The Supreme Court of South Carolina
O R D E R
The judges of the magistrate courts of South Carolina being a part of the uniform statewide judicial system, and pursuant to the provisions of Article V, Section 4, South Carolina Constitution,
IT IS ORDERED that each magistrate and municipal judge of this State shall try or otherwise dispose of all criminal cases, including traffic cases, within sixty (60) days of the return of the charging paper to the court, in the absence of good cause shown to the court.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that magistrates and municipal judges shall report on a form prescribed by the Office of South Carolina Court Administration the reason that any criminal case, including traffic cases, has not been tried or otherwise disposed of within the sixty (60) day period (1). This report shall be made monthly to the Office of South Carolina Court Administration. For magistrates, this report shall be made a part of the Municipal Court Summary Court Report Form.
Failure to comply with this Order shall subject the magistrate or municipal judge so failing to penalties as for contempt of court.
s/ J. Woodrow Lewis J. Woodrow Lewis Chief Justice |
Columbia, South Carolina
June 26, 1980
1. EDITOR'S NOTE: Monthly written report no longer required of magistrates.