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South Carolina
Judicial Branch
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Due to the state holidays, no Advance Sheet will be posted during the week of December 27-31, 2021.

The Supreme Court has issued an order expanding the existing Charleston Housing Court Pilot Project to other Magistrate Courts in the Charleston area as it recognizes the continued importance and need of the program throughout the area.

Spartanburg Family Court Holds “Pro Se Day” to Resolve Pending Divorces for Unrepresented Litigants

South Carolina Courts Observe Adoption Day

The Office of Bar Admissions now has its own phone number. The new number is (803)734-1317. Please use this number instead of (803)734-1080. And remember the Office of Bar Admissions takes phone calls on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The Supreme Court is accepting written comments concerning a proposed amendment to Rule 43(k) of the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure.

The South Carolina Bar has proposed a number of amendments to the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC), which are found in Rule 407 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules (SCACR).

The Supreme Court has rescinded an order permitting magistrates to complete certain trial experiences by WebEx.

The Supreme Court is accepting written comments concerning a proposed amendment to Rule 4 of the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure.

The requirement that certain domestic relations and juvenile cases be disposed of within 365 days has been reinstated effective January 4, 2022. In cases that will be older than 365 days when this order takes effect, a party or attorney should request a final hearing by January 4, 2022.

No South Carolina Advance Sheet will be Posted this Week.

Posted Results of the July 2021 Bar Examination

The Supreme Court has rescinded the order permitting attorneys and bar applicants to satisfy the requirements of Rule 403(b)(1) and (4), SCACR—observation of one live civil or criminal jury trial and two live day in court proceedings—by viewing recorded proceedings broadcast online via Cisco WebEx. The final broadcast, as previously announced on the WebEx Events broadcast page, is scheduled for October 14, 2021. Attorneys and bar applicants who have completed a trial observation via Cisco WebEx should follow the directives contained in the rescinded order, which is available here, to report completion of a trial experience via Cisco WebEx to the Office of Bar Admissions.

The results of the July 2021 Uniform Bar Examination will be posted on the Bar Admissions page at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 15, 2021.

The Supreme Court is accepting written comments concerning a proposed amendment to Rule 14(e) of the South Carolina Rules of Family Court.

Amendment to the South Carolina Electronic Filing Policies and Guidelines

Because SC.Gov experienced a payment processing outage, the South Carolina Judicial Branch has announced a limited Technical Failure of the E-Filing System for October 1, 2021, in accordance with Section 9(b) of the South Carolina Electronic Filing Policies and Guidelines. This Technical Failure only affects E-Filings that require payment. E-Filers may utilize the provisions of Section 9(d) or (e) of the South Carolina Electronic Filing Policies and Guidelines to submit filings or serve documents through available alternative procedures with respect to any document that requires payment and was required to be filed or served on October 1, 2021.

Rule 510, SCACR, which addresses continuing legal education requirements for magistrates and municipal court judges, has been amended by the Supreme Court.

Amended Order Regarding the Use of Remote Communication Technology by the Trial Courts

The South Carolina Access to Justice Commission introduced its inaugural report, Measuring South Carolina’s Justice Gap, during a Wednesday, Sept. 16 online event attended by judges, attorneys, court employees, service providers, and others in the South Carolina legal community.

After gathering input from stakeholders and in an effort to produce clear and concise criminal sentencing information, I find it prudent to automate the General Sessions sentencing sheet process.

Revised Order Regarding the Operation of the Trial Courts During the Coronavirus Emergency

Order Regarding the Use of Remote Communication Technology by the Trial Courts

Rescission of Order Relating to the Operation of the Appellate Courts During the Coronavirus Emergency

Order Regarding the Methods of Electronic Filing and Service Under Rule 262 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules

Order Regarding Reduced Number of Copies Required in Appellate Matters

The South Carolina Appellate Court Rules provide that magistrate and municipal judges may obtain no more than six credit hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) via online or telephonic courses in an annual reporting year.

The Supreme Court of South Carolina has issued its opinion in Creswick v. The University of South Carolina and Alan Wilson in his official capacity as Attorney General.

The amendments to Rule 3.8 of the Rules of Professional Conduct govern a prosecutor's ethical responsibilities upon learning that a convicted defendant is likely innocent.

This order provides temporary protection for lawyers who serve as members of the General Assembly and who are participating in public hearings and meetings related to adoption of redistricting plans or maps to redraw South Carolina congressional and state districts and committee meetings regarding the American Rescue Plan Act.

The Supreme Court has issued an order extending the Amended Order Regarding the Operation of the Trial Courts During the Coronavirus Emergency (As Amended June 15, 2021) to August 31, 2021.

The Supreme Court has issued an order creating a pilot program that allows lawyers to receive CLE credit for pro bono participation in the Charleston Housing Court

No opinions will be posted this week.

Automation of the General Sessions Sentencing Sheet Process

General Sessions Sentencing Sheet

Inclement Weather
(07/06/2021)

Inclement Weather

Because SC.Gov experienced a payment processing outage, the South Carolina Judicial Branch has announced a limited Technical Failure of the E-Filing System for July 1, 2021, in accordance with Section 9(b) of the South Carolina Electronic Filing Policies and Guidelines. This Technical Failure only affects E-Filings that require payment. E-Filers may utilize the provisions of Section 9(d) or (e) of the South Carolina Electronic Filing Policies and Guidelines to submit filings or serve documents through available alternative procedures with respect to any document that requires payment and was required to be filed or served on July 1, 2021.

Statutory provisions for the distribution of revenue generated by the circuit courts, family courts, magistrates courts and municipal courts; fees and related charges of the registers of deeds

Statutory provisions for the distribution of revenue generated by the circuit courts, and family courts; fees and related charges of the registers of deeds

Statutory provisions for the distribution of revenue generated by the magistrate courts and municipal courts

Supreme Court of South Carolina Names Patricia A. Howard Clerk of Court

Supreme Court of South Carolina Clerk of Court Daniel E. Shearouse Receives Highest Professional and Civilian Honors

Chief Judges for Administrative Purposes of the Summary Courts

The Court has released an order regarding COVID-19 mitigation measures for the July 2021 Bar Examination

Amended Order Regarding the Operation of the Trial Courts During the Coronavirus Emergency (As Amended June 15, 2021)

Because SC.Gov experienced a payment processing outage, the South Carolina Judicial Department has announced a limited Technical Failure of the E-Filing System for June 7, 2021, in accordance with Section 9(b) of the South Carolina Electronic Filing Policies and Guidelines. This Technical Failure only affects E-Filings that require payment. E-Filers may utilize the provisions of Section 9(d) or (e) of the South Carolina Electronic Filing Policies and Guidelines to submit filings or serve documents through available alternative procedures with respect to any document that requires payment and was required to be filed or served on June 7, 2021.

The Supreme Court has issued an administrative order that enjoins the practice of referring discovery disputes to special referees, effective immediately.

South Carolina Advance Sheets will be posted on Thursday, June 3, 2021.

No South Carolina Advance Sheet will be Posted this Week.

The Supreme Court has amended Rule 20 of the ADR Rules and Appendix A and B to the ADR Rules

This Order permits all newly admitted members admitted pursuant to Rule 402, SCACR, to complete a required Essentials Series course online for the 2021-2022 annual reporting year.

Live Streaming Oral Argument at the Court of Appeals

Rule Amendments
(04/29/2021)

Since ninety days have passed since submission without rejection by the General Assembly, the amendments contained in the referenced orders are effective immediately.

New and Revised Circuit and Family Court Forms

Administrative Suspensions for Failure to Comply with Continuing Legal Education Requirements

Posted Results of the February 2021 Bar Examination

July 2021 Bar Examination and the Coronavirus Pandemic

Results of the February 2021 Uniform Bar Examination

No South Carolina Advance Sheet will be Posted this Week.

This Order waives the restrictions on the numbers of CLE credits that may be obtained through online or telephone courses for the 2021-2022 annual reporting year.

Inclement Weather
(03/18/2021)

Inclement Weather

Memo Regarding the Amended Order Regarding the Operation of the Trial Courts During the Coronavirus Emergency

Supreme Court Releases Pro Bono Honor Roll for 2020

Amended Order Regarding the Operation of the Trial Courts During the Coronavirus Emergency

In-Person Proceedings and Jury Trials in Circuit, Family, Probate, and Master-in-Equity Courts

In-Person Proceedings and Jury Trials in the Summary Courts

The South Carolina Bar has furnished the attached list of lawyers who have failed to pay their license fees for 2021. Pursuant to Rule 419(d)(1), SCACR, these lawyers are hereby suspended from the practice of law. They shall surrender their certificate of admission to practice law to the Clerk of this Court by March 26, 2021.

No South Carolina Advance Sheet will be Posted this Week.

Supreme Court issues order regarding COVID-19 mitigation measures for the February 2021 Bar Examination

Judicial Elections
(02/03/2021)

Judicial elections were held February 3, 2021

Rule Changes Submitted to the General Assembly

Suspension of Family Court Benchmark Administrative Order

February 2021 Bar Examination and the Coronavirus Pandemic

In-Person Proceedings in Circuit, Family, Probate, and Master-in-Equity Courts (As Amended on January 8, 2021)

In-Person Proceedings in the Summary Courts (As Amended on January 8, 2021)

No South Carolina Advance Sheet will be Posted this Week.

In-Person Proceedings in Circuit, Family, Probate, and Master-in-Equity Courts

In-Person Proceedings in the Summary Courts

Order issued regarding legal rate of interest on money decrees and judgments.