Chief Justice, Governor did not seek more

10 SC House members who are lawyers aim to create 4 more court seats.

The House Ways and Means Committee passed a $32.3 billion spending plan for next year including $2.1 million for 4 more judges.

The bill’s co-sponsors would play roles in who gets those positions.

10 of the bill’s 16 sponsors are lawyers. The only Lexington County delegation member who co-sponsored the bill is Rep. Cal Forrest, who represents the Batesburg-Leesville area.

The lead sponsor of the bill is House speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington.

He is an attorney who controls 5 of the 10 appointments to the committee that nominates judges.

The bill overwhelmingly passed a full House vote.

Yet neither SC Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald Beatty nor Gov. Henry Mc-Master sought more judges in their budget proposals.

The proposed Judicial Department budget is $111.5 million – an 8.6% increase over this year and up nearly 57% since 2017.

The House spending plan would give another $10 million to the Judicial Department for dozens more court personnel which Beatty sought in his request.

McMaster sought no money for additional judges or court personnel.

Lawmakers last year gave judges a 33% pay hike.

Annual judges’ salaries range from $183,237 for family court judges to $208,000 for Beatty.

South Carolina and Virginia are the only states where lawmakers play roles in electing judges.

Brundrett is the news editor of The Nerve. Contact him at 803-254-4411 or rick@thenerve.org .