Kayla Culver

Like anyone else, football season gives me a unique sense of excitement and hopefulness for what will become of my favorite college football team. Swarms of fans gather at tailgates, sports bars, or host parties to support their teams on game days, whether it be college football or NFL. But in doing so, many fans become so caught up in the football frenzy that they lose sight of what is going on around them. Although the main focus of the football season should be on having a good time, gathering with friends and family, and escaping the daily stresses of life, tailgaters need to remain mindful that laws are still enforced on game days in order to avoid a party foul with legal consequences. These laws are three-fold: state laws, local laws, and if you attend the game, stadium or university laws. Think of these laws as a pyramid that you carry with you on game day. For instance, when attending a University of South Carolina Gamecocks game at Williams-Brice Stadium, these are the laws that apply to you:

Starting from the bottom, state of South Carolina laws; then the middle, local Columbia ordinances; and if you’re attending the game at Williams-Brice Stadium, University of South Carolina rules at the top of the pyramid. These laws are important to be aware of when you are out-and-about tailgating and attending the football games.

A sample of state laws that may interfere with your enjoyment of the football games on Saturdays are public disorderly conduct and driving under the influence (DUI). According to South Carolina law, a person who is found to be extremely intoxicated in a public place, usually acting rowdy or unruly, can be charged with public disorderly conduct and could ultimately be fined up to $100 or receive up to 30 days of jail-time. Also, like other states, South Carolina prohibits a person from driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A first offense DUI comes with jail-time up to 30 days, a fine up to $1,000 depending on how intoxicated you are, and suspension of your driver’s license for 6 months. So, this may go without saying, but on game days, especially if you are entering the game, it is best to be aware of your conduct, your surroundings, and the amount you are drinking. The priority, alongside having a great time, should be your safety and the safety of others around you.

Moving up the pyramid to local laws, Columbia city ordinances prohibit walking around with alcoholic drinks on public property, and Columbia has its own laws that deal with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. So, when you are enjoying that ice cold beer on game day, be sure that you are drinking where you are allowed to do so; otherwise you may end up with a buzzkill in the form of a $500 fine and/or 30 days of jail-time. Likewise, control your alcohol intake, as a charge of public drunkenness carries the same penalty.

Finally, if you are attending the game at Williams-Brice Stadium, the University has clear rules that prohibit things like alcoholic beverages, containers of any kind, inflatables (like beach balls), umbrellas, artificial noisemakers, concealed weapons, personal seatbacks with armrests, and bags larger than a clutch purse. The University is also a tobacco-free campus which includes a ban on electronic cigarettes. Football is about supporting your team; it is difficult to do that if you’re kicked out of the stadium for smuggling in contraband! But, while there are many things you cannot bring into the stadium, there are a few exceptions: you can bring 1 sealed water bottle per person and you can bring in a clear plastic bag or one-gallon Ziploc bag. So, take advantage and bring a water bottle to stay hydrated while jumping around to Sandstorm.

While some of these laws may seem like common-sense, having an awareness of the rules and regulations around you helps keep you and those you care about out of trouble, and it makes the city safer for everyone. There are laws similar to these in most states, localities, and universities or stadiums. While these laws are specifically about South Carolina, Columbia, and the University of South Carolina, it is important to be aware of the laws wherever you go.

Overall, the goals of football season are to have a great time, enjoy friends and family, and of course, to see your team succeed. So, take with you this knowledge of the law to have a great football season! And of course—GO GAMECOCKS!

For more information on South Carolina’s laws referenced above, please visit http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c017.php. For more information on the City of Columbia’s local laws, visit https://library.municode.com/sc/columbia/codes/code_of_ordinances. For more information on University of South Carolina rules on gamedays for all athletics, visit http://www.gamecocksonline.com/ot/game-day-information.html.

Paul Swearingen

I grew up in a rural area in a time before cable television and satellite dishes were options for such areas. The three national networks were the only channels we had to choose from when watching television. On most days, when the weather was good, we had one more independent channel that would come in clearly enough to watch. This channel would show nothing but re-runs of old shows. This is where I was introduced to the “Perry Mason” show.

Perry Mason was a character created in books written by Earl Stanley Gardner in the 1930’s, brought to life on a television series that aired in the late 1950’s- early 1960’s. Perry was a criminal defense attorney, and every episode featured Perry representing a client that everyone believed was guilty of a crime, usually murder. Perry would fight for his client, investigate every angle, and by the end of the episode, uncover the truth and prove his client innocent. This show came on every weekday at lunch time. After a summer morning of playing ball outside with brothers and friends, I would take a break and watch Perry Mason win yet another case while eating my lunch.

I always loved a good mystery. I loved trying to solve the case along with Perry Mason, trying to figure out who really committed the crime before the big reveal at the end of the episode. Perry was brilliant in the courtroom, and after watching this show all summer and reading the novels, I was hooked on the idea of being a lawyer. I remember our English teacher the next school year asking us to write a paper on what we wanted to be when we finished school, and I wrote about being a lawyer. From that point on, law was the only profession I even considered.

As we often find out when growing from childhood to adulthood, reality does not always meet the expectations we set based on what we see on television. I must confess that during my first year of law school, the reality of the legal profession set in, and I began to question if I really wanted to be a lawyer. The more I studied, and the more I saw of the profession from working as a law clerk, the less it looked like the world of Perry Mason. Innocent criminal clients come along much less often than portrayed on television. The practice of law involves much more behind the scenes work and paperwork than it does courtroom drama. Despite popular belief, becoming a lawyer does not automatically come with a big paycheck. It is definitely not as glamourous as what you see on television.

Almost by accident, I ended up practicing real estate and probate law. I did not have those areas of practice in mind when I went to law school, or even when I graduated law school. An opportunity arose to practice law in those areas as I passed the bar exam, so I decided to give it a try. Almost 19 years later, I am still practicing the same types of law. I often hear about how in divorce cases, no client is entirely happy with the outcome. In criminal cases, unless you get a not guilty, the client is usually not entirely happy with the outcome. But I have found that in my practice, I am able to help people with their problems and, more often than not, I have a happy client leaving my office.

We often take for granted how much a kind word or a compliment can brighten someone’s day. I can’t tell you how much it means for a client to tell me how grateful that they are for my help, or how happy they are to have chosen me to be their attorney. We all want to feel like we are needed, like we are doing something meaningful in this world. An expression of sincere gratitude from a client is worth much more than any fee collected ever could be. I recently got the most thoughtful and sincere expression of thanks that I have ever received from a client, which I want to share here:

This letter from Diane made my day. This is why we practice law. This is why we endure the bad days, the bad lawyer jokes, the misperceptions, the days of wading through mountains of paperwork and the days where you feel like you’ve read so much that your eyesight has gone blurry. Being able to help clients like Diane and hear how we have made a difference in their lives is why we come to work every morning. It may not be the glamourous and adventurous life I envisioned while watching “Perry Mason” re-runs, but knowing that I make a positive impact on people’s lives makes it worth all the effort.