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South Carolina
Judicial Branch
Supreme Court - Roster of Cases for Hearing

   
The summary below each case is prepared to offer lawyers and the public a general overview of what issues are included in a case which will be argued. The summary is not a limit on what issues a party to a case may present at oral argument.
Monday, October 4, 2021
Supreme Court Courtroom
 10:00 a.m. (Time Limits: 15-15-5)  
2021-000883   Sheena Brannon, Shane Stencil, Tina Sullivan, and Brandon Beaty, Appellants, v. Henry Dargan McMaster, in his official capacity as Governor of the State of South Carolina; and G. Daniel Ellzey, in his official capacity as the Director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, Respondents.

John D. Kassel, of Kassel McVey, Adam Protheroe and Susan B. Berkowitz, all of Columbia, for Appellants. Rebecca Laffitte, Robert E. Tyson, Jr., and Vordman Carlisle Traywick, III, all of Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC, William Grayson Lambert, of Burr & Forman LLP, Thomas Ashley Limehouse, Jr., and Michael Gregory Shedd, all of Columbia, for Respondent Henry D. McMaster. Rebecca Laffitte, Robert E. Tyson, Jr., and Vordman Carlisle Traywick, III, all of Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC, Todd Stuart Timmons and Steven A. Jordan, Jr., all of Columbia, for Respondent G. Daniel Ellzey. Jack E. Cohoon, of Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, PA, of Columbia, for Amicus Curiae Small Business Chamber of Commerce. Christopher Ernest Mills, of Charleston, for Amicus Curiae South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, and National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center.

The Court certified this appeal of an order denying a motion for a preliminary injunction to require the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce to re-enroll in three federal emergency unemployment programs following the Governor's order to cease participation in the programs.

Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Supreme Court Courtroom
 10:30 a.m. (Time Limits: 25-25-5)  
2019-001280   The State, Respondent, v. Jerome Jenkins, Jr., Appellant.

E. Charles Grose, Jr., of The Grose Law Firm, of Greenwood and John Lafitte Warren, III, of The Law Offices of Bill Nettles, of Columbia, both for Appellant. Attorney General Alan Wilson, Deputy Attorney General Donald J. Zelenka, Senior Assistant Deputy Attorney General Melody Jane Brown, Senior Assistant Attorney General William Edgar Salter, III, of Columbia, and Jimmy A. Richardson, III of Conway, all for Respondent.

A jury convicted Jerome Jenkins Jr. of murder, attempted murder, and armed robbery, and sentenced him to death on the murder charge. In this death penalty appeal, the Court will consider a constitutional challenge to section 16-3-20(B) of the South Carolina Code (2015) and several evidentiary and procedural rulings made by the trial court.

Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Supreme Court Courtroom
 09:30 a.m. (Time Limits: 15-15-5)  
2020-000891   Michael Elders, Respondent, v. State of South Carolina, Petitioner.

Attorney General Alan Wilson and Assistant Attorney General Lillian L. Meadows, both of Columbia, for the Petitioner. Appellate Defender Taylor D. Gilliam, of Columbia, for Respondent.

Michael Elders was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and lewd act upon a minor. In the subsequent PCR case, we granted the State a writ of certiorari to review the court of appeals' decision in Elders v. State, Op. No. 2020-UP-093 (S.C. Ct. App. filed Apr. 8, 2020). The Court will determine whether the court of appeals erred in holding trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to a forensic interviewer's statement that the minor was "recommended for evidence-based therapy."

 10:30 a.m. (Time Limits: 15-15-5)  
2020-000901   Jacquelin S. Bennett and Kathleen S. Turner as Personal Representatives of the Estate of Jacquelin K. Stevenson, Petitioners, v. Estate of James Kelly King and Genevieve S. Felder, Respondents.

Andrew J. McCumber, Daniel S. Slotchiver, Stephen M. Slotchiver, Slotchiver and Slotchiver, LLP of Mount Pleasant, for Petitioners. George R. McElveen, III of McElveen & McElveen, of Columbia, for Respondent.

The Court granted a writ of certiorari to review the court of appeals' decision in Bennett ex rel. Estate of Stevenson v. Estate of King, Op. No. 2019-UP-412 (S.C. Ct. App. filed Dec. 31, 2019).