Judge Melissa Frazier was born in Florida and lived in various places throughout her childhood, including Kentucky, North Carolina and Israel, while her stepfather served as an Army officer. She attended college at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She worked as an intern at the American Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, and at the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. 

Prior to enrolling in law school, Judge Frazier moved to Horry County, South Carolina and worked as a legal assistant. She subsequently attended law school at the University of South Carolina, where she participated in an internship with a Family Court judge and worked as a law clerk with the South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee.

Following graduation from law school in 1996, Judge Frazier joined a small law firm that focused on family law and later became a partner in that firm. She became a certified family court mediator in 1999 and was frequently appointed as a Guardian ad Litem in custody/visitation disputes.  In 2010, she opened her own law firm, where she continued to focus on family law, family court mediation and guardian ad litem cases.

Judge Frazier served on the Horry County Family Court Advisory Committee for over 15 years and coordinated various family law seminars for the local bar. She served as an officer of the Horry County Bar Association, a member and chair of the South Carolina Bar Family Law Section Council and member and officer of the Coastal Inn of Court, a pupilage and mentoring organization. 

 Judge Frazier has two children, one attending Clemson University and the other attending the University of South Carolina. She has participated in middle school mock trial competitions as both a coach and judge and has spoken to students during law week and career days in local schools.

Judge Frazier was elected in 2022 to fill the unexpired term of the Honorable Ronald R. Norton.