Current Status Bill Number:3933 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:19970410 Primary Sponsor:Cave All Sponsors:Cave, Bowers and Pinckney Drafted Document Number:pt\1120mm.97 Residing Body:House Current Committee:Judiciary Committee 25 HJ Subject:Family court judges, residency requirements provided for; Courts
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________ House 19970410 Introduced, read first time, 25 HJ referred to CommitteeView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-1410, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE NUMBER OF FAMILY COURT JUDGES FOR EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IN THOSE JUDICIAL CIRCUITS MADE UP OF FIVE COUNTIES, AT LEAST ONE FAMILY COURT JUDGE MUST BE A RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE THREE COUNTIES WITH THE SMALLEST POPULATION IN THE CIRCUIT AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE REQUIREMENT NOT APPLY TO INCUMBENTS SEEKING REELECTION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 20-7-1410 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Section 85E, Part II, Act 145 of 1995, is further amended to read:
"Section 20-7-1410. The General Assembly shall elect a number of family court judges from each judicial circuit as follows:
First Circuit Two Judges
Second Circuit Two Judges
Third Circuit Three Judges
Fourth Circuit Three Judges
Fifth Circuit Four Judges
Sixth Circuit Two Judges
Seventh Circuit Three Judges
Eighth Circuit Three Judges
Ninth Circuit Five Judges
Tenth Circuit Three Judges
Eleventh Circuit Three Judges
Twelfth Circuit Three Judges
Thirteenth Circuit Five Judges
Fourteenth Circuit Three Judges
Fifteenth Circuit Three Judges
Sixteenth Circuit Two Judges
In the following judicial circuits at least one family court judge must be a resident of each county in the circuit: fifth, seventh, ninth, tenth, twelfth, thirteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth. In those judicial circuits made up of three or more counties at least one family court judge must be a resident of one of the counties which does not have the largest population in the circuit. In those judicial circuits made up of five counties, at least one family court judge must be a resident of one of the three counties with the smallest population in the circuit, except that this requirement shall not apply to incumbent family court judges seeking reelection in those judicial circuits made up of five counties.
No county in the sixth circuit shall have more than one resident family court judge."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.