Laurens is a city in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 9,916 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Laurens County. Located in the western part of South Carolina, it is named after Henry Laurens, who was president of the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War. It is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. Original maps indicate the town may have originally been called Laurensville. The earliest known reference to the name Laurens is a town charter in 1873. Laurens and Laurens County is part of the Old 96 District, which also includes Abbeville County, Greenwood County, McCormick County, and Edgefield County. The textile, manufacturing, and glass industry was at one point a major source of employment; however, most have closed over the last 30 years, which has significantly hurt the city and its economic conditions. The unemployment rate, as of February, 2009, sat at 11.3%. Walmart operates a distribution center outside of the city near Interstate 385, which serves as a major employer. Although the economic, crime and unemployment issues have been significant hurdles, the area has seen several recent economic retail developments. Laurens was the town chosen for a makeover in the second season of Town Haul. Laurens is home to Gary Davis and Pink Anderson, acoustic blues musicians who were born in the city, as well as Redtop Davis, lightweight boxer of the 1940s and 1950s.

What is constitutional law?

Constitutional law attorneys handle cases involving the construction and interpretation of federal and state constitutions, including individual rights and governmental powers. Constitutional law cases can involve issues like First Amendment rights -- such as freedom of speech, press, and religion -- and the checks and balances on authority among different branches of government. Most of the federal constitutional rights are found in the Bill of Rights, that was created originally as a limitation on the action by the federal government, but many of those rights are also applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Answers to constitutional law issues in South Carolina

The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution says that you have a right to be free of unreasonable police searches and...

The general criteria for making an arrest is what is referred to as probable cause. Probable cause arises when there...

There are two different types of warrants that may be issued:

  • arrest warrants - an order issued by a...

The Miranda decision relates specifically to the rights of a criminal suspect after he has been detained by the...

Bail is typically set by a magistrate or a judge who considers the seriousness of the offense and the likelihood of...

In certain kinds of cases, lawyers charge what is called a contingency fee. Instead of billing by the hour, the...

Gambling is subject to legislation at both the state and federal level that bans it from certain areas, limits the...

After conviction and sentencing, a defendant has the opportunity to file an appeal of his sentence. If the conviction...

Students have certain rights depending on whether they are attending a private or public school or university. A...