Chief Justice Jean Hoefer Toal Addresses S.C. Judiciary
at 2009 Annual Judicial Conference
On Thursday, August 20, 2009, Chief Justice Jean Hoefer Toal addressed members of South Carolina's Judiciary at the Annual Judicial Conference. Justice Toal recognized the contributions of retiring Supreme Court Justice John Waller and welcomed Court of Appeals Chief Judge Kaye Hearn who will be joining the Supreme Court. She also recognized the contributions of retiring judges Kenneth Goode (Circuit), John Milling (Circuit), J.C. Nicholson, Jr. (Circuit), Larry Patterson (Circuit), Wyatt Saunders (Circuit), James Williams, Jr. (Circuit), Georgia Anderson (Family), Wesley Brown (Family), Kinard Johnson (Family), Peter Nuessle (Family), James Spruill (Family), Donna Strom (Family), Henry Woods (Family), Stan Cross (Master-In-Equity), and Charles Curry (Master-In-Equity). |
Justice Toal provided an update on state court funding, the current financial crisis, caseload statistics, the Statewide Court Case Management System, the Statewide Solicitor Case Management System, the Family Court Case Management System and other technology initiatives underway in SC. |
Her remarks included a discussion of a specialized docket management designed to improve court efficiences. She announced the publication of a special website for Access to Justice (www.scatj.org) designed to provide information for people of low income and modest means and provided and update on the Rule 608 Workgroup responsible for submitting recommendations on appointing counsel for indigents. In addition, an update on the Business Court Pilot Program and the Sentencing Reform Commission was provided.