South Carolina Lawyers Weekly
State Supreme Court Justices deliberated in front of high school students and the public. (Photo by Haviland Stewart)
High school students and residents recently got an up-close look at how the Supreme Court of South Carolina deliberates its cases.
On Oct. 25 and 26, Supreme Court officials traveled to Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., as it presented deliberations on cases. Members of the public and students from middle schools and high schools from four nearby districts came to observe as cases were deliberated.
The Supreme Court Justices from South Carolina are Chief Justice Donald W. Beatty, John W. Kittredge, Kaye G. Hearn, John Cannon Few and George C. James Jr.
“The court serves everyone in South Carolina, and it is appropriate that we make the judicial process accessible to as many citizens as possible, especially students,” Chief Justice Beatty said in a news release for Winthrop University.
After each case, students had the opportunity to ask the attorneys and justices questions regarding the deliberation and the judicial system.
According to Mary-Kathryn Craft, communications director at the South Carolina Bar Association, this is the continuation of an initiative Beatty started a few years ago to invite students, members of the public and the legal community to see the appellate process first hand.
On Oct. 25, two cases involving violent crimes were deliberated, including, The State v. Tappia Deangelo Green, and The State, v. Joshua C. Reher.
On Oct. 26, two cases involving insurance were deliberated, including, USAA Casualty Insurance Company, Plaintiff, v. Vincent J. Rafferty, Jr., as personal representative of the Estate of Megan Walters Jenkins, Defendants, and Nationwide Affinity Insurance Company of America, Appellant, v. Andrew Green, Respondent.
