South Carolina Supreme Court

The South Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices.[1][2]

Supreme Court of South Carolina
Established1841
LocationColumbia
Motto"NIL ULTRA"
Composition methodElection by the General Assembly
Authorized byS.C. Const. art. V, §§ 1-2
Appeals toSupreme Court of the United States
Judge term lengthTen years, staggered
Number of positions5
WebsiteSupreme Court
Chief Justice
CurrentlyDonald W. Beatty
SinceFebruary 1, 2017
Lead position ends2027
Jurist term ends2024

Selection of Justices

Judges are selected by the legislature of South Carolina to serve terms of ten years.[2][3] There is no prohibition against justices serving multiple terms on the court.[3] However, there is a mandatory retirement age of 72 for state trial judges and state appellate judges in South Carolina.[4]

Current Justices of the Court
Title Name Joined the Court Current Term Ends Law School
Chief Justice Donald W. Beatty May 23, 2007 2024 University of South Carolina School of Law
Associate Justice John W. Kittredge August 1, 2008 2028 University of South Carolina School of Law
Associate Justice Kaye Gorenflo Hearn January 14, 2010 2020 University of South Carolina School of Law
Associate Justice John Cannon Few January 1, 2016 2026 University of South Carolina School of Law
Associate Justice George C. James February 2017 2020 University of South Carolina School of Law

For a list of previous justices see List of justices of the South Carolina Supreme Court.

Jurisdiction

The court enjoys both original and appellate jurisdiction. It enjoys exclusive appellate jurisdiction for all state cases regarding the death penalty, state utility rates, judgments involving public bonded indebtedness and elections, and orders limiting state grand juries and relating to abortions by minors. Original jurisdiction pertains to the issuance writs including mandamus, certiorari, and very extraordinary bills.[5]

Additional Charges of the Court

The South Carolina Supreme Court oversees the admission of individuals to practice law in the state.[6] Much of the administration regarding admissions and practice is delegated to the South Carolina Bar, established by statute as an administrative arm of the court; however, the court retains ultimate authority in South Carolina governing the practice of law.[7] It also supervises the disciplining of attorneys and suspension of those no longer able to practice due to mental or physical condition.[8]

History
Supreme Court of South Carolina Building
Supreme Court of South Carolina Building, December 2009
Location1231 Gervais St.,
Columbia, South Carolina
Coordinates34°0′6″N 81°1′57″W
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1917 (1917)–1921
ArchitectGill & Wilkins; Andrew V. Kerns
NRHP reference No.72001220[9]
Added to NRHPOctober 18, 1972

The Supreme Court of South Carolina Building is located in the state capital of Columbia. The court moved into its current location, a former United States Post Office building, in 1971.[10] It was built between 1917 and 1921, and is a two-story, Neo-Classical style building. The building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972.[11][12] Prior to 1971, the court met in a section of the South Carolina State House in an area totaling approximately 1,400 square feet (130 m2); the justices did not have individual offices, but instead met in a common conference room when not presiding over a session of court.[10]

Controversy arose in late 2007 after The State newspaper reported that the Supreme Court reversed the grades of 20 people who failed the South Carolina bar exam, including children of prominent attorneys, by voiding the results of the wills, trusts, and estates section of the exam.[13][14][15]

From 1930 to 2016, the South Carolina Supreme Court has had 17 Chief Justices.

References
  1. S.C. Const. art. V, § 2 Archived 2009-10-14 at the Wayback Machine
  2. S.C. Code Ann. § 14-3-10 Archived 2009-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
  3. S.C. Const. art. V, § 3 Archived 2009-10-14 at the Wayback Machine
  4. S.C. Code Ann. § 9-8-60(1) Archived 2009-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
  5. S.C. Code Ann. § § 14-3-310 to -330 Archived 2009-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
  6. S.C. Const. art. V, § 4 Archived 2009-10-14 at the Wayback Machine
  7. S.C. Code Ann. § 40-5-20 Archived 2010-09-21 at the Wayback Machine
  8. S.C. Code Ann. § 40-5-10
  9. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  10. Littlejohn, Bruce Littlejohn's South Carolina Judicial History: 1930-2004, Joggling Board Press, Charleston, SC (2005). ISBN 0-9753498-6-4
  11. Dollie McGrath (August 1971). "Supreme Court of South Carolina Building" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  12. "Supreme Court of South Carolina Building, Richland County (Gervais & Sumter Sts., Columbia)". National Register Properties in South Carolina. South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  13. Monk, John (November 16, 2007). "S.C. Bar to court: Explain actions". The State. Archived from the original on November 18, 2007.
  14. Brundrett, Rick (December 2, 2007). "Supreme Court not off the hook". The State. Columbia, South Carolina. Archived from the original on December 4, 2007.
  15. Brundrett, Rick (January 26, 2008). "Toal says fairness drove decision". The State. Archived from the original on January 29, 2008.
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