Judicial seats, circuit court
Do you support it?
Want to know if it passes?
We'll email you when H 4160 moves — a committee vote, a floor vote, or a signature. Nothing else.
Free forever · unsubscribe in one click.
Your answer was recorded either way.
Which district are you in?
Your ZIP is all we need to match you to your own representatives — so we can tell you how they voted on H 4160.
You're tracking H 4160
We'll email you the moment it moves.
H 4160 — Judicial seats, circuit court
Last action — Act No. 50
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
-
✓Introduced
-
✓In Committee
-
✓Passed House
-
✓Passed Senate
-
✓To Executive
-
6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 06, 2025. Enacted.
Signed by Governor Henry McMaster (Republican) on May 12, 2025.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
-
Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
-
8 sponsors
8 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
-
Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 2 recorded votes so far.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
Summary
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 14-5-610, RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF THE STATE INTO SIXTEEN JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, THE NUMBER OF JUDGES TO BE ELECTED FROM EACH CIRCUIT, AND THE ELECTION OF AT-LARGE JUDGES WITHOUT REGARD TO COUNTY OR CIRCUIT OF RESIDENCE, SO AS TO CONVERT NINE AT-LARGE CIRCUIT COURT SEATS TO RESIDENT SEATS IN THE THIRD, THIRTEENTH, TWELFTH, FIFTH, NINTH, ELEVENTH, AND SEVENTH CIRCUITS. - RATIFIED TITLE
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
4 added · 114 removedPlain-language change summary
The recent amendments to Bill H 4160 involve removing a significant section of the text, which previously detailed the division of the state into sixteen judicial circuits and related judicial posts. This change likely streamlines the bill by focusing on more essential issues, simplifying the legislative process. This matters because it shows a shift towards a more straightforward approach to managing the state's judicial system, potentially increasing efficiency in how judicial matters are addressed in South Carolina.
2025-2026 Bill 4160 Text of Previous Version (Apr.(Mar.
02,06, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 4160Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.
Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.) Indicates Matter Stricken Indicates New Matter Committee ReportA Aprilbill 2, 2025TO AMEND H.THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 14-5-610, RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF THE STATE INTO SIXTEEN JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, THE NUMBER OF JUDGES TO BE ELECTED FROM EACH CIRCUIT, AND THE ELECTION OF AT-LARGE JUDGES WITHOUT REGARD TO COUNTY OR CIRCUIT OF RESIDENCE, SO AS TO CONVERT FIVE AT-LARGE CIRCUIT COURT SEATS TO RESIDENT SEATS IN THE THIRD, SEVENTH, NINTH, ELEVENTH, AND TWELFTH CIRCUITS.
4160 Introduced by Reps.
W.
Newton, G.
M.
Smith, Jordan, Caskey, Bannister and Pope S.
Printed 4/2/25--H.
Read the first time March 6, 2025 ________ The committee on House Judiciary To whom was referred a Bill (H.
4160) to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 14-5-610, relating to the division of the state into sixteen judicial circuits, the number of judges, etc., respectfully Report:
That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:
SECTION 1. Section 14-5-610 of the S.C.
Code is amended to read:
Section 14-5-610. (A) The State is divided into sixteen judicial circuits as follows:
(1) The first circuit is composed of the counties of Calhoun, Dorchester, and Orangeburg.
(2) The second circuit is composed of the counties of Aiken, Bamberg, and Barnwell.
(3) The third circuit is composed of the counties of Clarendon, Lee, Sumter, and Williamsburg.
(4) The fourth circuit is composed of the counties of Chesterfield, Darlington, Marlboro, and Dillon.
(5) The fifth circuit is composed of the counties of Kershaw and Richland.
(6) The sixth circuit is composed of the counties of Chester, Lancaster, and Fairfield.
(7) The seventh circuit is composed of the counties of Cherokee and Spartanburg.
(8) The eighth circuit is composed of the counties of Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens, and Newberry.
(9) The ninth circuit is composed of the counties of Charleston and Berkeley.
(10) The tenth circuit is composed of the counties of Anderson and Oconee.
(11) The eleventh circuit is composed of the counties of Lexington, McCormick, Saluda, and Edgefield.
(12) The twelfth circuit is composed of the counties of Florence and Marion.
(13) The thirteenth circuit is composed of the counties of Greenville and Pickens.
(14) The fourteenth circuit is composed of the counties of Allendale, Hampton, Colleton, Jasper, and Beaufort.
(15) The fifteenth circuit is composed of the counties of Georgetown and Horry.
(16) The sixteenth circuit is composed of the counties of York and Union.
(B) One judge must be elected from the sixth and twelfth circuitscircuit. Two judges must be elected from the first, second, third, fourth, seventh, eighth, tenth, eleventh, and sixteenth circuits. Three judges must be elected from the first, third, fifth, seventh, eleventh, twelfth, fourteenth, and fifteenth circuits. Four judges must be elected from the ninth and thirteenth circuits. Five judges must be elected from the fifth, ninth, and thirteenth circuits.
(C) In addition to the above judges authorized by this section, there must be sixteensix additional circuit judges elected by the General Assembly from the State at large for terms of office of six years.
These additional judges must be elected without regard to county or circuit of residence.
Each office of the at-large judges is a separate office and is assigned numerical designations of Seat No.
1 through Seat No.
166, respectively.
SECTION 2. (A) Upon the effective date of this act:
(1) At-large Circuit Court Seat 1 is converted to a resident seat and designated Third Circuit Court Seat 3;
Show all 59 changed lines (19 more)
(2) At-large Circuit Court Seat 4 is converted to a resident seat and designated Thirteen Circuit Court Seat 5;
(3) At-large Circuit Court Seats 6 and 12 are converted to resident seats and designated Twelfth Circuit Court Seats 2 and 3, respectively;
(4) At-large Circuit Court Seats 8 and 10 are converted to resident seats and designated Fifth Circuit Court Seats 4 and 5, respectively;
(5) At-large Circuit Court Seat 9 is converted to a resident seat and designated Ninth Circuit Court Seat 5;
(6) At-large Circuit Court Seat 13 is converted to a resident seat and designated Eleventh Circuit Court Seat 3;
(7) At-large Circuit Court Seat 14 is converted to a resident seat and designated Seventh Circuit Seat 3;
(8) At-large Circuit Court Seat 15 is converted to a resident seat and designated First Circuit Court Seat 3.
(B) Nothing in this act may be construed to require a judge currently serving in an at-large circuit court seat which is converted to a resident circuit court seat pursuant to this act to undergo additional screening until the end of the term for which they were screened and duly elected to an at-large circuit court seat.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
W.
NEWTON for Committee.
statement of estimated fiscal impact Explanation of Fiscal Impact State Expenditure This bill converts five at-large circuit court judge seats to designated resident seats.
The bill designates one additional circuit court judge to each of the following circuits:
the third, the seventh, the ninth, the eleventh, and the twelfth judicial circuit. Judicial indicates this bill will have no expenditure impact as the transfer from at-large judges to resident judges will not materially alter expenses.
Frank A.
Rainwater, Executive Director Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office _______ A bill TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 14-5-610, RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF THE STATE INTO SIXTEEN JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, THE NUMBER OF JUDGES TO BE ELECTED FROM EACH CIRCUIT, AND THE ELECTION OF AT-LARGE JUDGES WITHOUT REGARD TO COUNTY OR CIRCUIT OF RESIDENCE, SO AS TO CONVERT FIVE AT-LARGE CIRCUIT COURT SEATS TO RESIDENT SEATS IN THE THIRD, SEVENTH, NINTH, ELEVENTH, AND TWELFTH CIRCUITS.
----XX---- This web page was last updated on AprilMarch 02,06, 2025 at 10:3810:48 PMAM
Show all 59 changed rows (19 more)
Action History
-
Act No. 50
-
Effective date 05/12/25
-
Signed By Governor
-
Ratified R 76
-
Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0
-
Read third time and enrolled
-
Roll call Ayes-24 Nays-14
-
Read second time
-
Committee report: Favorable Judiciary
-
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
-
Introduced and read first time
-
Read third time and sent to Senate
-
Roll call Yeas-106 Nays-0
-
Read second time
-
Amended
-
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: C.Mitchell, Yow
-
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
-
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Pope
-
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
-
Introduced and read first time
Sponsors
- Representative Wm. Weston J. Newton · Primary
- Jr. Representative Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan · Primary
- Representative Micajah P. "Micah" Caskey IV · Primary
- Representative Bruce W. Bannister · Primary
- Representative Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope · Primary
- Representative Cody T. Mitchell · Primary
- Representative Richard L. "Richie" Yow · Primary
- Jr. Representative G. Murrell Smith · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →8 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 162 not signed on
Sponsors (8)
- Representative Wm. Weston J. Newton
- Representative Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan, Jr.
- Representative Micajah P. "Micah" Caskey IV
- Representative Bruce W. Bannister
- Representative Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope
- Representative Cody T. Mitchell
- Representative Richard L. "Richie" Yow
- Representative G. Murrell Smith, Jr.
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (162)
162 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 162 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (45)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 103 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Republican | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democrat | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 106 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| % of votes cast | 86% | 0% | 0% | 14% |
How each member voted (123)
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does H 4160 do?
- AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 14-5-610, RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF THE STATE INTO SIXTEEN JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, THE NUMBER OF JUDGES TO BE ELECTED FROM EACH CIRCUIT, AND THE ELECTION OF AT-LARGE JUDGES WITHOUT REGARD TO COUNTY OR CIRCUIT OF RESIDENCE, SO AS TO CONVERT NINE AT-LARGE CIRCUIT COURT SEATS TO RESIDENT SEATS IN THE THIRD, THIRTEENTH, TWELFTH, FIFTH, NINTH, ELEVENTH, AND SEVENTH CIRCUITS. - RATIFIED TITLE
- Who sponsors H 4160?
- H 4160 is sponsored by Representative Wm. Weston J. Newton, Representative Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan, Jr., Representative Micajah P. "Micah" Caskey IV, Representative Bruce W. Bannister, Representative Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope, Representative Cody T. Mitchell, Representative Richard L. "Richie" Yow, and Representative G. Murrell Smith, Jr..
- What is the current status of H 4160?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 06, 2025. Enacted.
- Where can I track H 4160?
- Track H 4160 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
Make your voice heard on H 4160
Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.
Stay ahead of H 4160
Last checked for changes 2 months ago · updated continuously
One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.
Track this bill →