South Carolina Lawyers Weekly articles from February 2002

South Carolina Lawyers Weekly archives from February 2002

S.C. Supreme Court rules defendant may argue for PCR hearing despite running of statute.(post-conviction relief)
February 4, 2002... Byline: Michael Dayton A Georgetown criminal defendant who alleged his lawyer never filed a direct appeal may get another chance to take his case up -- even though he filed for post-conviction relief almost two years after his trial, the...

S.C. Bar adopts private GAL policy, supports right to recommend.(guardians ad litem)
February 4, 2002... Byline: Gregory Froom After a debate over the courtroom role of guardians ad litem, the State Bar's house of delegates has endorsed the GAL's ability to make final recommendations in private custody cases. The delegates approved a...

S.C. Judicial Department gets $3.2 million boost for technology plan.
February 4, 2002... Byline: Gregory Froom More than $3 million in federal funds will jumpstart the state Judicial Department's technology plan, eventually allowing lawyers to do business with the courthouse electronically, Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean H....

S.C. Supreme Court rules plaintiff can sue county despite settlement with employee.
February 11, 2002... Byline: Michael Dayton An injured motorist who settled a negligence claim against a Berkeley County employee could still go forward with a separate lawsuit against the county, the state Supreme Court ruled Feb. 4. The county argued the...

S.C. Appeals Court rules criminal defendant who hid in store guilty of burglary.
February 11, 2002... Byline: Gregory Froom A man who hid in an Inman video poker shop until after closing and then made off with merchandise and money could be convicted of second-degree burglary -- even though he entered the shop during business hours, the...

S.C. Appeals Court rules waitress not required to prove specific injury date.
February 18, 2002... Byline: Gregory Froom A Clarendon County woman who claimed her back snapped on the job may still be entitled to workers' comp benefits despite a lack of evidence showing her injury happened on a specific date, the Court of Appeals ruled in...

S.C. Appeals Court rules school district couldn't seek contribution after repose date.
February 18, 2002... Byline: Michael Dayton A Florence County school district that paid the personal injury claim of a student injured in a 1991 bleacher collapse cannot seek contribution from the manufacturer, the Court of Appeals ruled Feb. 11. The...

S.C. Appeals Court rules couple had common law marriage despite public denials.
February 18, 2002... Byline: Michael Dayton Where an Upstate couple said publicly they were only engaged -- but exchanged a wedding ring and confided in close friends that they considered themselves husband and wife -- a probate judge correctly found they had...

S.C. Appeals Court rules employer's receipt of medical record not privacy invasion.
February 25, 2002... Byline: Gregory Froom A Richland County woman could not sue her former employer and a Columbia hospital after the hospital faxed her discharge sheet to her office manager without authorization, the Court of Appeals ruled in an unpublished...

S.C. Appeals Court rules going and coming rule did not apply to volunteer fireman.
February 25, 2002... Byline: Michael Dayton Even though an Anderson County volunteer firefighter had just arrived at a fire scene when he hit another fireman with his car, he was already on the job -- at least for workers' compensation purposes, the Appeals...

S.C. Appeals Court rules firefighter's spider bite claim allowed by positional risk test.
February 25, 2002... Byline: Michael Dayton A Charleston firefighter who was bitten by a poisonous spider while pulling on his work boots was entitled to workers' compensation, the Appeals Court ruled Feb. 19. The firefighter, a captain with 25 years of...