South Carolina
South Carolina’s highest court is the Supreme Court of South Carolina. The court has four associate justices and one chief justice. The chief justice is selected according to the same procedures as their peers on the court. (Source: South Carolina Judicial Branch)
Judicial Selection
The legislature appoints justices to a 10-year term on the Supreme Court of South Carolina selected from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. Justices may stand for reappointment by the legislature to additional terms in the same appointment process. To fill an interim vacancy, the legislature votes to appoint a judicial candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. If less than one year remains of the unexpired term the governor may appoint a candidate instead. The appointed justice serves the remainder of the unexpired term. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 72.
State Constitution
South Carolina has had seven state constitutions adopted between 1776 and 1895. As of January 1, 2026, it had 503 amendments. (Data on file with John Dinan, Wake Forest University.)
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The Wyoming Supreme Court overturned an injunction against a state law that allows public funds to be used for private schools.
Hemani Is Not the End of Drug-and-Gun Litigation
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that it was unconstitutional to disarm a person based on regular marijuana use contains lessons for state judges, policymakers, and litigants.
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The South Carolina Supreme Court’s latest word on retroactive legislation is in keeping with a messy tradition.
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Early state charters are essential to understanding the American founding.
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The practice of interpreting state constitutions identically to their federal counterpart is often criticized in blanket terms. But the ways state courts lockstep vary widely.
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“State Capture” and the Role of State Courts
State constitutions offer powerful tools for combatting control of state and local institutions by private interests.