Vol. 5, No. 5, Pg. 53. JUSTICE FOR ALL: THE NEED IS NOW, THE TIME IS NOW.

• Author: A message from Bar President Elaine H. Fowler

South Carolina Lawyer

1994.

Vol. 5, No. 5, Pg. 53.

JUSTICE FOR ALL: THE NEED IS NOW, THE TIME IS NOW

53JUSTICE FOR ALL: THE NEED IS NOW, THE TIME IS NOWA message from Bar President Elaine H. FowlerThe fundamental fabric of our democracy is challenged--stretched to the point of tearing--when our system of justice is not adequately funded. The citizens of South Carolina face a crisis in our justice system. As your Bar President, I call on you, the members a the Carolina Bar, to join with me, with other lawyyers and other citizens of--South Carolina to seek justice for all.

At the Midyear Meetingin Charleston, a report was made to the House _ofDelegates on the work of the Task Force on Justice for All. The report was delivered by Task Force Co-Chairs Steve Morrison and Mike Kelly. A draft report of the Task Force was included in the House of Delegates material and is available from the Bar office.

The goal of the Task Force on Justice for All is to seek improvements in the justice system, including adequate and balanced funding. The report contains appalling statistics on the caseloads of our judges and the resources which we spend on our judicial system. The burdens our judges are carrying and the inefficiency with which our system operates, in the absence of adequate computerization and other resources, are a matter of grave oncern. Although South Carolina is fortunate to have many hardworking, caring judges, what quality of justice can South Carolina citizens expect under the existing circumstances? It is no wonder that the public is disenchanted with the system.

Thereport points outthe following

* Last year a serious criminal charge was brought against someone every 50 seconds. Over 560 criminal cases were fled every day the courts were open.

* A new civil ease was filed every two minutes Every day, 263 civil cases were filed.

* A new family family court matter was filed every minute, and 463 family courtcases were filed every clay.

* Lesser criminal charges and small civil claims were made every five seconds; 4,825 cases were filed every day.

* new case was filed in the state's municipal courts every 13 seconds;. 2,123 cases were filed every day.

* Altogether, South Carolina's statewide trial-courts received 17 new cases every minute, one case, every 3,5 seconds, 8,240 cases every day,

* In the past three years, the South Carolina...