Here’s a little supplemental info to go with Cindi’s column today on how the South Carolina Bar rates the candidates seeking to replace E.C. Burnett on the S.C. Supreme Court.
The Bar has been shy about giving an overall score for candidates. So about a decade or so ago, Cindi and former staffer Lisa Green came up with their own way to derive an overall grade from the data the Bar does provide.
The attached spreadsheet contains the raw scores and Cindi’s composite score for each of the three candidates for the S.C. Supreme Court on the S.C. Bar’s Judicial Evaluation Surveys.
The charts show the total number of attorneys who gave each candidate a "4" (excellent), a "3" (good), a "2" (satisfactory) and a "1" (deficient) on each measure (that much the Bar gives us).
Here’s how the Scoppe/Green grade works: The average for each measure is calculated by multiplying the total number of "4s" by 4, the total number of "3s" by 3 and so on, adding the four numbers together and then dividing by 4. The composite score for each candidate is calculated by adding the averages together and dividing by the total number of measures.
NOTE: An individual judge is not evaluated each year, so while Judge Kaye Hearn was evaluated in her current role as chief judge of the S.C. Court of Appeals, Judge Don Beatty was last evaluated when he was still a Circuit Court Judge, and Judge Bruce Williams was last evaluated when he was still a Family Court judge. Although some of the questions are the same for the various courts, some are different.
So see what the Bar’s Judicial Qualification Committee had to say about each of the candidates, go to http://www.scbar.org/public/reports.asp and select the April 2007 report. Below is that committee’s summary for each candidate:
After interviewing a minimum of 30 members of the Bar who have knowledge of the candidate’s integrity, competence and temperament and interviewing the candidate, the Committee reports the following information:
Judge Beatty has extensive experience in civil and criminal matters both on the Circuit and the Appellate Courts. He is described as possessing above average legal knowledge and has a good judicial temperament. Based on the information and interview, the Committee reports that the candidate is qualified to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.
Judge Hearn has led the Court of Appeals as Chief Judge with great skill. She possesses superior legal knowledge and displays an excellent temperament. Her many years as a trial judge and appellate judge provide her with the skills necessary for service on the South Carolina Supreme Court. Based on the information and the interview, the Committee reports that it is the collective opinion that the candidate is qualified to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.
Judge Williams is an eminently experienced jurist, having served on both the Family Court and Court of Appeals. He is described as having above average competence as well as above average judicial temperament. He appears to be a highly committed public servant. Based on the information and the interview, the Committee reports that it is the collective opinion that the candidate is qualified to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.
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Looks like Beatty is the weakest of the litter, and that Hearns has a problem with impartiality. What a good way to report to the public. Keep it up!
Clearly, Chief Judge Kaye Hearn is the most qualified to serve on our Supreme Court. She has the most experienced, is the most qualified, has the most education, and is known by all as the most unbiased and most ethical candidate. To quote the Judicial Selections Committee: “She possesses superior legal knowledge and displays an excellent temperament. Her many years as a trial judge and appellate judge provide her with the skills necessary for service on the South Carolina Supreme Court.” Without question, Chief Judge Hearn should be voted to the Supreme Court on May 23.
Something smells here. After reviewing the 8 candidates from the link above, it is clear that Judges Hearn and Morehead have the most experience and best recommendations, yet Judge Morehead did not make it out of committee and Judge Williams did. Now we have a campaign being run by right-wing political factions attempting to discredit Judge Hearn and Judge Beatty, leaving one unblemished candidate – Judge Williams. It’s not hard to connect the dots on this one.
The May 16, 2007 posting by “Attorney” is an unfair personal attack on Judge Williams and “Attorney” should be admonished for her tactics. In the interests of full disclosure, “Attorney” wrote the following letter to the editor to the State on 5/22/2007:
QUOTE
“I write to voice my support for Chief Judge Kaye G. Hearn.
The motto of the South Carolina Court of Appeals, which Chief Judge Hearn has led for the past eight years, is “To each his due.”
As her former law clerk, I know that Judge Hearn has written or signed more than 3,000 appellate opinions.
In her long public service to the people of South Carolina, Judge Hearn has consistently provided justice for all. Never before has there been a candidate for the Supreme Court who has presided for eight years as chief judge of the Court of Appeals, and we also have the rare opportunity to promote a judge to the Supreme Court with more than 20 years of experience as a judge.
I urge the General Assembly to promote Chief Judge Kaye G. Hearn to the South Carolina Supreme Court.
JESSICA CLANCY CROWSON
Columbia
UNQUOTE
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