounter may all become relevant to the defense.
If you have been accused of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct in Myrtle Beach, getting answers early can help you understand the legal issues before making decisions that affect the case.
Being accused of sexual misconduct can leave you wondering how much of your life is going to be affected by something you believe has been misunderstood, misrepresented, or taken out of context.
Those fears are understandable, but the accusation is only one part of the story. There is still an opportunity to examine what happened, understand the evidence, and protect your future as the case moves forward.
Axelrod & Associates, P.A. represents clients facing sexual harassment and sexual misconduct allegations in Myrtle Beach and throughout Horry County. With offices in Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill, and Little River, the firm also assists clients who live outside South Carolina and need representation for a case here.
Contact Axelrod & Associates, P.A. to schedule a confidential consultation and take the first step toward understanding where your case stands and how to move forward.
I just had the most awesome results with Axelrod Law Firm, particularly with Tatiana Berkey! She got my 8 points reduced to zero with only a $25 fine! She was so informative, caring and productive! It’s a great law firm with great results!
The staff at Axelrod&Associates is far none the best on the grand strand.they have taken care of 5 different cases for me and they went way above my expectations. Heather,Kelly ,Stuart and notably the best paralegal in the business…”Jenna” are so professional and most of all….caring. A million thanks to everyone there.
Go see Kate O’Hara! Her and her team work great together! Kept me up date and answered all the questions that I had! I couldn’t thank them enough!
Words can’t describe how thankful I am for this law firm ! They went way beyond anything I could have ever expected. If you are looking for a firm that really cares about their clients , this is the one!
Great experience working with Jenna and Heather on my adoption. It has been a long, lengthy process, and they were great getting me through all of it. Would recommend and definitely use them again in the future if needed. Thank you so much.
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Our attorneys handle a wide range of legal concerns ranging from personal injury, to traffic tickets to criminal charges to on-the-job injuries, to divorce and custody matters, to social security and veterans administration disability claims.
4701 Oleander Drive, Suite A
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-484-3983
1550 N. Oak St.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-390-9090
1510 Ebenezer Road
Rock Hill, SC 29732
803-956-1224
3700 Golf Colony Ln
Little River, SC 29566
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