Last Friday, S.C. Supreme Court chief justice Jean Toal quietly issued an “amendment and clarification” of a 2010 order excusing state lawyer-legislators from having to appear in court on behalf of clients while they attended to the “people’s business.”
According to the new order, the “period of protection” for these lawyer-legislators now extends “from the first Tuesday in January until the third Thursday in June or until thirty days after the General Assembly completes all votes on the General Appropriation bill, including but not limited to votes on vetoes of the General Appropriation bill, whichever is later.”
In other words, lawyer-legislators can now keep their cases out of court for at least seven months of the year.
“This is really useful if you’re a criminal defense attorney,” one of our sources said. “This is (Toal’s) latest bribe to curry favor – and votes.”
Toal’s order comes a week after FITS exclusively reported on associate Supreme Court justice Costa Pleicones’ bid to unseat her. According to our sources, Pleicones is furious with Toal for reneging on her promise not to seek another term as chief justice (another story which broke exclusively on FITS).
In South Carolina all judges – including Supreme Court justices – are elected by the S.C. General Assembly. In fact a legislatively controlled commission selects the slate of candidates, effectively giving one branch of government total control over the other. Not surprisingly this process – like everything else in state government – is infinitely corrupt.
Not unlike Toal’s court itself …
The point of this order is unmistakeable: Not only is it an inducement from Toal, more importantly it is a reminder to every lawyer-legislator that she controls their calendars.
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36 comments
More of a reason not to elect lawyers to the legislation and strip legislators from electing judges.
I’m not sure that would do the trick. But if we had a constitutional amendment that every time a law was passed, it had to be tattooed on the mammalian appendages of every legislator, I bet it would have a very salutary effect. Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges. (The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government.) – Tacitus
More of a reason not to elect lawyers to the legislation and strip legislators from electing judges.
I’m not sure that would do the trick. But if we had a constitutional amendment that every time a law was passed, it had to be tattooed on the mammalian appendages of every legislator, I bet it would have a very salutary effect. Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges. (The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government.) – Tacitus
Is that where the saying monkey in the court came from lol
Is that where the saying monkey in the court came from lol
Tuck Foal
Huck her Forse
Heard that Queen Toad kissed Lt. Governor McConnell last week and he turned into a Princess
Perhaps you have that backwards.
No, don’t think so
Toal for sure is a Toad and although I haven’t had any direct contact with McConnell in over 50 +/- years pretty sure he is still a fucking Princess. Key here is don’t forget the “a”
Now if you are talking about which one to Huck first, Foal or her Forse, shat the whit, they sook the lame
A little girl was auditioning for the school play, and she had nine times to conceal her lisp. It was a tenth situation.
You’re good with that language. Who was the entertainer who used to tell those fairy tales like that? (Not Victor Borge, with the punctuation stories)
Tuck Foal
Huck her Forse
Heard that Queen Toad kissed Lt. Governor McConnell last week and he turned into a Princess
Perhaps you have that backwards.
No, don’t think so
Toal for sure is a Toad and although I haven’t had any direct contact with McConnell in over 50 +/- years pretty sure he is still a fucking Princess. Key here is don’t forget the “a”
Now if you are talking about which one to Huck first, Foal or her Forse, shat the whit, they sook the lame
A little girl was auditioning for the school play, and she had nine times to conceal her lisp. It was a tenth situation.
You’re good with that language. Who was the entertainer who used to tell those fairy tales like that? (Not Victor Borge, with the punctuation stories)
All I know is, if I see her coming I’m getting out of the way. I wouldn’t want her to side swipe me and then run home and tell the HP “I swear I wasn’t (burp) , drink – drin.. burp – drink..ing.
All I know is, if I see her coming I’m getting out of the way. I wouldn’t want her to side swipe me and then run home and tell the HP “I swear I wasn’t (burp) , drink – drin.. burp – drink..ing.
Toal has absolutely the BIGGEST ears ever seen on a human being! DAMN!
Wow! we really do need a profile shot! They sure appear to be the longest from top to bottom ears ever!
Perhaps that is where the lawyers hold on when giving it to her doggy-style.
You are so gross and so sick! That image made me lose my breakfast!
Toal has absolutely the BIGGEST ears ever seen on a human being! DAMN!
Wow! we really do need a profile shot! They sure appear to be the longest from top to bottom ears ever!
Perhaps that is where the lawyers hold on when giving it to her doggy-style.
You are so gross and so sick! That image made me lose my breakfast!
Scratching each others backs. If lawyers cant be in court they should have to give up their license!
Justice delayed is justice denied.
Scratching each others backs. If lawyers cant be in court they should have to give up their license!
Justice delayed is justice denied.
SC Government has three branches, just like the Federal Government. They are supposed to be co-equal. The Courts have always excused legislators while in secession to avoid a Constitutional dispute over the authority of the court, and to eliminate the possibility of the courts scheduling hearings in the middle of important votes or debates, and thereby affecting the outcome.
This article is much ado about nothing.
If the legislatures were in “secession” why do they keep coming back?
Good question? session
Given we are discussing SC it must have been a Freudian slip.
SC Government has three branches, just like the Federal Government. They are supposed to be co-equal. The Courts have always excused legislators while in secession to avoid a Constitutional dispute over the authority of the court, and to eliminate the possibility of the courts scheduling hearings in the middle of important votes or debates, and thereby affecting the outcome.
This article is much ado about nothing.
If the legislatures were in “secession” why do they keep coming back?
Good question? session
Given we are discussing SC it must have been a Freudian slip.