SC Bar

South Carolina Bar's E-Blast                                                              
April 8, 2008

Welcome to the South Carolina Bar's E-Blast!
E-Blast highlights upcoming activities, legal information and links to the Bar's Web site at www.scbar.org.

The South Carolina Bar is dedicated to advancing justice, professionalism and understanding of the law.




Law Week and Justice Jam coming up!
Each year the Young Lawyers Division holds a number of public service projects throughout the state during the first week in May in observance of Community Law Week. This year’s theme is "The Rule of Law: Foundation for Communities of Opportunity and Equity." The events are designed to promote the legal profession and provide the public with information about their legal rights. Click here to learn about events planned in your area.

Also, Justice Jam 2008 is scheduled for April 26 at Five Points Pub located at 2020 Devine St. in Columbia. Bands scheduled to participate include Los Bastardos, Sugar Daddy, The Joe Good Band, Ron Dunbar Band and The Reprieves. Event volunteers and silent auction items are needed. Tickets are on sale for $15 each. To order or for more information, contact Tara Smith at (803) 799-6653, ext. 146.

Administrative Order and revised version of SCCA 430, Financial Declaration
The revised form replaces previous versions of the form and is approved for immediate use in the family courts. A summary of the notable changes include: The field to include the social security number has been deleted; "Husband/Father" replaces "Husband" and "Wife/Mother" replaces "Wife"; the "Marital Assets Addendum" section has been deleted, along with endnotes 1-4 on the previous form; endnotes 1-21 were added throughout the financial declaration to define the associated terms; the following sections were added to the form: "Any Non Marital Property Claimed By You," "Financial Accounts Section," "Voluntary Retirement Accounts and Pension Accounts Section," "Publicly Held Stocks, Bonds, Securities, Mutual Funds Section (Non-Retirement)," and "Real Estate Section." Click here to see the new form.

Employee benefits seminars focus on health care and wellness
Southeastern Insurance Consultants, LLC, the Bar's group medical plan administrator, invites members to participate in a series of employee benefits seminars as a continued service to clients. The seminars are free of charge and will address the following topics:
    - The Future of Health care in America
    - Wellness Programs: Concept and Compliance
    - Medicare: Strategies for Integrating with Group Coverage.
Seminars will be held in Columbia and Charleston (May 14); Greenville (May 15); Myrtle Beach (May 20); and Hilton Head (May 22). Click here for details.

PMAP -- Your guide to...
Headers. Word 2007 makes it easier to add a simple header, with fewer mouse clicks than previous versions. To create a simple header for a report, follow these steps:
    1. In the ribbon, click the Insert tab.
    2. Click Header under the Header & Footer Group.
    3. Click Edit Header.
In the blank header area, you can add your name and page numbers. You can go back at any time and edit the header by simply double-clicking the header text on any page. When you finish your edits, double-click outside the header area to continue working in the rest of the document. For practice management assistance, contact Courtney Kennaday at (803) 799-6653, ext. 183.

Commission seeks applicants for 6th, 7th, 8th, 14th and 15th Circuit Public Defender
Applications for the positions of Circuit Public Defender for the 6th, 7th, 8th, 14th and 15th Judicial Circuits are now being accepted. All of the details regarding these openings can be found at www.jobs.sc.gov. Contact Hugh Ryan at SCCID (803) 734-1338 with questions.

LAMP is on
As an ongoing effort to assist the American Bar Association’s legal assistance network in meeting the needs of active military personnel, the S.C. Bar is renewing its call for lawyers across the state to help provide free or reduced cost legal assistance to the men and women serving our country. Legal Assistance to the Military Personnel (LAMP) was established by the ABA after September 11, 2001. The S.C. Bar's LAMP program is doing its part by asking members to make your services available. If you are interested in obtaining pro bono credit by becoming a part of the LAMP network, please contact Angela McKeirnan at (803) 799-6653, ext. 169.

Advance Sheet update
April 8, 2008
The Supreme Court affirmed in this adoption case. Abundant evidence existed to support the family court's determination that the biological mother's, McCann's, consent to relinquish her parental rights was involuntary. The family court's order to return the child to McCann was also proper. While both the adoptive and biological parents presented evidence that they were fit parents, it was in the child's best interest to be raised by its biological parent and for custody to be returned to McCann, because McCann's consent was involuntary.
McCann v. Doe, No. 26468, is available online.
Justice Waller dissented in a separate opinion.

The Court of Appeals affirmed the Coastal Zone Management Appellate Panel's opinion affirming the Administrative Law Court's (ALC) order that upheld the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management's (OCRM) denial of Terry's application for a recreational dock permit. Terry raised four issues on appeal, and the court stated that the final order of the ALC was unaffected by an error of law, and the substantial evidence in the record supported the order upholding OCRM's denial of the application for a dock permit.
Terry v. South Carolina Dep't of Health & Envtl. Control, No. 4366, is available online.

The court affirmed Page's convictions for conspiracy, attempted armed robbery and possession of a pistol by a person under the age of 21. The circuit court did not err in allowing the state to introduce evidence that Page's non-testifying co-defendant implicated Page in a statement to police, where the statement did not fall into a hearsay objection. Page's counsel had "open[ed] the door" to the admission of the statement, and the testimony in question was also either cumulative or corroborated by other witnesses. 
State v. Page, No. 4367, is available online.

Firm announcements
Leatherwood Walker Todd & Mann, PC announces that Jason M. Nutzman has joined the firm as an associate located at 300 E. McBee Ave., Ste. 500 Greenville 29601. (864) 240-2471.

In memoriam
Wade Conan Humphrey, 89, of Greer died on April 3. His obituary can be found at The Greenville News Web site.

Calendar
April 10
Access to Justice Commission Public Hearing, Colleton County Courthouse

April 14
Law Related Education Awards and Scholarships Subcommittee Meeting, Bar Building

April 17
Access to Justice Commission Public Hearing, Anderson County Courthouse
Family Law Section Council Meeting, Bar Building

To be added or deleted from the E-Blast list, e-mail ljackson@scbar.org.