COLOMBIA, SC (AP) – The leader of the South Carolina House wants to add two more judges to the South Carolina Supreme Court.
Republican House Speaker Jay Lucas said that most states have seven or nine judges. South Carolina’s highest court has had five judges for at least 50 years.
“This change will bring about a greater diversity of ideas and perspectives that are much more representative of South Carolina as it is today and as it will be in the future,” Lucas said in a statement to The (Columbia) State.
Lucas is an advocate of the resolution which, if passed by the House and Senate, would present a constitutional amendment proposal to voters in November 2022 to expand the state Supreme Court.
Government watchdogs said they wanted to hear more about the proposal and are especially interested in hearing if the state Supreme Court feels it is overloaded with five judges.
Legislators have yet to hold hearings on the proposal.
The South Carolina General Assembly selects the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit and Family Court judges after a selection process.