Rejected Judge Wanted To Overhaul “Inquisition”
New details are emerging in the case of a conservative S.C. Court of Appeals judge who was dissed by a legislative screening committee.
These details have nothing to do with liberal or conservative ideology and everything to do with power – specifically, the power of the Chief Justice of the state, “Queen” Jean Toal.
A legislatively-controlled judicial merit selection commission rejected Appeals Court Judge Bruce Williams yesterday, choosing instead to elevate three less-than-conservative judges to stand for election to the one open seat on the S.C. Supreme Court.
One of those judges – Chief Appeals Court Judge Kaye Hearn – just happens to be Chief Justice Toal’s hand-picked selection, as well as the wife of a current S.C. lawmaker.
Funny how that works out, isn’t it?
Frankly, the fact that state lawmakers (many of whom are lawyers) are involved in the judicial selection process at all is eminently corrupting, as we have seen in the past (here and here). These bumpkin thugs simply have no clue how to run a straight election, as they have demonstrated on multiple occasions.
This is frankly one area where South Carolina should follow the federal model and have the state’s Chief Executive nominate judges subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
You’re never going to completely take politics out of the judicial selection process, but switching to this model would certainly reduce its pernicious influence.
Of course, that’s never going to happen because it would deprive lawmakers of the opportunity to cut backroom deals and pay homage to their “Queen,” who continues to get whatever she wants from her former colleagues in the General Assembly.
And trust us, Toal wanted Judge Williams’ scalp on her wall.
Toal and Williams have done battle with each other several times in the past over attorney discipline cases, and Williams reportedly wanted to overhaul the entire corrupt system.
That didn’t sit well with Toal – who thrives on the unchecked power that she wields exclusively over every single lawyer in South Carolina.
In fact, Toal has gone to great lengths to preserve this corrupt system – including the alleged rigging of a flattering American Bar Association report.
Comments
By StupidShouldHurtMore (SSHM) on April 14th, 2009 at 8:54 am
E .· ` ‘ / ·. F
Your tears fuel me
Nothing worse that a judge that can’t take constructive criticism (aka – I was “dissed”).
Cry more, please . . .
- SSHM
By Fashizzle on April 14th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Come on Will…answer the important question. How many of these candidates have fled the scene of an accident after sideswiping cars while driving drunk? We all know that’s the real judicial qualification standard here.
By nativeson on April 14th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Fits–Can you provide facts or cite any info that shows Burce Williams is a more conservative Judge than Kaye Hearn?
Also, explain how the federal system would be a better alternative? I think it would turn into another political football for the General Assembly and your former boss. They would bicker and fight and his selections would be gain support or be appointed.
By fitsnews on April 14th, 2009 at 9:03 am
SSHM – Cool fuel gauge.
FS – Good question.
NS – As to your first question, we’d refer you to the reports linked on our initial post. Or here …
http://www.scbipec.com/scb/images//reviewing%20the%20records.pdf
As to whether this would be another “political football,” any law passed regarding this issue couldn’t possibly take effect until AFTER Sanford leaves office.
-FITS
By jkpolk on April 14th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Can someone explain BIPEC’s angle? Kaye Hearn is not a liberal jurist. She’s just not. She strikes me as exactly the sort of judge they would want. I repeat again: Williams and Hearn have only ever disagreed ONCE, in Coakley v. Horace Mann Insurance (http://www.sccourts.org/opinions/HTMLFiles/COA/3929.htm), with Williams taking the ANTI-business side (and getting reversed by the Supreme Court). So why is Williams the “most conservative, most pro-business candidate?” What’s really going on here?
By peyton manning sucks on April 14th, 2009 at 9:56 am
your idea for electing judges to de-politicize the process is fabulous. your boy marky mark would NEVER let politics enter the judicial selection process. if there’s one thing we’ve learned about farmer-turned-governor sanford, it’s that all his decisions are well-reasoned, that his foremost consideration is not advancing his political career, but protecting the best interests of South Carolinians, and that all his appointments are based strictly on merit. that’s how you got your job with him, right?
By fitsnews on April 14th, 2009 at 10:09 am
PMS-
Read the previous comments, moron. This would all be post-Sanford.
Also, read the article. We’re not saying executive appointment would remove the politics, just reduce the politics.
As for Peyton Manning “sucking,” we got three letters for you … XLI.
-FITS
By peyton manning sucks on April 14th, 2009 at 10:19 am
moron? no need to get personal asshole
By fitsnews on April 14th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Gang, gang, gang …
We agree … Hearn IS the most qualified! Well, assuming we’re talking about servitude to “the Queen.”
Look, we’ve linked several times now to the report we referenced to reach the conclusion we reached … and by way of background we were only turned onto this story because several conservative lawmakers (who were backing Williams) called us to express shock that he didn’t at least make the cut.
If all those people are wrong, we’d be surprised.
Obviously, the Hearn fan club is out in full force today – and let’s be honest, Team Kaye is probably still a little pissed at us for costing her a seat on the bench last year.
Who knows? Maybe if the Lil Digger stops trying to bribe lawmakers this go-round she’ll win.
Honestly, do we give a rat’s ass who the next Supreme is? No we do not.
We just think it’s funny that a bunch of “Republicans” keep nominating Democrats to fill the positions, that’s all.
-FITS
By Curious on April 14th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Dont forget her husband is also the Head Bar Examiner. :)
By Charlie on April 14th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
This is a funny blog.
I like how the author continually berates everyone in the comments section.
The federal appointment system seems pretty partisan to most of us. Funny to read about it exemplifying a balanced model.
By CL on April 14th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Actually, George Hearn is no longer on the Board of Bar Examiners. He is now in the State House, where he sits on, wait for it, the Judiciary Committee.
By Not Sayin', Just Sayin' on April 14th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Rep. Hearn is a lowly freshman member of House Judiciary, CL, and not exactly in a position to be a playa. If his wife wins in May, what do you think the odds are that he’ll go for a second term?
That said, I still don’t get how Williams is more qualified than Hearn, unless the only qualification is to be an affable WASP male with a rags-to-mediocrity story and a spouse who was fired from a cushy job at the law school but still insists on being addressed as “Dean.” Hearn has been on the bench nine years longer than Williams (six if you count his three years as City Judge for Irmo), graduated from law school cum laude, has an LLM from the University of Virginia, served as a supreme court law clerk when it was a noteworthy achievement, and consistently kicks ass on the practices and procedures exam portion of the judicial screening process. Williams comes across as a nice guy, but he pretty much slipped through law school, made a middling living as a bottom feeder with one of the stupidest law partners in SC, and has a generally bland resume.
What qualifications are you talking about? Or are you just relying on the gospel of the racist special interest groups that you’ve linked in this post?
By CL on April 14th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
“If his wife wins in May, what do you think the odds are that he’ll go for a second term?”
I would say the odds are pretty darn good. I don’t see any reason why he would leave the House if she wins if he does not feel compelled to resign his seat prior to her election. He does get to vote on who should be on the Court, after all (although I imagine he will have the sense to recuse himself).
By Red Bank Bar on April 14th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
She was fired from the law school after her sugar daddy was no longer THE dean and people figured out her fund-raising for the school was non-existent.
She pissed off the major players in Charleston, with “we’re the only game in town so you have to give to us”, ergo, we now have the CSOL partially due to Ms. Williams.
Gene Trotter may not be an intellectual, but he always does a good job in the bankruptcy court which is his main practice area.
By Get a grip on April 25th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Bruce Williams is not particularly bright, and he only became “conservative” when it seemed helpful to his career advancement. If that makes him a FITS Superstar, well, that doesn’t say much about your standards. His wife worked full time on advancing his career while on the USC dime. How she got and kept the job at USC as long as she did makes anything Toal did look mild by comparison, but yall are seriously “imbalanced” for sure.