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South CarolinaH 4160126th General Assembly (2025-2026)House

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 14-5-610, RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF THE STATE INTO SIXTEEN JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, THE NUMBER OF JUDGES TO BE ELECTED FROM EACH CIRCUIT, AND THE ELECTION OF AT-LARGE JUDGES WITHOUT REGARD TO COUNTY OR CIRCUIT OF RESIDENCE, SO AS TO CONVERT NINE AT-LARGE CIRCUIT COURT SEATS TO RESIDENT SEATS IN THE THIRD, THIRTEENTH, TWELFTH, FIFTH, NINTH, ELEVENTH, AND SEVENTH CIRCUITS.

Sponsored By: Wm. Weston J. Newton (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Judicial seats, circuit court

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

More resident judges in South Carolina circuits

Beginning May 12, 2025, nine at-large circuit court seats become resident seats. The conversions are: At-large Seat 1 to Third Circuit Seat 3; Seat 4 to Thirteenth Seat 5; Seats 6 and 12 to Twelfth Seats 2 and 3. Seats 8 and 10 become Fifth Seats 4 and 5; Seat 9 becomes Ninth Seat 5; Seat 13 becomes Eleventh Seat 3; Seat 14 becomes Seventh Seat 3. Judges for these seats must live in the named circuits: Third (Clarendon, Lee, Sumter, Williamsburg); Thirteenth (Greenville, Pickens); Twelfth (Florence, Marion); Fifth (Kershaw, Richland); Ninth (Charleston, Berkeley); Eleventh (Lexington, McCormick, Saluda, Edgefield); Seventh (Cherokee, Spartanburg). Pay and funding for these judgeships do not change.

No new screening for converted judges

Beginning May 12, 2025, a judge now serving in an at-large seat that is converted does not need new screening. The judge serves through the end of the current term under the prior screening and election.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Wm. Weston J. Newton

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Bruce W. Bannister

    Republican • House

  • Cody T. Mitchell

    Republican • House

  • Micajah P. "Micah" Caskey IV

    Republican • House

  • G. Murrell Smith, Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan, Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope

    Republican • House

  • Richard L. "Richie" Yow

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 151 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/6/2025

(Judicial seats, circuit court)3rd Reading

Yes: 45 • No: 0

House vote • 4/8/2025

(Judicial seats, circuit court)Passage of Bill

Yes: 106 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Act No. 50

    5/19/2025legislature

  2. Effective date 05/12/25

    5/19/2025legislature

  3. Signed By Governor

    5/12/2025Governor

  4. Ratified R 76

    5/8/2025legislature

  5. Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0

    5/6/2025Senate

  6. Read third time and enrolled

    5/6/2025Senate

  7. Roll call Ayes-24 Nays-14

    5/1/2025Senate

  8. Read second time

    5/1/2025Senate

  9. Committee report: Favorable Judiciary

    4/29/2025Senate

  10. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

    4/9/2025Senate

  11. Introduced and read first time

    4/9/2025Senate

  12. Read third time and sent to Senate

    4/9/2025House

  13. Roll call Yeas-106 Nays-0

    4/8/2025House

  14. Read second time

    4/8/2025House

  15. Amended

    4/8/2025House

  16. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: C.Mitchell, Yow

    4/8/2025House

  17. Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary

    4/2/2025House

  18. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Pope

    3/27/2025House

  19. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

    3/6/2025House

  20. Introduced and read first time

    3/6/2025House

Bill Text

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