Barbara Scott serves as Clerk of Court for 23 years, wins award, and runs for re- election
By Jackie Perrone jacper@juno.com

The American Board of Trial Advocates presents Barbara Scott with the Clerk of the Court of the Year Award.

Twenty- three years as Clerk of the Circuit and Family Courts has taught Barbara Scott plenty about the law, people, and life in general.

"If I ever get around to writing a book, it will be a large fat one," she says. "Excuses? I have heard them all. 'The dog ate my homework' can't compete with some of the reasons I have heard why people can't serve on a jury."

This Richland County law veteran was honored Thursday, November 15, 2007, by the American Board of Trial Advocates with the Clerk of Court of the Year Award.

Barbara Scott was born in Florence and moved to Columbia at age five. She attended Columbia City Schools and the University of South Carolina, then began her career in the legal field as a secretary for Law and Kirkland (later Kirkland, Aaron and Alley) where she remained for almost 30 years before being elected Clerk of Court in 1984. She was a founder of the Columbia Legal Secretaries and served in various offices in that organization. She served on the Richland District One School Board (three years as chairman).

Barbara Scott, Clerk of Court for 23 years, plans to run for re- election.

Her husband is Paul Pickens, and they have four daughters and nine grandchildren.

Since 1985 the two Fifth Circuit courts have depended on Scott to keep the wheels of justice oiled and running smoothly.

"I love my work," she says. "I love people, and our department is a hands- on service to the taxpayers. In training new employees, I always emphasize we are here to serve the citizens. If I ever hear of an employee being rude or inconsiderate to a member of the public, that person is gone by the end of the day."

It's amazing even to her that in 1985, there were no computers in the justice system. Everything was pencil and paper. Manual typewriter, carbon paper - "What's carbon paper? is what we hear nowadays." Everything was typed in triplicate, and if there was a mistake anywhere, the whole thing had to be typed over.

Now, she says, some of the most proficient court stenographers can take the notes in "real time," and attorneys have access to the record within minutes after court closes for the day.

Scott will run for re- election in 2008. "I don't mind campaigning, because I enjoy meeting people," she says. "The fundraising is not as much fun, but it is very necessary to the process."