Judicial reform, S.1046, is currently on its way to the conference committee, according to Attorney General Alan Wilson. He expressed his views on the matter in a recent statement: "Judicial reform is headed to conference committee. Our judicial selection process desperately needs reform, and we’re almost there. This bill is not perfect, but it is progress. I hope the conference committee members agree and get it to the Governor’s desk soon."
Attorney General Wilson has been an advocate for judicial reform for years and has organized multiple events over the past year to highlight the need for changes. In March 2023, he led a bipartisan coalition comprising more than half of the sheriffs and solicitors in South Carolina. The group called for judicial reform with a specific focus on involving the Executive Branch in judge selection as a means of balancing power between government branches and ensuring accountability.
In addition to this, last summer saw Attorney General Wilson hosting a bipartisan group of legislators to discuss judicial reform. During this meeting, he presented his proposed plan for changes. He also held a panel discussion with representatives from the South Carolina Republican Party and Palmetto Family Council where he emphasized that such reforms would impact more than just criminal courts.
Furthermore, Attorney General Wilson has held several meetings with members of the business community both privately and publicly about judicial reform. These discussions centered around how current processes for selecting judges could potentially affect them.
Throughout fall and winter, Attorney General Wilson continued his push for judicial reform by hosting private meetings with faith leaders and members of the legal community. He used these opportunities to ask questions, provide answers, and further advocate for change.
Attorney General Wilson also testified before the House Ad-Hoc committee on the necessity of judicial reform.