If you're looking to become a judge at the beard competition in York County, South Carolina, you'll need to understand the process of judicial selection in the state. The South Carolina Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) and the General Assembly are responsible for appointing Supreme Court justices, appellate court judges, circuit court judges, family court judges, and trial court judges. In addition, municipal court judges are appointed by the municipality they serve, while probate court judges are elected by county voters. U.
S. District Court judges are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. In 1996, South Carolina's Referendum 4B created the Judicial Merit Selection Commission to select and recommend candidates for vacancies in Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, circuit courts, and family courts. Prior to this formation, a joint committee of the South Carolina General Assembly would screen applicants and recommend candidates for court vacancies without any statute or specific qualifications. Supreme Court justices are appointed by the South Carolina Legislature to serve on the court for 10-year terms and are subject to re-election by the legislature. The JMSC selects candidates for judges and then submits a list of three names to the General Assembly.
The assembly then votes on the candidates, either by choosing one of the three recommendations or by rejecting the entire list. Appellate court judges serve six-year terms and elect their chief judge through the same legislative election process used to select other judges. South Carolina Circuit Court judges must be U. citizens, between 32 and 72 years old, residents of the state for at least five years, and licensed as an attorney for at least eight years. South Carolina family court judges are each elected for six years by the state legislature. The judges of the South Carolina trial courts are each appointed for a four-year term by the governor with the advice and consent of the state Senate.
To be part of this court, a judge must be a U. citizen, resident of the state for five years, between 21 and 72 years old, and have a bachelor's degree. Judges in South Carolina's municipal courts are appointed for periods of varying length by the municipality in which they serve. The term of office usually ranges from two to four years and requirements to be a member of this court vary by municipality. Court judges with a master's degree in equity are each appointed for a six-year term by the governor with the advice and consent of the General Assembly.
Judges of the South Carolina probate courts are each elected for four-year terms in elections contested by parties. To be part of this court, a judge must be a qualified county voter, 21 years of age or older and have a bachelor's degree or four years of experience as an employee in a probate judge's office. U. District Court judges go through a different selection process than state judges. District courts are served by federal Article III judges, who are appointed for life as long as they behave well.
Usually, senators (or members of the House, occasionally) recommend them first. The President of the United States appoints these judges, who must then be confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article III of the United States Constitution. Becoming a judge at beard competitions in York County is an exciting opportunity that requires knowledge about judicial selection methods in South Carolina as well as an understanding of how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country. It is important to note that while senators or members of Congress may recommend candidates for district court judgeships, all other judicial positions require approval from either local municipalities or state legislatures.
