South Carolina § 22-3-545 - Transfer of certain criminal cases from general sessions court.

§ 22-3-545. Transfer of certain criminal cases from general sessions court.

(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540 and 22-3-550, a criminal case, the penalty for which the crime in the case does not exceed five thousand five hundred dollars or one year imprisonment, or both, either as originally charged or as charged pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement, may be transferred from general sessions court if the provisions of this section are followed.

(B)(1) The solicitor, upon ten days' written notice to the defendant, may petition a circuit court judge in the circuit to transfer one or more cases from the general sessions court docket to a docket of a magistrates or municipal court in the circuit for disposition. The solicitor's notice must fully apprise the defendant of his right to have his case heard in general sessions court. The notice must include the difference in jury size in magistrates or municipal court and in general sessions court. The case may be transferred from the general sessions court unless the defendant objects after notification by the solicitor pursuant to the provisions of this item. The objection may be made orally or in writing at any time prior to the trial of the case or prior to the entry of a guilty plea. The objection may be made to the chief judge for administrative purposes in the judicial circuit where the charges are pending, the trial judge, or the solicitor. Before impaneling the jury or accepting the guilty plea of the defendant, the trial judge must receive an affirmative waiver by the defendant, if present, of his right to have the case tried in general sessions court. The defendant must be informed that, if tried in general sessions court, the case would be tried in front of twelve jurors who must reach a unanimous verdict before a finding of guilty of the offense can be rendered in his case, and that if tried in magistrates or municipal court, the case would be tried in front of six jurors who must reach a unanimous verdict before a finding of guilty of the offense can be reached in his case. The defendant may waive any and all of the rights provided in this subsection, in writing, prior to the impaneling of the jury or the acceptance of the defendant's guilty plea.

(2) A case transferred to a magistrates or municipal court not disposed of in one hundred eighty days from the date of transfer automatically reverts to the docket of the general sessions court.

(C) All cases transferred to the magistrates or municipal court must be prosecuted by the solicitor's office. The chief magistrate of the county or the chief municipal judge of the municipality, upon petition of the solicitor, shall set the terms of court and order the magistrates and municipal judges to hold terms of court on specific times and dates for the disposition of these cases.

(D) Provision for an adequate record must be made by the solicitor's office.

(E) Notwithstanding another provision of law, all fines and assessments imposed by a magistrate or municipal judge presiding pursuant to this section must be distributed as if the fine and assessment were imposed by a circuit court pursuant to Sections 14-1-205 and 14-1-206. This section must not result in increased compensation to a magistrate presiding over a trial or hearing pursuant to this section or in other additional or increased costs to the county.

HISTORY: 1992 Act No. 310, SECTION 1; 1993 Act No. 174, SECTION 1; 1994 Act No. 497, Part II, SECTION 36K; 1994 Act No. 499, SECTIONS 1, 2; 1995 Act No. 7, Part I, SECTIONS 16, 21; 2000 Act No. 376, SECTION 2; 2004 Act No. 214, SECTION 1; 2012 Act No. 169, SECTION 1, eff May 14, 2012.

Effect of Amendment

The 2012 amendment rewrote subsections (A), (B), and (C).