The Supreme Court of South Carolina
Re: Hurricane Matthew
ORDER
On October 4, 2016, the Governor of South Carolina directed the closure of State, County and Municipal Government Offices in twenty-six counties in South Carolina from October 5 through October 7, 2016.1 This action was taken to facilitate the planned evacuations necessary due to Hurricane Matthew. As the administrative head of the Unified Judicial System in South Carolina, the Chief Justice directed all levels of the Judicial System to comply with this closure.
Subsequently, the Governor issued Executive Orders providing for evacuations in Jasper, Beaufort, Colleton, Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry Counties.2 Several hundred thousand South Carolina citizens evacuated these areas, and the impacts of these evacuations were felt in counties which were not subject to any closure or evacuation. Further, Hurricane Matthew caused significant damage in South Carolina, and this will adversely affect the ability of many lawyers and litigants to comply with deadlines in court proceedings through the end of this week.
Accordingly, this Court finds it appropriate to declare the days of Wednesday, October 5, 2016, though Friday, October 14, 2016, to be statewide "holidays" for the purposes of computing time under Rule 263 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules, Rule 6 of the South Carolina Rules Civil Procedure, Rule 35 of the South Carolina Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Rule 3 of the South Carolina Rules of Magistrates Court.3
s/Costa M. Pleicones C.J. s/Donald W. Beatty J. s/John W. Kittredge J. s/Kaye G. Hearn J. s/John Cannon Few J. |
Columbia, South Carolina
October 10, 2016