SC judicial income disclosure forms don’t disclose much

By Rick Brundrett | The Nerve

If you’re going to experience the court system in South Carolina, chances are it will be in either magistrate or municipal court.

That’s where you’ll go to take care of traffic tickets or if you’re charged with a crime that carries a sentence of no more than 30 days in jail. Magistrate courts also handle civil cases involving damages less than $7,500.

There are approximately 600 magistrates and municipal judges statewide. More than 80 percent of the municipal judges and nearly half of the magistrates are classified as part-time employees, meaning they “regularly” work less than 40 hours a week, according to information provided to The Nerve by the state Office of Court Administration.

Given their part-time status, many magistrate and municipal court judges – also known as summary court judges – likely have outside jobs. But there’s no easy way right now for the public to find that out to determine whether those judges have any potential conflicts of interest.

at The Nerve.