Two bills (S.270 & S.337) would prohibit the spouse of a sitting lawmaker from being elected to judicial office, and this extends up to a year after that lawmaker leaves office. This ban only applies to judges elected by the General Assembly, but as SCPC has reported, that’s nearly all of them. The current practice of letting lawmakers elect the family members of their peers is inherently unethical and rife with conflict of interest. This is a common sense reform that would help to diminish the undue influence lawmakers have over the judicial branch.
S.270, S.337 – Lawmakers’ spouses can’t be elected to judicial office
BySouth Carolina Policy Council
Jan 28, 2019
By South Carolina Policy Council
Since 1986 the South Carolina Policy Council Education Foundation has advocated innovative policy ideas that advance the principles of limited government and free enterprise. The Policy Council is the state’s meeting place for business leaders, policymakers, and academics – as well as engaged citizens – who want to see South Carolina become the most free state in the nation. For questions or comments on the articles on this website, please email Research Director Jamie Murguia.