South Carolina § 17-28-50 - Application for testing; notification of prosecutor, custodian of evidence, and victim; dismissal; successive applications.

§ 17-28-50. Application for testing; notification of prosecutor, custodian of evidence, and victim; dismissal; successive applications.

(A) The clerk shall file the application upon its receipt and promptly bring it to the attention of the court and deliver for docketing a copy to the solicitor of the circuit in which the applicant was convicted or adjudicated. The Attorney General and the appropriate custodian of evidence shall be notified by the solicitor. The victim shall be notified pursuant to the provisions of Article 15, Chapter 3, Title 16.

(B) Within ninety days after the forwarding of the application, or upon any further time the court may fix, the solicitor of the circuit in which the applicant was convicted or adjudicated, or the Attorney General if the Attorney General prosecuted the case, shall respond to the application. Within ninety days after the docketing of the application, or within any further time the court may fix, the victim may respond as provided in Article 15, Chapter 3, Title 16. The court may proceed with a hearing if the solicitor or Attorney General, as applicable, or the victim does not respond to the application.

(C) At any time prior to entry of judgment the court may, when appropriate, issue orders for amendment of the application and for any documents related to the application including, but not limited to, pleadings, motions, and requests for extensions of time. In considering the application and related documents, the court shall take account of substance, regardless of defects of form. When the court is satisfied, on the basis of the application, the responses, or the motion of the solicitor or Attorney General, as applicable, that the applicant is not entitled to DNA testing and no purpose would be served by any further proceedings, it may indicate to the applicant and the solicitor or Attorney General, as applicable, its intention to summarily dismiss the application and its reasons for so doing. The victim shall be notified of the proposed dismissal pursuant to the provisions of Article 15, Chapter 3, Title 16. The court shall make specific findings of fact and expressly state its conclusions of law. The applicant shall be given an opportunity to reply to the proposed dismissal. In light of the reply, or on default thereof, the court may order the application dismissed, grant leave to file an amended application, or direct that the proceedings otherwise continue.

(D) If the applicant has filed a previous application for DNA testing, the applicant may file a successive application, provided the applicant asserts grounds for DNA testing which for sufficient reason was not asserted or was inadequately raised in the original, supplemental, or amended application.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 413, SECTION 1, eff January 1, 2009.