J. Stephen Grooms is a lifelong resident of Conway, South Carolina. He took a job with the Horry County Solicitor's Office as prosecutor in 2011 to begin his career in criminal law. While working in the Solicitor’s Office Grooms handled over three thousand cases, and took numerous cases to trial achieving favorable results on cases ranging from drug offenses to murder. Grooms was recognized for his leadership and trial results and was promoted to Senior Assistant Prosecutor in 2014. In 2016 Grooms and a fellow prosecutor opened Grooms and Thomas, LLC. Grooms experience as a former prosecutor and criminal trial attorney provides the knowledge to recognize the issues in your case, and has provided the tools to represent you with confidence whether your case is a relatively minor matter or a serious felony charge.
When charged with a criminal offense the stakes are always high, there are many attorneys out there who claim to have experience but few who actually possess an extensive knowledge of criminal law and real trial experience to ensure your best defense. Before you decide who to hire make sure you ask your potential attorney about their actual experience, and then I would invite you to call me to see the difference.
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
- DUI & DWI
- Personal Injury
- Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
- Traffic Tickets
- Suspended License
- Free Consultation
- Credit Cards Accepted
- South Carolina
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- English: Spoken, Written
- Attorney / Partner
- Grooms & Thomas, LLC
- - Current
- Senior Solicitor, General Sessions
- 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office
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- Attorney
- Dixon Law Firm
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- Attorney
- Justin O'Toole Lucey PA
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- Charleston School of Law
- J.D. (2010) | Law
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- Honors: Deans List
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- University of South Carolina - Columbia
- B.S. (2005) | English, Criminology
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- Honors: Deans List
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- John R Justice Award
- South Carolina Prosecution Commision
- Horry County Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- South Carolina State Bar # 79104
- Member
- - Current
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- Premises Liability, Legal Access
- Website
- Website
- Q. I have a charge that was disposed of but it's still showing as pending in the legal system. Who do I contact to fix
- A: I would recommend starting with the "clerk of court" over the court where you were charged.
- Q. Guilty or Not guilty?
- A: In South Carolina you have to wait 3 years from the date of a misdemeanor conviction before being eligible to apply for an expungement. Your must also have no additional convictions during that three year period while you wait.
You may want to consider asking the court if you could apply for Pre Trial Intervention. If allowed to enter the program and complete then you will not have to enter a plea of guilty and the charge would be dismissed.
best of luck
- Q. I was convicted of 2nd degree assault and battery when I was 24, back in 2012. Would I qualify for expungement?
- A: Assault and Battery, 2nd carries up to 3 years in prison. So even thought it is categorized as a misdemeanor in South Carolina the charge is not eligible for expungement.
