South Carolina Baptist Convention joins calls for judicial reform in SC

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – The South Carolina Baptist Convention (SCBC) announced that leaders recently passed a resolution calling for lawmakers to change how the state selects its judges.

The SCBC currently is made up of over 2100 churches and 490,000 members.

“We’ve been hearing from a lot of South Carolina Baptists that are concerned about the way they will elect judges in South Carolina,” said Tony Beam from the SCBC.

Right now, South Carolina is just one of two states where the Legislature elects the state’s judges without input from the executive branch. By next February, a new committee formed to examine the process is expected to issue recommendations on whether South Carolina should change its judicial selection process and, if so, how.

“Judicial reform affects everyone, not just those in the criminal justice arena,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said In response to the SCBC’s resolution. “I’m encouraged to see faith leaders in South Carolina take an interest in such an important issue. By working together, we can bring accountability and transparency to how we select judges.”

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