S.C. Bar releases judicial candidate reports
Contributed by The South Carolina Bar

The South Carolina Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee released its reports on the qualifications of judicial candidates in five contested races.

The reports reflect the composite perspective provided by members of the Bar who were interviewed about each candidate's judicial temperament, character, knowledge of the law and legal skills. A significant number of interviews were sought by the Committee for each candidate, and the candidates themselves were directly interviewed. The investigative interviews were confidential to encourage candid responses, and sitting legislators were not contacted to prevent any inference that a legislator was being asked to endorse a candidate.

The Committee is issuing reports on the following candidates:

COURT OF APPEALS, Seat 4

Hon. Timothy L. Brown, Greenville

Lesley M. Coggiola, Columbia

Hon. John C. Hayes III, York

Hon. Robert N. Jenkins Sr., Greenville

J. Rene Josey, Florence

Hon. Aphrodite Konduros, Greenville

Hon. Paula H. Thomas. Georgetown

FAMILY COURT, Third Judicial Circuit, Seat 3

Gordon B. "Bubber" Jenkinson, Kingstree

FAMILY COURT, Fifth Judicial Circuit, Seat 2

Hon. Leslie K. Riddle, Columbia

Lillie C. Hart, Columbia

FAMILY COURT, 11th Judicial Circuit, Seat 2

Michael S. Medlock, Edgefield

Deborah Neese, Columbia

Robert E. Newton, Lexington

FAMILY COURT, 15th Judicial Circuit, Seat 1

Joe M. Crosby, Georgetown

Anita R. Floyd, Conway

Charles Reuben Goude, Georgetown

Jan B. Holmes, Georgetown

It is the collective opinion of the Committee that the following candidates possess the requisite characteristics for the judicial position they seek based on the results of the Bar's 2006 Judicial Evaluation Survey. Therefore, no investigation was conducted for these races.

COURT OF APPEALS, Seat 3

Hon. John W. Kittredge, Greenville

CIRCUIT COURT

Fifth Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. J. Ernest Kinard Jr., Camden

Seventh Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. J. Derham Cole, Spartanburg

Ninth Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. Deadra L. Jefferson, Charleston

10th Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. J.C. Nicholson Jr., Anderson

FAMILY COURT

First Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. Anne Gue Jones, Orangeburg

Second Judicial Circuit, Seat 2: Hon. Dale Moore Gable, Barnwell

Third Judicial Circuit, Seat 2: Hon. W. Jeffrey Young, Sumter

Fourth Judicial Circuit, Seat 2: Hon. Jamie Lee Murdock Jr., Darlington

Fifth Judicial Circuit, Seat 3: Hon. Rolly W. Jacobs, Camden

Sixth Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. Brian M. Gibbons, Chester

Seventh Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. Georgia V. Anderson, Spartanburg

Seventh Judicial Circuit, Seat 2: Hon. James F. Fraley Jr., Spartanburg

Eighth Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. Joseph W. McGowan III, Laurens

Eighth Judicial Circuit, Seat 3: Hon. Billy A. Tunstall Jr., Greenwood

Ninth Judicial Circuit, Seat 2: Hon. Paul W. Garfinkel, Charleston

Ninth Judicial Circuit, Seat 4: Hon. Wayne M. Creech, Moncks Corner

10th Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. Barry W. Knobel, Anderson

10th Judicial Circuit, Seat 3: Hon. Tommy B. Edwards, Anderson

11th Judicial Circuit, Seat 3: Hon. Richard W. Chewning III, Lexington

12th Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. Mary E. Buchan, Marion

12th Judicial Circuit, Seat 2: A. Eugene Morehead III, Florence

13th Judicial Circuit, Seat 2: Hon. R. Kinard Johnson Jr., Greenville

14th Judicial Circuit, Seat 1: Hon. Gerald C. Smoak Jr., Walterboro

14th Judicial Circuit, Seat 3: Hon. Robert S. Armstrong, Beaufort

16th Judicial Circuit, Seat 2: Hon. Henry T. Woods, Rock Hill

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW COURT, Seat 2

Hon. John D. McLeod, Winnsboro

The reports will be forwarded directly to members of the Judicial Merit Selection Commission of the South Carolina General Assembly.

The South Carolina Bar, which has a membership of more than 12,000 lawyers, is dedicated to advancing justice, professionalism and understanding of the law.

Judicial Qualifications Reports may be downloaded as a PDF file at http://www.scbar.org/pdf/JQCNov06.pdf.