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CDH Law Firm: Giving Hope to
Criminal Defense Clients in
Seabrook Island, SC
Getting charged with a crime in Seabrook Island can be a traumatic experience. Even "petty" crimes can cause an individual's life to fall apart professionally and personally. Spending time in jail is bad enough, but the ramifications of a criminal record run deep, resulting in loss of employment, loss of friends, and even family. For many people, having a zealous criminal defense attorney in Seabrook Island, SC, to defend their rights is the only shot they have of living a normal life.
That's why, if you have been charged with a crime, you need the help of a veteran criminal defense lawyer early in the legal process. That's where CDH Law Firm comes in – to give you or your loved one hope when you need it the most.
Our criminal defense law firm was founded to help people just like you - hardworking men and women who are looking at diminished employment opportunities and a possible lifetime of embarrassment. But with our team of experts fighting by your side, you have a much better chance of maintaining your freedom and living a normal, productive life. When it comes to criminal law in Seabrook Island, we've seen it all. With decades of combined experience, there is no case too complicated or severe for us to handle, from common DUI charges to complicated cases involving juvenile crimes. Unlike some of our competition, we prioritize personalized service and cutting-edge criminal defense strategies to effectively represent our clients.
Clients rank Cobb Dill & Hammett, LLC as the top choice for Seabrook Island criminal defense because we provide:
- One-on-One Counsel
- Free Consultation
- Education on the Seabrook Island Legal Process and Its Risks
- Ardent, Effective Representation
- Commitment to Our Clients and Defending Their Rights
- Prompt Inquiry Response
- Robust Experience with Criminal Law Cases in Seabrook Island
- Innovative Defense Strategies
- Effective, Thorough Research and Investigation
Choosing the right criminal defense lawyer in Seabrook Island can mean the difference between conviction and acquittal. Our firm has represented thousands of clients in the Lowcountry, and we're ready to defend you too. Some of our specialties include:
DUI Cases
in Seabrook Island, SC
DUI penalties in Seabrook Island can be very harsh. Many first-time DUI offenders must endure a lifelong criminal record, license suspension, and the possibility of spending time in jail. Officers and judges take DUI very seriously, with 30% of traffic fatalities in South Carolina involving impaired drivers, according to NHTSA. Criminal convictions can have lasting impacts on your life, which is why CDH Law Firm works so hard to get these charges dismissed or negotiated down. In some cases, we help clients avoid jail time altogether.
When you hire our DUI defense firm, our team will always work towards your best interests and will go above and beyond to achieve the best outcome in your case. Depending on the circumstances of your DUI charges, we will investigate whether:
- Your DUI stop was legal
- You were administered a field sobriety test correctly
- The breathalyzer used was calibrated correctly and properly maintained
- Urine and blood tests were administered and collected properly
The bottom line? Our criminal law defense attorneys will do everything possible to keep you out of jail with a clean permanent record. It all starts with a free consultation, where we will take time to explain the DUI process. We'll also discuss your defense options and speak at length about the differences between going to trial and accepting a plea bargain.
DUI Penalties in Seabrook Island, SC
The consequences of a DUI in Seabrook Island depend on a number of factors, including your blood alcohol level and how many DUIs you have received in the last 10 years. If you're convicted, the DUI charge will remain on your criminal history and can be seen by anyone who runs a background check on you. Sometimes, a judge will require you to enter alcohol treatment or install an interlock device on your automobile.
If you're on the fence about hiring a criminal defense lawyer in Seabrook Island, SC, consider the following DUI consequences:
First Offense
48 hours to 90 days
in jail
with fines ranging from
$400 to $1,000
Second Offense
Five days to three years
in jail
with fines ranging from
$2,100 to $6,500
Third Offense
60 days to five years
in jail
with fines ranging from
$3,800 to $10,000
Additional consequences can include:
1
Alcohol or Drug Treatment
When convicted of DUI in South Carolina, most offenders must join the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program. This program mandates that offenders complete a drug and alcohol assessment and follow the recommended treatment options.
2
Community Service
Some first-time DUI offenders in Seabrook Island may choose to complete community service in lieu of jail time. Community service hours are usually equal to the length of jail time an offender would be required to serve.
Sanctions to Your Driver's License
Typically, when a person is convicted of driving under the influence in Seabrook Island, their driver's license is restricted or suspended. The length of restriction or suspension depends on how many prior DUI convictions an individual has.
First DUI Offense
First-time DUI offenders must endure a six-month license suspension. Drivers convicted with a blood-alcohol level of .15% or more do not qualify for a provisional license. However, sometimes they may still drive using an ignition interlock device.
Second DUI Offense
Offenders convicted of a second DUI charge must use an ignition interlock device (IID) for two years.
Third DUI Offense
Offenders convicted of a third DUI charge must use an ignition interlock device (IID) for three years. That term increases to four years if the driver is convicted of three DUIs in five years.
Immobilized Vehicle
For offenders with two or more convictions, the judge will immobilize their vehicle if it is not equipped with an IID. When a judge immobilizes a vehicle, the owner must turn over their registration and license plate. Clearly, the consequences of receiving a DUI in Seabrook Island can be life-changing, and not in a good way. The good news is that with CDH Law Firm, you have a real chance at beating your charges and avoiding serious fines and jail time. Every case is different, which is why it's so important that you call our office as soon as possible if you are charged with a DUI.
Free ConsultationTraffic Violation Cases
Most drivers brush off traffic law violations as minor offenses, but the fact of the matter is they are criminal matters to be taken seriously. Despite popular opinion, Traffic Violation cases in Seabrook Island can carry significant consequences like fines and even incarceration. If you or someone you love has been convicted of several traffic offenses, your license could be suspended, restricting your ability to work and feed your family.
Every driver should take Traffic Violations seriously. If you're charged with a traffic crime, it's time to protect yourself and your family with a trusted criminal defense lawyer in Seabrook Island, SC. Cobb Dill Hammett, LLC is ready to provide the legal guidance and advice you need to beat your traffic charges. We'll research the merits of your case, explain what charges you're facing, discuss your defense options, and strategize an effective defense on your behalf.
Common Seabrook Island
Traffic Violations That CDH Law
Firm Fights
There are dozens and dozens of traffic laws in Seabrook Island, all of which affect drivers in some way. Our Seabrook Island defense attorneys fight a full range of violations, including but not limited to the following:
- Driving Under Suspension: If you drive while your license is suspended, revoked, or canceled, you could be looking at 30 days in jail and fines up to $300.
- Driving Under the Influence: Operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated on drugs or alcohol is illegal and often results in jail time and fines.
- Reckless Driving: You could be ordered to pay up to $200 in fines or jailed for up to 30 days if you drive with wanton disregard for the safety of other people.
- Racing: You can be cited and fined if you aid or participate in street racing.
- Hit and Run: When you leave the scene of an accident that involved injury to another party, you can be arrested. This serious charge can lead to up to one year in jail and fines of up to $5,000 for first-time offenders.
- Disregard Traffic Signals: Drivers must obey all traffic signals and control devices, less they be ticketed and sometimes fined.
As seasoned traffic violation lawyers, we know how frustrating it can be to get charged with a Traffic Violation. While some traffic charges can be minor, others are severe and can affect your life for years to come. Don't leave your fate up to chance – call CDH Law Firm today for the highest-quality Traffic Violation representation in Seabrook Island.
Juvenile Crime Cases in
Seabrook Island, SC
At Cobb Dill Hammett, LLC, we understand that children are still growing and learning about the world around them. As such, they may make mistakes that get them into trouble with the law. Children and teens who are arrested in Seabrook Island can face much different futures than other children their age. Some face intensive probation, while others are made to spend time in jail.
This happens most often when a child's parents fail to retain legal counsel for their son or daughter. Cases referred to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice often move quicker than adult cases, so finding a good lawyer is of utmost importance. With that said, a compassionate criminal defense attorney in Seabrook Island, SC, can educate you and your child about their alleged charges. To help prevent your child from going to a detention center, we will devise a strategy to achieve favorable results in their case.
Juvenile Detention Hearings
Unlike adults, juveniles don't have a constitutional right to a bond hearing. Instead, once your child is taken into custody a Detention Hearing is conducted within 48 hours. This hearing is similar to a combination of a Bond Hearing and a Preliminary Hearing. Unfortunately, there is little time to prepare for these hearings, which is why you must move quickly and call CDH law firm as soon as possible.
Our team gathers police reports, petitions, interviews your child at the DJJ, speaks with you about the case and talks to the prosecutor to discover if they have plans for detention. In most cases, we strive to avoid detention and seek alternatives like divisionary programs or treatment facilities. This strategy better addresses your child's issues and keeps them out of the juvenile legal system in Seabrook Island. If your child is charged with a crime, and South Carolina decides to prosecute, your child will appear before a family court judge, who will find them delinquent or not delinquent. There are no juries in juvenile cases in South Carolina, which is why it's crucial to have a lawyer present to defend your child if they go in front of a judge.
Common penalties for juveniles charged with crimes in Seabrook Island include:
- Probation: Children charged with probation are released to their parents or guardians. Depending on their charges, they must abide by certain stipulations while at home and may be subject to random drug screenings. Violation of probation often results in jail time.
- 90 Days in Juvenile Detention Center: When probation is not a viable option, prosecutors may push for 90 days of jail time in a juvenile detention facility.
- Juvenile Detention: Children who commit very serious crimes can be sent to a juvenile detention center for a long time. These sentences can last up to the child's 21st birthday.
- School Expulsion: When a child is convicted of a crime, their school is notified of the offense. Sometimes, the administration may decide to expel the child from school for the misdemeanors or felonies they commit.
We Fight to Protect
Your Rights So You Can
Provide for Your Family
Whether you are facing a DUI charge or a serious traffic violation, CDH Law Firm is here to fight for your rights so you can continue living life. The future might seem bleak, but our criminal defense lawyers in Seabrook Island, SC, have the tools, experience, and strategy to win your case, as we have with so many others. Don't lose hope – call our office today and maintain your freedom tomorrow.
Ask us anything
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Latest News in Seabrook Island, SC
Columbia one of 4 SC places ranked as best Southern weekend getaways by Country Living magazine
Lyn Riddlehttps://www.thestate.com/news/local/article261634827.html
Columbia made Country Living’s top 10 best Southern weekend getaways, coming in at No. 10 and beating out perennial list favorite Greenville (13), Lake Murray (18) and Seabrook Island (24).The magazine listed 30 places to consider spending a weekend instead of Charleston and Nashville.“Charleston and Nashville are fun, but it’s time to head somewhere new,”...
Columbia made Country Living’s top 10 best Southern weekend getaways, coming in at No. 10 and beating out perennial list favorite Greenville (13), Lake Murray (18) and Seabrook Island (24).
The magazine listed 30 places to consider spending a weekend instead of Charleston and Nashville.
“Charleston and Nashville are fun, but it’s time to head somewhere new,” the headline said.
About Columbia, the magazine said, “Pulsing with a vibrant, artsy energy, downtown Columbia is sprinkled with enough bakeries, boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops to set the backdrop for RGMs (Really Good Memories).”
The magazine said Columbia has a “Mayberry-esque” quality.
Recommendations included staying at the Inn at USC, “where you can spend hours relaxing on the wide wrap-around porch,” Hunter-Gatherer Brewery and Alehouse, Old Mill Antique Mall in West Columbia, and Cafe Strudel.
The magazine said of Lake Murray, “Many people don’t know there’s 500 miles of undisturbed shoreline less than a half-hour drive outside of downtown Columbia. Many people are missing out.”
They called the lake an “idyllic getaway” and the state’s best-kept secret.
“You’ll find pristine views, hidden coves, and a glassy, peaceful lake,” the magazine said.
Highlighted were River Runner, Brickhouse Campground, The Rusty Anchor and Newberry Manor.
About Greenville, the magazine suggested boozy milkshakes at Grill Marks and a number of other restaurants such as Sidewall Pizza, Biscuit Head and The Anchorage. Falls Park and M.Judson Booksellers and Storytellers were highlighted, too.
Seabrook Island is a “quiet, laid-back sanctuary,” rife with the opportunity to beachcomb, watch dolphins, go crabbing, play pickleball or ride horses.
They suggested Water Dog for a stand-up paddleboarding tour.
“ If you’re feeling less-than-ambitious, try lazing around at your villa or townhouse rental (complete with ocean or tidal creek views),” the magazine said, before recommending “a night out on the town in Uber-able Charleston.”
Other areas in the top 10 were No. 1 Danville, Kentucky; followed by Hot Springs, Arkansas; Flat Rock, North Carolina; Bardstown, Kentucky; Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; Blowing Rock, North Carolina; Bowling Green, Kentucky; Charlottesville, Virginia and Islamorada, Florida.
This story was originally published May 20, 2022 11:27 AM.
Fox Chapel Sports Hall of Fame inducts Class of 2022
George Guidohttps://tribhssn.triblive.com/fox-chapel-sports-hall-of-fame-inducts-class-of-2022/
The Fox Chapel Area Schools Sports Hall of Fame has seven new members.The organization’s 25th induction banquet was held recently at the Harmar House where honorees ranged from a three-year starting football lineman at Penn State to a hometown District Justice.Miles Dieffenbach was a four-year starter for Fox Chapel’s football team and was named all-state in 2008 and ’09.He was rated the nation’s top center by ESPN and played in the Under Armour All-American game in Orlando, Fla.Dieffenbach...
The Fox Chapel Area Schools Sports Hall of Fame has seven new members.
The organization’s 25th induction banquet was held recently at the Harmar House where honorees ranged from a three-year starting football lineman at Penn State to a hometown District Justice.
Miles Dieffenbach was a four-year starter for Fox Chapel’s football team and was named all-state in 2008 and ’09.
He was rated the nation’s top center by ESPN and played in the Under Armour All-American game in Orlando, Fla.
Dieffenbach went on to Penn State where he lettered three times and started 27 games for the Nittany Lions.
He was named a Big Ten Conference Academic All-American from 2012-14.
Dieffenbach is now an investment manager for Carnegie Mellon.
Amanda Zambrano Daquelente excelled in soccer at Fox Chapel and at Franklin & Marshall College.
She scored 74 career goals while with the Foxes and was named all-WPIAL and all-state for the 2001 season.
At Franklin & Marshall, she tallied 40 career goals and was named four times to Centennial Conference academic honors. Zambrano Daquelente is now a partner in the Pittsburgh law firm of Meyer, Unkovic and Scott LLP.
Patrick Frank earned eight varsity letters in three sports — two in cross country, two in baseball and four in wrestling. He was a 1998 Valley News Dispatch all-star in wrestling and has officiated in the highest levels of the high school and collegiate wrestling ranks, including three NCAA Division I individual championships and three PIAA championships.
Frank also officiates high school football and baseball.
Jeff Armor lettered in soccer three times and earned all-WPIAL honors in 1981 and ’82. He went on to Lehigh University where he earned four soccer letters and captained the 1985 squad, scoring 12 goals and 14 assists while playing sweeper and defense.
Armor came back to Fox Chapel where he was an assistant to Erik Ingram from 2008-16. The Foxes made the WPIAL playoffs each of those seasons. He currently resides in Seabrook Island, S.C.
Reed Clarke came to Fox Chapel as an educator in 1966 and coached cross country for seven years, boys golf for nine years and girls golf for nine years.
He was, perhaps, most recognized as the scorekeeper at Fox Chapel basketball games from 1989-2017.
Clarke was a PIAA swimming official for 30 years and served on the board of directors for the Pittsburgh Youth Golf Foundation from 2006-12 and is a Tri-State PGA Golf Hall of Fame member.
Nadia Luttner is one of the most successful golfers in Fox Chapel history.
She was a four-year starter for the Foxes. As a freshman, Luttner helped the team to an undefeated season and was second in both the WPIAL and PIAA championships.
As a sophomore, she finished third in the state tourney, and the Foxes finished as WPIAL runner-up. In her junior season, both Luttner and the team were WPIAL runners-up.
She capped her high school career with a WPIAL team title and an individual silver medal.
She competed in college at Kansas and at Coastal Carolina.
Matthew Rudzki was an outstanding distance runner for the Foxes as a four-time letter winner in cross country, a three-time state qualifier and a two-time WPIAL medalist.
In track, he lettered three times, was a WPIAL medalist in the 3,200-meter run and was part of the team that set a school record in the distance medley relay.
At Washington & Jefferson College, he was a two-time Presidents’ Athletic Conference cross country individual champion, the first in school history.
Since then, he has traded his running shoes for a judicial robe, serving now as the magisterial district judge for the Fox Chapel area communities.
Tags: Fox Chapel
Seabrook Island, SC Club Members Demand Change to Vaccine Mandate
Patriots of Seabrook Islandhttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seabrook-island-sc-club-members-demand-change-to-vaccine-mandate-301427036.html
SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C., Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of Seabrook Island Club members were denied access to their private club's restaurant November 3 with the management citing club policies requiring members be vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID – 19 test. They have formed 'The Patriots of Seabrook Island' and have launched a website to disagree with this policy.Not Anti Vaccine - Pro Freedom"We are not Anti-vaccine, not at all. Many of us are fully vaccinated. We are pro-Freedom," stated the ...
SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C., Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of Seabrook Island Club members were denied access to their private club's restaurant November 3 with the management citing club policies requiring members be vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID – 19 test. They have formed 'The Patriots of Seabrook Island' and have launched a website to disagree with this policy.
Not Anti Vaccine - Pro Freedom"We are not Anti-vaccine, not at all. Many of us are fully vaccinated. We are pro-Freedom," stated the group's founder Barrie Glenn. "The club has no right to disallow anyone's participation based on vaccine status. They are violating our civil rights, discriminating based on federally protected personal medical choices." she added.
HOA Forces Purchase - Refuses Access"This is a unique situation," Ms. Glenn continued. "Every homeowner has a mandate to join the club for 7 years, per HOA covenant - we have already paid for what we are not allowed to use. Add to that, the policies they enforce on us members are more stringent than any others in the state. "
HOA Retaliates – Candor in Question"Even worse, they have recently retaliated against our freedom movement, and now we are no longer allowed to dine at all – even outside," Ms. Glenn also stated. "Is it really about health? Or is it about power and discrimination?"
Website Touted Ms. Glenn invites anyone to visit the website at www.PatriotsofSeabrookIsland.com to join the group or get additional information. Long-time local Civil Rights Attorney Teresa Zachry Hill (https://hilllawfirm.attorney/), known as "A Powerful Voice for Positive Change" represents the organization.
For more information, press only:FOLLOW THE STORY at www.PatriotsofSeabrookIsland.com. Watch for our NEXT PRESS RELEASE.
SOURCE Patriots of Seabrook Island
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South Carolina's Best Beaches, Ranked By Popularity
Gabriel Kirelloshttps://www.thetravel.com/south-carolina-best-beaches-ranked-by-popularity/
South Carolina is a stunning place to visit not just for its rich history and mesmerizing landscapes but also for its magnificent beaches. The state's coastline, which stretches for 187 miles along the Atlantic, is home to some of the most splendid and p...
South Carolina is a stunning place to visit not just for its rich history and mesmerizing landscapes but also for its magnificent beaches. The state's coastline, which stretches for 187 miles along the Atlantic, is home to some of the most splendid and pristine beaches in the United States. The Grand Strand includes some of the most dazzling and popular beaches for summer tourists. In addition to all this clear blue wealth, South Carolina also possesses enchanting islands. Here are the 10 most popular beaches in the state.
Kiawah Island
Kiawah Island is characterized by its 10 miles (16 kilometers) of wonderful beaches harmonized by splendid lush marshes, breathtaking white sand, and exceptional maritime forestry. Tourists will enjoy the beautiful water beaches of South Carolina by visiting Kiawah Island, which offers them exciting aquatic activities such as kayaks and SUP rentals. They can also play golf at the resort and satisfy their food cravings at the Bohicket Marina Market.
Coligny Beach Park, Hilton Head Island
The enchanting sea breeze in Coligny Beach will carry all tourists' worries and allow them to explore one of the most popular and astonishing beaches in South Carolina. Visitors can spend time in the spectacular public garden equipped with amazing amenities. It is important to note that the location is the safest beach for children due to the presence of active lifeguards. Around Coligny Plaza, visitors can enjoy tasty food and buy beach accessories and clothing as well as unique souvenirs.
Seabrook Island
Tourists will explore the quiet beaches and spectacular wetlands of Seabrook Island, known for its marvelous and greatest swimming beach in South Carolina. Incredible coastline and beautiful trail rides, a health center with aquatics and fitness, mesmerizing beachfront pools, and a hypnotic deep-water marina are all available on the lovely island. Vacationers do not want to miss the most wonderful sunset seen from Pelican Beach. Moreover, friends and families can gather around mouth-drooling food in award-winning eateries.
Myrtle Beach
In terms of the number of visitors, Myrtle Beach is, without a doubt, the most popular aquatic destination in South Carolina. People from all over the world and the country are attracted by this dazzling beach due to its amazing tourist attractions, various exciting entertainment activities, fancy beachfront resorts, and family-friendliness. Moreover, the emerald blue beach's superb white sand keeps tourists coming back. Those looking for a calmer destination should head toward the North Myrtle Beach coast.
Folly Beach, Charleston
Folly Beach is another beautiful sun location that is easily accessible from Charleston. It has a great fishing pier (fishers shall bring their rod), serving as the ideal scenery for a romantic selfie. The beach is also popular for thrilling outdoor activities such as paddle boarding, surfing, sea kayaking, and dolphin spotting excursions. It's also a wonderful beach to simply wander along while admiring the sights of the splendid ocean.
Front Beach, Isle of Palms
A nice 40-minute journey east of Charleston will take tourists to the Isle of Palms, a lovely coastal spot popular with both locals and visitors of the area. The majority of visitors flock to Front Beach, which is known for its ample public parking and quick beach access. Aside from kayaking, surfing, fishing, paddle boarding, and other aquatic activities, the beach serves as a vital stopover for sea turtles. Therefore, visitors shall watch the warning signs because turtles nest and lay their eggs in the dunes.
Pawleys Island
Travelers looking for the finest place with magnificent sculptures, splendid local plant gardens, and astonishing zoos should visit Pawleys Island's white powdery sand beach. This beach has the most pristine shoreline and is well-known for its calm waves, which are ideal for bicycling, shelling, kayaking, and canoeing with family, friends, and loved ones. Pawleys Island offers a gorgeous view of the area's famed waterway, so tourists shall not miss it!
Huntington Beach State Park — Murrells Inlet
The impressive Huntington Beach State Park is one of South Carolina's most well-known sites. With over 2500 acres of outstanding open area to explore, tourists will enjoy the delightful sea-breeze camping with magical sea waves, charming exotic birds, and bewitching sunsets on the East Coast. Art and environment enthusiasts may see endangered creatures such as loggerhead turtles and flora, as well as visit the neighboring Atalaya Arts and Crafts.
Litchfield Beach
The distinctive Litchfield Beach is another excellent option south of Myrtle Beach. The beach is known to be a quiet destination and is full of charming cottages and a nice 1.5-mile stretch to enjoy. Aside from excellent sunbathing and swimming, people looking for water sports can choose various activities from Jet Skis to sea kayaking, as well as fishing. While parking is limited and it is recommended to arrive early, the fact that only two beach access points are available almost assures a peaceful experience.
Family Beach, Surfside
On Family beach, tourists can stroll with their families down the famed 1.2-mile boardwalk that runs along the magnificent coastline of Surfside Beach and immerse themselves in the awesome landscape while dining, shopping, and participating in exciting festivals. The town provides a variety of coastal activities for people of all ages, including music performances and a water park, as well as excellent dining and shopping. Surfboard rentals and lessons are also available for thrill-seekers. Next:
South Carolina Supreme Court returns 14 congregations to Episcopal diocese
Episcopal News Servicehttps://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2022/04/20/south-carolina-bishop-issues-letter-on-court-decision-in-property-case/
[Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina] The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled April 20 that 14 South Carolina churches that were once part of The Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina shall be returned, along with all real and personal property held in trust for the diocese, including the St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center on Seabrook Island.The churches left the diocese in 2012 and later joined the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and the April 20 news marks another milestone in a nearly decade-lo...
[Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina] The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled April 20 that 14 South Carolina churches that were once part of The Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina shall be returned, along with all real and personal property held in trust for the diocese, including the St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center on Seabrook Island.
The churches left the diocese in 2012 and later joined the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and the April 20 news marks another milestone in a nearly decade-long legal journey that included a lower court decision in 2014 which was largely overturned by the state’s high court in 2017 and then further clarified with the decision this week.
Of the decision, the Rt. Rev. Ruth Woodliff-Stanley, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, said: “Their decisions will no doubt bring joy to many in our diocese, but for others, there will be grief in the possible finality of a loss they have been feeling for nearly 10 years.” She also added a hope for the future of the reconciled diocese: “We now walk into a bright future, one in which we will focus on the reconciling power of the Gospel to transform injustice, to heal the brokenhearted, and to build God’s beloved community.”
The South Carolina Supreme Court, using a variety of determining factors, decided that 14 parishes (of the 29 previously named) did create an “irrevocable trust in favor of the National Church and its diocese” (the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina – the “Associated Diocese”). These 14 parishes are as follows: Christ Church, Mt. Pleasant; Good Shepherd, Charleston; Holy Comforter, Sumter; Holy Cross, Stateburg; Holy Trinity, Charleston; St. Bartholomew’s, Hartsville; St. David’s, Cheraw; St. Luke’s, Hilton Head; St. Matthew’s, Fort Motte; St. James, Charleston; St. John’s, Johns Island; St. Jude’s, Walterboro; Trinity, Myrtle Beach; and Old St. Andrew’s, Charleston.
Conversely, the Court found that 15 of the 29 parishes “did not create a trust in favor of the National Church or its diocese, and thus those 15 Parishes retain title to their real estate.” These parishes are as follows: All Saints, Florence; Church of our Saviour, John’s Island; Church of the Cross, Bluffton; Christ-St. Paul’s, Yonges Island; Epiphany, Eutawville; Redeemer, Orangeburg; Resurrection, Surfside/Myrtle Beach; St. Helena’s, Beaufort; St. Paul’s, Bennettsville; St. Paul’s, Summerville; St. Philip’s, Charleston; St. Luke & St. Paul, Charleston; St. Michael’s, Charleston; Trinity, Edisto; and Trinity, Pinopolis.
The South Carolina Supreme Court has decided that all real and personal property, including the St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center, have been held “in trust for the benefit of the National Church [The Episcopal Church] and the Associated Diocese,” meaning the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. The ruling further concluded that “the real and personal property held in trust by the Trustees is now held for the benefit of the Associated Diocese.”
On all matters and questions relating to “names, styles, emblems, and service marks,” the Court deferred to the federal court. The U.S. District Court previously ruled in favor of The Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (also recognized as The Episcopal Church in South Carolina) in September 2019. This decision has been appealed, but any future rulings were stayed pending the outcome of this state case.
In her pastoral letter to the diocese sent hours after receiving the opinion, Woodlff-Stanley discussed the next steps for the diocese. “We are still working to understand the immediate path forward and promise to be in communication with you as our legal team helps us determine what comes next,” said Woodliff-Stanley. “May we focus together on reconciliation and the way of love as we journey together on the road ahead, centered in Christ’s love for all of us.”
The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina was one of the nine original dioceses that formed The Episcopal Church in 1785. The Episcopal Church, which encompasses 111 dioceses and regional areas in 17 nations of the world, remains the only denomination in the United States affiliated with the worldwide Anglican Communion.
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