Judicial Seats 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 THREE AT-LARGE CIRCUIT COURT SEATS TO RESIDENT SEATS AND CREATE FOUR NEW JUDGESHIPS; BY AMENDING SECTION 63-3-40, RELATING TO THE NUMBER OF FAMILY COURT JUDGES TO BE ELECTED FROM EACH CIRCUIT, SO AS TO CONVERT FOUR AT-LARGE FAMILY COURT SEATS TO RESIDENT SEATS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 9-8-60, RELATING TO RETIREMENT OF JUDGES, SOLICITORS, AND CIRCUIT PUBLIC DEFENDERS, SO AS TO REQUIRE EIGHT YEARS OF EARNED SERVICE RATHER THAN TEN. - RATIFIED TITLEView full text View Vote History View Fiscal Impact12/16/25House Prefiled12/16/25House Referred to Committee on Judiciary01/13/26House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 96)01/13/26House Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House Journal-page 96)01/20/26House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White03/31/26House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Robbins03/31/26House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary (House Journal-page 210)04/01/26House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hart04/01/26House Amended (House Journal-page 22)04/01/26House Read second time (House Journal-page 22)04/01/26House Roll call Yeas-109 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 24)04/02/26House Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 37)04/07/26Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 3)04/07/26Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 3)05/05/26Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 45)05/05/26Senate Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 45)05/06/26Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 82)05/14/26 Ratified R 20505/15/26 Signed By Governor05/26/26 Effective date 05/15/2605/26/26 Act No. 154
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill amends South Carolina’s judicial system by restructuring the state’s judicial circuits. Specifically, it converts three at-large circuit court seats to resident seats in the first, third, and eighth circuits, and converts four at-large family court seats to resident seats in the fifth, tenth, and twelfth circuits. Additionally, the bill increases the minimum required years of service for judicial retirement from ten to eight years.
Key provisions
- Converts three at-large circuit court seats to resident seats in the first, third, and eighth circuits.
- Converts four at-large family court seats to resident seats in the fifth, tenth, and twelfth circuits.
- Increases the minimum required years of earned service for judicial retirement from ten to eight years.
- Creates new judicial offices in the fifth and tenth circuits.
- Requires new judicial offices in the sixth and fifteenth circuits to be nominated in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
- Establishes a process for electing judges for the new judicial offices.
- Specifies that the new judges in the fifth and tenth circuits must be residents of Kershaw and Oconee counties, respectively.
- Modifies the retirement age and service requirements for judges, solicitors, and circuit public defenders.
Who is affected
- Judges
- Solicitors
- Circuit Public Defenders
Bill text
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