South Carolina

Supreme Court Rejects Death Penalty Appeal Over Juror’s 76 Phone Calls

A federal judge was so aggravated by the 76 phone calls made by the jury forewoman in a death penalty case that he held her in contempt and ordered her to forfeit $2,500 in court pay and perform 120 hours of community service. And, if Cynthia Wilson hadn’t had four…

Jun 1, 2010 4:02 PM CDT

Disbarred Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Assuming ID of Different Attorney

A disbarred lawyer living in Florida pleaded guilty Tuesday to identity theft for assuming the identity of a retired New York lawyer. John Mark Marino, 70, was named R. Mark Hunter when he lost his law license in Pennsylvania, according to stories in Carolina Live and GoUpstate.com. Hunter changed his…

May 27, 2010 3:46 PM CDT

Lawyer Accused of Courtroom Seat-Belt Stunt Cites Age, Avoids Sanctions

A South Carolina lawyer accused of secretly staging a courtroom stunt to demonstrate an alleged design flaw in a Kia seat belt won’t be sanctioned for his actions. Lawyer J. Kendall Few avoided penalty after arguing that a long day and his advanced age may have led him to forget…

Mar 25, 2010 11:00 AM CDT

16-Year Judge Loses Seat on Bench Over Husband’s Peripheral Role in 1 Divorce Case

In a decision decried by some observers as supporting a political regime that threatens judicial independence, the top court in South Carolina has upheld a legislative screening panel’s determination booting a seasoned judge from the bench. It found a 16-year family court veteran unqualified to continue to serve as a…

Mar 24, 2010 5:57 PM CDT

Litigant’s Situation Goes from Bad to Worse as E-Mail to Judge Results in New Conviction

Apparently angry over what he perceived as a federal judge’s delay in ruling on his civil suit over an alleged unlawful arrest and incarceration, a Virginia man sent the South Carolina jurist a number of e-mails expressing his negative view of the situation. Now Stephen Rosenberg is awaiting sentencing in…

Mar 22, 2010 6:10 PM CDT

2nd S.C. Lawyer Is Killed in 2 Days; Was His Slaying Also Case-Related?

Within a day after a 61-year-old Pickens, S.C., lawyer was shot and killed outside his office Wednesday, apparently in connection with a divorce matter, another South Carolina lawyer was killed at his York home last night. Authorities haven’t stated how Melvin Roberts, who was nearly 80, died. Police are investigating…

Feb 5, 2010 11:47 PM CST

South Carolina Lawyer Is Shot and Killed Outside His Office

Updated: A South Carolina lawyer was shot and killed outside his office Wednesday evening by a man who then turned the gun on himself. And a second member of the state bar was killed the following day in an unrelated homicide in which authorities are investigating to see whether there…

Feb 4, 2010 12:29 PM CST

Peeved Judge’s Lawsuit Stalls Judicial Selection Process in South Carolina

A family court judge who was deemed unqualified by South Carolina’s Judicial Merit Selection Commission has filed a lawsuit challenging legislators’ control of the screening body. The South Carolina Supreme Court will hear the case as a matter of original jurisdiction, the Charleston Post and Courier reports. The commission vice…

Jan 27, 2010 3:09 PM CST

Ex-Client Sues Law Firm, Says Sex Trial Statements Cost Him $21.5M

Once a high-flying real estate mogul in South Dakota, Doug Hamilton says he lost his entire net worth of over $21.5 million as a result of adverse testimony and arguments by a former employee and her counsel at his sexual harassment trial. Now he is trying to regain at least…

Jan 21, 2010 6:08 PM CST

Chief Justice Practices Special Master Diplomacy in Water Intervenor Dissent

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed a utility and a water supply company to intervene in a dispute over water rights between two states. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. partially dissented in an opinion that gives a shout out to special masters, despite disagreeing with…

Jan 20, 2010 5:02 PM CST

Uncomfortable About Blowing Own Horn, Lawyer Talks About Electric Car in TV Ad

Uncomfortable about directly seeking clients for his auto accident practice, a South Carolina attorney and admitted car buff urges viewers to promote electric-powered vehicles on a television ad. “I think it’s awful when lawyers go on there begging for someone to have a crash,” Gary Ling tells the Post and…

Jan 20, 2010 12:41 AM CST

Furman Official Says Talk of New S.C. Law School Is Urban Legend

Furman University officials say the hire of a leading law dean as its new president doesn’t signal an intention to form a third law school in South Carolina. Furman’s new president, Rodney Smolla, was dean of Washington & Lee University’s law school, where he led an innovative program that pushes…

Jan 7, 2010 1:26 PM CST

Can a Judge Have Facebook Friends? It Depends on What State They Work In

A recent legal ethics opinion concerning Florida judges made clear that they “friend”on Facebook at their peril lawyers who appear in their courtrooms. But a South Carolina legal ethics opinion on an similar subject seemingly takes a lighter view of such Internet social networking connections. It says that judges may…

Dec 16, 2009 12:47 AM CST

After AWOL Argentine Affair, Gov. Sanford Now Faces Ethics Charges Over Expenses

The governor of South Carolina is accused of taking illicit upgrades from coach to business or first class, as well as misusing government planes for personal purposes including a haircut, in 37 charges filed today by the state ethics commission. Gov. Mark Sanford has been scrutinized on multiple fronts after…

Nov 23, 2009 11:02 PM CST

Office ID May Have Helped Asst. AG Beat Ticket—But He’s Out of a Job

A 66-year-old assistant South Carolina attorney general wasn’t charged after being pulled over by a Columbia police officer Monday while allegedly driving with an 18-year-old “gentleman’s club” employee, sex toys and a prescription sexual enhancement drug in his vehicle during his lunch break. But within two hours Roland Corning was…

Oct 29, 2009 6:09 PM CDT