Miscellaneous

Specialties in S.C.

By Anne Skove, Esq.

Once upon a time we were given a list entitled "How to Kill an Idea." We added to this list over time, and noticed that opposite states of being are equally capable of killing an idea.

Take smallness and largeness. "We're too small" and "we're too large" are both common reasons for not doing something. Yet, South Carolina's small size has not hampered its ability to support several specialty courts. Some are statewide, while others tackle more local issues.

Family court is statewide. If you're from a larger state you're thinking, "of course," but not all states have statewide family courts. Some jurisdictions only have family court in large urban areas; others may not have any.

There are at least two drug courts in the state. The 13th Judicial Circuit in Greenville has a program that lasts for 18 months. This is important; many such courts try to fix defendants' substance abuse problems early and quickly, leading to skewed results for both the defendant and for the program itself. Longer-term (even longer than 18 months) supervision is essential for positive outcomes.

The program in York County's 16th Judicial Circuit lasts 12-18 months. The program's stated goal is "to graduate a clean and sober, responsible, productive and employed member of our community."

Richland County has a mental health court. It is funded by a grant from BJA. Its stated goal is "to provide for the rehabilitation and restoration of mental health to adult offenders of non-violent misdemeanors suffering from mental illness andor co-occurring disorder of substance abuse."

Charleston, known for its pictureseque-ness, has a livability court that aims to keep the city tourist-friendly. This court exists on the muni level. The court addresses neighbor-vs.-neighbor disputes, and mans a graffiti hotline. Keith Haring emulators, beware!

"Too small" can work to a court's advantage. Try it!

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on March 25, 2008 (boomark / email).