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Senate Judiciary Committee gives favorable report to Jimmy Arthur Richardson for 15th-circuit solicitor
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously reported favorably on Jimmy Arthur Richardson II’s nomination for solicitor of the 15th judicial circuit after a screening that included a biographical summary and questions about docket control, case management and drug-court outcomes.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to give a favorable committee report on the nomination of Jimmy Arthur Richardson II to serve as solicitor for the 15th judicial circuit. The committee completed a formal screening, took an oath from Richardson and recorded the committee’s recommendation to send the nomination to the full Senate.
Richardson, who identified himself for the record as "Jimmy Arthur Richardson the 2nd" and gave a Conway address, reviewed his legal background during the screening and answered questions from senators. Committee counsel summarized his résumé: degrees in government and law, membership in the South Carolina Bar, a clerkship, and years of service in the Horry County solicitor’s office leading to his appointment by the governor on December 12, 2012.
The nominee told senators he and his office use a case-management system and aim to resolve many cases within a year and to meet the 180-day goal when practicable. He described a local practice of handling many routine pleas at the jail to avoid transporting defendants to the courthouse and said his office would continue that practice if confirmed.
On the committee’s questions about drug court, Richardson highlighted program results in Horry County: “Out of those 100, they averaged 11 felonies apiece going in. That first group, we’ve had one felony since they’ve graduated,” he said, attributing the outcome to the drug court’s work.
A motion to report the nomination favorably was made, seconded and carried. The chair announced the committee’s vote appeared unanimous (the committee recorded the favorable report as 21 to 0). The nomination will be sent to the Senate desk and may be taken up by the full Senate next week.
The committee’s action was procedural: the screening established Richardson’s qualifications and the committee provided a recommendation to the full Senate. The committee did not take any final appointment action beyond the favorable report; confirmation, if any, will occur on the Senate floor.
