ARE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA JUDICIAL SELECTION MERIT COMMISSION IGNORING COMPLAINTS ON JUDGES

For years in South Carolina complaints of corruption and favoritism have covered the Judicial Selection Merit Commission (JSMC). Many South Carolinians who have testified before this committee have stated the same complaints of being ignored, having their complaints dismissed, and not being allowed to give a full account of the wrongful doings of the judges.

Many individuals and Civil Rights Groups have begun sitting in on these hearings as they are called and began video recording them to show this failed Commission’s actions.

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In 2018, Matt Younginer stood before this commission to prevent the re-confirmation of Judge At-Large Monet Pincus. In his testimony to the commission, he spoke of how this Judge sent his children to the state of Montana for what is considered questionable psychological practices of parental reunification at the behest of their mother. And how this judge ignored factual evidence and then sealed the court record to hide her wrongdoings.

The Commission ordered that a second hearing be held and that Mr. Younginer bring in the evidence requested by them. A month later the hearing was held in a closed-door session, with Mr. Younginer and several other supporters being told to wait outside. (These hearings are considered Public Hearings and by State Law can not be held in a closed-door session.) For 2 Hours the Commission and Judge Pincus were behind these doors! Upon opening them Mr. Younginer and his supporters were admitted and the Commission confirmed Judge Pincus’s appointment, without allowing or hearing the evidence they requested Mr. Younginer bring and stated they would hear no more on the matter.

Several Legislators who were questioned the day after the Legislative vote stated they had never been notified of these major complaints concerning this Judge and that the report they received did not contain this information.

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Another, incident with this Commission concerns a Mother named Brenda Bryant, who is listed as an Enemy of the State, for fighting for her disabled daughter from abuse in State Homes and refusing to pay the Court appointed Guardian. Bryant was ordered to pay $10,000 to the guardian, who she states did not protect her daughter. (Ms. Bryant’s daughter was raped while in State Homes.)

Ms. Bryant’s husband spoke out against Judge Edward Miller at a JSMC hearing for Judge Miller’s reconfirmation. At this hearing, several of the members of the JSMC could be heard making excuses for Judge Miller’s actions in his order for Ms. Bryant’s arrest.

Judge Miller was reconfirmed.

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In the last case, the panel of attorneys who sit on the JSMC began to use legal terms and legal reasoning to prevent this mother from speaking plain facts of her complaint (including the complaint itself) against Domestic Relations Court Judge Rosalyn Frierson-Smith from being placed on the public record.

This Mother, as well as all who speak out against these Judges at these hearings, have been said to have been placed on an unofficial list known to very few as a hitlist for retaliation.

Many have said that the States allowing the practice of attorneys picking the Judges needs to change. Only two states in the United States allow this practice, South Carolina and Virginia. This Commission’s actions have also brought the question of ethical violations as these Attorney/Legislators hear cases before the very Judges they have put into office.

Several Grassroots movement organizations have suggested that Non-Attorneys should be on this commission to give a fair choice of Judges in South Carolina for its’ Citizens.

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Members of this Commission are as follows: