Judicial Secrecy

  • Supreme Court justice defends secretive disciplinary system

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 6/25/25 - In an order issued today, the S.C. Supreme Court announced that starting with the new fiscal year on July 1, summaries of all dismissed complaints against judges – the majority of complaints filed annually against judges statewide and which typically are kept secret – as...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    November 30, 2023

  • Courting favor? Senator's cases before magistrates raise ethics questions

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 12/6/24 - S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kittredge issued an order generally banning magistrates from hearing any contested matter involving a state senator, whether as a lawyer or party, who has "direct authority" to recommend the magistrate for appointment by the governor. The order, which...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    September 29, 2023

  • S.C. senators maintain strong grip on local magistrates

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 10/16/23- Less than three weeks after this story and a companion investigative piece were published, Gov. Henry McMaster in a letter to the S.C. Senate called for reforms in the magistrate selection process, pointing out that his "relatively recent predecessors adopted or acceded to a custom...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    September 29, 2023

  • Sweeping transparency reforms proposed in House bill

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Citizens would have far easier access to state and local government records and meetings in South Carolina under a wide-ranging S.C. House bill introduced Thursday. The legislation was  based largely on transparency recommendations released in December by the South Carolina Policy Council – The Nerve’s parent organization, said the...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    February 10, 2023

  • S.C. judges could get more raises under Senate bill

    By RICK BRUNDRETT A state senator-lawyer wants the six-figure salaries of S.C. judges to be based on what a federal district judge makes – which typically would guarantee them annual raises. And that could be in addition to any yearly pay hikes authorized in the state budget. State employees, including...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    December 12, 2022

  • Senior judges getting double-dipping perk; records secret

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Most South Carolina workers probably don’t receive big retirement checks from their employers at the same time they’re getting their regular pay. But under state law, eligible senior judges can receive separate “retire-in-place” paychecks equal to 90% of their six-figure salaries. And the law allows them –...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    November 14, 2022

  • Concealed court files reveal freebie judicial trips

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Last year, dozens of state judges attended one or more conferences at pricey resorts hosted by special-interest legal organizations that paid for all or part of their stays, The Nerve found in a review of court administration records. Trip details involving the 77 S.C. Supreme Court, Court...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    October 24, 2022

  • State law keeps judicial income hidden from public

    Update 3/17/25: The salaries of judges and court staff making at least $50,000 annually can now be found here on the Judicial Department's website. By RICK BRUNDRETT Under state court rules, judges must avoid even the “appearance of impropriety” in all of their activities, and “minimize the risk of conflict”...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    March 10, 2022

  • Judicial department releases staff salaries after legal pressure

    By RICK BRUNDRETT More than three months after ignoring The Nerve’s written requests, the S.C. Judicial Department has released an updated salary list of state judges and other higher-paid court staff, which shows 141 employees making at least $100,000. The third branch of state government responded to The Nerve only...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    March 04, 2022

  • Lawmakers secretly nominate ex-legislator for judge’s seat

    By RICK BRUNDRETT As expected, the Horry County legislative delegation last week nominated former House member Alan Clemmons as the county’s master-in-equity judge. But House and Senate members who make up the delegation didn’t  nominate Clemmons –  who had been a longtime delegation member – during a public meeting in...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    February 09, 2022