The Supreme Court of South Carolina
O R D E R
The judges of the magistrate and municipal courts of South Carolina being a part of the unified judicial system of the State, pursuant to the provisions of Article V, Section 4, of the South Carolina Constitution,
IT appears that Section 22-5-190 of the South Carolina Code of Laws of 1976 provides for the endorsement of "warrants," without specifying that such provision exempts the endorsement of bench warrants. Now therefore,
IT IS ORDERED that bench warrants shall be endorsed for service in foreign counties in the same manner as numbered arrest warrants have been treated in the past, pursuant to Section 22-5-190. Upon endorsement such bench warrants are not to be used for the purpose of initiating criminal action, but are to be used only for the purpose of bringing a defendant before a court which has already gained jurisdiction over that defendant by means of a valid charging paper.
Failure to fully comply with this Order shall subject the judge so failing to penalties as for contempt of this court.
s/ J. Woodrow Lewis J. Woodrow Lewis Chief Justice |
November 14, 1980
Darlington, South Carolina